The mission of the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation is to foster awareness and appreciation of the historic heritage of South Pasadena and to advocate and facilitate preservation of significant examples of that heritage.
The Preservation Movement in South Pasadena began in earnest in 1970 when South Pasadena Beautiful, founded in 1965, created the South Pasadena Cultural Heritage Committee as a subcommittee to promote historic preservation in the community. This subcommittee, chaired by local architect Jean Driskel, was successful in drafting the city ordinance that created the South Pasadena Cultural Heritage Commission, with powers and duties to advise the City Council on designating cultural and historical sites and landmarks significant to the city’s development. This commission, initially chaired by Raymond Girvigian, FAIA, created the Jean Driskel Cultural Heritage Foundation in honor of the late architect.
In 1983, the foundation was renamed the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation. It still complements the commission and is the city’s official preservation agency, supplying volunteers and raising funds for historic preservation. The Foundation also manages the South Pasadena Historical Museum, which opened on May 16, 1987.
