Tevis Block

The Tevis Block, also known as the Kern County Land Company Building, is a historic office building in Bakersfield, California. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on March 29, 1984.

Structure

The Tevis Block is a two-story, U-shaped structure constructed of imported fire brick. The front, south-facing facade has fanlight windows and terra cotta arches. Each floor is articulated differently and treated with a different order and finish. Basement windows are rectangular and bottom-hinged with a flat lintel. The first floor windows, two-sash and divided vertically with the fanlight transom, are enhanced by the brickwork to give the appearance of including mezzanine windows. The second-story windows are single-light sash with flat radiating bricks above. Above the second-story windows is a narrow frieze with square vents topped by a decorated boxed cornice capped by a high plain cornice. The rear of the building includes an enclosed elevator, added later, and a second-story, iron-railed walkway. An additional one-story brick wing was added to the building northwest corner in later years.^[2]

Significance

The Tevis Block is the final vestige of the Kern County Land Company.^[2] The Company was formed in 1890 by James Haggin and his brother-in-law Lloyd Tevis and prospered in developing the areas around the Kern River.^[3] The building helped open up the Bakersfield downtown west of H Street and became a landmark upon construction. It was one of only a handful of unreinforced masonry building to survive the 1952 Kern County earthquake, and was subsequently strengthened, renovated and restored to a close proximity of its original architecture. It is considered a fine example of Second Renaissance Revival architecture.^[2]

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