Public Scoping Meeting to Develop Citywide Historic Context Statement

The City of Monrovia invites YOU to a public meeting to discuss the latest developments in the preservation of Monrovia’s history! In collaboration with ASM Affiliates, a historic resources consulting firm in Pasadena, the City is in the process of preparing a citywide historic context that will serve as a tool for the evaluation and designation of potential historic districts.

What is a context statement you may ask?

A robust historic context is the foundation for identifying, evaluating, and handling historic properties and will help us make land use decisions. Historic contexts differ from other types of narrative histories because they identify important themes in history and then show how those themes relate to our existing historic properties.

The historic context statement underway will be specific to Monrovia and will be used to identify historic architectural themes that are unique to our history. It will also show us how themes within the region are exemplified in Monrovia’s built environment. Once we understand what themes are at play here, we will use the historic context statement to identify existing properties and districts that display each theme. This could include development patterns, cultural topics, or architectural trends.

What will you learn by attending this meeting?

At this informational meeting, ASM and the City will provide a progress report on the project and present initial research findings. But most importantly, you are invited to participate in a discussion about the project’s goals, as well as contribute your information about places and themes that may be historically significant, especially those associated with significant local events and people, as well as architecture. 

For a successful collaboration please begin asking yourself the following questions: 

• Do you value preserving Monrovia’s history?
• What time periods in Monrovia’s history are the most important to you?
• What themes and events in Monrovia’s history shaped how Monrovia looks today?
• Who are the people in Monrovia’s past that you consider to be historically significant?
• What areas of Monrovia that still exist are connected to those themes, time periods, and people?

We look forward to hearing from you at the meeting! 

Historic Context Statement Public Outreach Meeting 8-24-17