Ventura County Landmark No. 76: Santa Paula Ebell Club (Theater Center)
Historical Background
In 1917, the Ebell Club was built as the home for Santa Paula’s women’s chapter, and it quickly became an important gathering place for local women. Before the clubhouse was constructed, the site was home to an early motion picture studio operated by Gaston Méliès in the 1910s. The Los Angeles architectural firm Hunt and Burns designed the building in the shingled Craftsman style, and they also created the English landscape garden beside it, now called Ebell Park. The clubhouse and garden were donated by Alice Stowell McKevett in honor of her husband, Charles H. McKevett, a respected banker, citrus rancher, land developer, and director of several early companies in Santa Paula (Ventura County Resource Management Agency, Planning Division, 2016).
Mrs. McKevett helped establish the Santa Paula Ebell Club in 1913, making it the ninth Ebell chapter founded in California. The club provided a place for local women to meet, learn, and participate in community projects. Its connection to early filmmaking and its long history of supporting women’s civic activities make the site a meaningful part of Santa Paula’s past (Ventura County Resource Management Agency, Planning Division, 2016).
Architectural and Cultural Significance
The Santa Paula Ebell Club is a strong example of Craftsman style design, featuring natural materials, wood shingles, and broad overhanging eaves. Its park like setting enhances the charm and historic character of the building. Just as importantly, it is the only historic women’s clubhouse in Santa Paula and one of the few unaltered women’s club buildings remaining in Ventura County. Over many decades, it served as a popular meeting place and supported a variety of educational, social, and community programs led by local women (NoeHill, n.d.).
Property Today
The Santa Paula Ebell Club property remains an important cultural site in the community. The building continues to retain much of its historic appearance, both inside and out, and its landscaped grounds are still used as a public park space. While the clubhouse no longer functions as an active women’s club, it remains a recognizable landmark and is used for community events, performances, and gatherings. The combination of preserved architecture and continued public use helps maintain the property’s longstanding role as a valued part of Santa Paula’s heritage (Ventura County Resource Management Agency, Planning Division, 2016).
References
NoeHill. (n.d.). Ebell Club of Santa Paula. NoeHill Travels in California. https://noehill.com/ventura/nat1989000949.asp.
Ventura County Resource Management Agency, Planning Division. (2016, May). Ventura County Historical Landmarks and Points of Interest (3rd ed.). https://rmadocs.venturacounty.gov/planning/programs/cultural-heritage-board/publications/ventura-county-historical-landmarks-and-points-of-interest.pdf.
Date Designated: September 1982
Location: 125 South Seventh Street, Santa Paula
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