Structure Type: built works - dwellings - houses
Designers: Wurster, William W., Architect (firm); William Wilson Wurster (architect)
Dates: constructed 1926-1927
Overview
This William Wurster-designed residence accommodated Chester and Della Gillespie, the former who served more than thirty years as the first chief of the State of California's Bureau of Sanitary Engineering, a giant in the field of water treatment and ecology.
Building History
The Gillespie House was designed for Chester Gordon Gillespie (born 05/16/1885 in Hollister, CA-d. 04/15/1971 in Santa Clara County, CA), the first Director of the State of California, Department of Public Health, Bureau of Sanitary Engineering (1915-1947), and his wife, Della Bayly (born 07/27/1889 in CA-d. 01/22/1975 in CA). Gillespie occupied a central role in improving sewage treatment in CA, through the construction of new water treatment plants.
In the mid-1920s, Wurster became the architect for the East Bay Water Company's San Leandro Filtration Plant, completed in 1926. In the process of designing this plant, Wurster came into contact with Gillespie, who commissioned the architect to design him a new residence in the hills above Oakland, CA.
While many State of CA agencies had headquarters in Sacramento, Gillespie maintained his Bureau of Sanitary Engineering in an office at the University of CA, Berkeley.
Various dates have been proposed for the Gillespie House. Gillespie's name was not listed in the Oakland, California, City Directory, 1926, (p. 745), but was listed as living at 11064 Broadway Terrace in the Oakland, California, City Directory, 1927, (p. 817).
Building Notes
Prior to building this house, Gillespie resided in a house at 336 40th Street in Oakland. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1925, p. 734.)
PCAD id: 25378