Adventure 003, Site 012 – Twining Labs

Sherri and the Building

Capture California, the Game-2013

Adventure: 003, Site 012 – Twining Labs

National Registry ID: 91000308

Local Registry ID: 58

Team: YOLT

Date:  June 14, 2013

Location:

Coordinates: 36°45′29″N 119°47′12″W

Address: 2527 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA

Description:

Date Built: 1930

Architect: Charles E. Butner

Twining Building

Twining Labs is a Fresno institution, going back to its founding in 1898. Fredrick Twining was a chemist, who began as a bacteriologist. He had a nation-wide reputation for the preparation of vaccines against cattle disease. His firm had the reputation of “We Will Test Anything”, and that they did-testing foods, drugs, sobriety, and even brandy quality. As the firm grew, there was more and more need of facilities, consequently the present building was built in 1930.

As designed by architect Charles E. Butner, the Twining Laboratories represents a fine example of Depression-era construction in a modestly-scaled and detailed Mediterranean idiom. Although this genre was quite popular in the design of schools and residences in the Fresno area during the 1910s and 1920s, it was not widely adopted for commercial buildings. Much of that original but small resource has been lost to urban renewal, making the Twining Laboratories a rare example of a stylistic type commonly seen in other California communities. (GHF)



Because stylistic modifications to the principal architectural facade have been minor, loss of original building fabric has been limited, and the primary function of the building has not changed appreciably for six decades, the property exhibits a substantial degree of historical and architectural integrity. (NRHP)



References:

• Guide to Historic Fresno (GHF)
  
• Moore Twining Associates
  
• NRHP-Text and Photos
  

Overall Landmark References:

• Wikipedia: California's National Landmarks (WCNL)
  
• National Registry of Historical Places (NRHP)