Pond Farm Pottery Historic District

Workshop contains potter's wheels as used by Marguerite Wildenhain

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Quick Facts

Location:

17000 Armstrong Woods Road, Austin Creek State Recreation Area

Significance:

Female ceramics pioneer Marguerite Wildenhain lived, worked, and taught at Pond Farm

Designation:

National Register of Historic Places

MANAGED BY:

California State Parks

Pond Farm Pottery is significant under Criteria A and B at the national level of significance in the areas of Art, Education, and Social History for its association with the Studio Pottery Movement and ceramist and teacher Marguerite Wildenhain who lived, worked, and taught at Pond Farm. American ceramists of the 1940s and 1950s were in the early stages of a ceramics revolution that resulted in several developments in ceramics in the United States, including the emergence of the Studio Pottery Movement. During the first half of the twentieth century, European immigrant ceramists such as Marguerite Wildenhain introduced new arts and crafts skills, methods, and philosophies across the country. Her school, Pond Farm Pottery, played an important role in the emergence of ceramics as an important art form. Wildenhain arrived at Pond Farm in 1942 and concluded her active working life in 1980 with the last summer session, publication of her third book, and a retrospective exhibit of her work. She remained at Pond Farm until her death in 1985. The property meets Criteria Consideration G: Properties That Have Achieved Significance Within the Past Fifty Years for its strong association with the Studio Pottery Movement of the mid-twentieth century and the internationally significant contributions of Wildenhain, an exemplary ceramist who was an important female pioneer in ceramics and ceramics education.

Property Name  Pond Farm Pottery Historic District
Reference Number  14000307
State  California
County  Sonoma
Town  Guerneville
Street Address  17000 Armstrong Woods Road. Austin Creek State Recreation Area
Multiple Property Submission Name  N/A
Status  Listed 6/17/2014
Areas of Significance  ART, EDUCATION, SOCIAL HISTORY