History
Built in 1887 at a cost of $7,000, Sumner House was originally the home of Rev. Charles Burt Sumner, a founding trustee of Pomona College, and his wife, Mary Louisa Stedman Sumner. Originally named Twin Oaks, the house was located on 10 acres of land near the anticipated site of the College on Piedmont Mesa, about four miles north of Pomona. The house was moved to its present site in 1901 after being placed on heavy timbers and rollers drawn by horses. The Sumner family continued to live in the house throughout the six-week move. The house was later home to their son George C.K. Sumner (Class of 1894), who taught economics at Pomona and became its controller in 1923, and his grandson George Charles Sumner Benson (Class of 1928), the founding president of Claremont Men’s College (now Claremont McKenna College). Sumner House was donated by the family to the college in the 1940s and is the oldest house in Claremont.
Over the years, the house has been used as a residence, has been rented to faculty, and has served as a student dormitory. In the 1970s and ‘80s, it was dubbed “veggie house” because students preferring a vegetarian diet lived there and prepared their own meals. The house was closed as a dormitory in 1989 when Pomona College was able to accommodate all its students in other facilities. The restoration of Sumner House was carried out by the Claremont firm of Hartman-Baldwin in 1992. Since then, it has served as the College’s guest house.
Architectural Style
Sumner House is an outstanding example of Queen Anne architecture, a picturesque Victorian style defined by deliberate asymmetry, complex, high-pitched roofs, ornate spindlework, turrets, and rich textures. The house includes the original staircase, public rooms, fireplaces, and many other features that preserve the integrity of the original structure.
In typical fashion, Sumner House is highly ornamental, including many different gables and bays that jut out of the façade. In addition, there are wrap-around porches, a variety of window sizes, and lavishly decorated wood. The sidings vary from scalloped and fish-scaled to diamond-shaped and are both horizontal and vertical.
Sumner House wears some of its original exterior colors of olive drab, forest green, muted yellow, and brick red, although the inside has been spared the wallpaper that often enveloped every wall and ceiling. Instead, white paint has been used throughout the interior.
The Village of Claremont
Located at the edge of the Village, Claremont’s historic downtown area, you will find a variety of restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, boutique shops, day spas, art galleries, and a US Post Office all within easy walking distance. Most are located on Yale or Harvard Avenues, west of College Avenue.
Accommodations
Each of the bedrooms has a full or queen-sized bed with its own in-suite bathroom. Coffee/tea, filtered water, and assorted snacks and breakfast items are available for guests in the kitchen.
Reservations
Sumner House serves as a no-host guest house for visitors to Pomona College. Guests must be hosted by campus departments, who pay for the stay. Reservations are based on a first-come, first-served basis. Inquiries may be made by contacting the Office of Real Estate at (909) 621-8206. Smoking and pets are not allowed in the house.