The Full Story
A Brief History of 159 E. Holt, Pomona, California
The house at 159 E. Holt was built in 1890, although the history of its first six years remains unknown. In 1896, J.E. Patterson, a local funeral home owner, moved in with his wife, Carrie Bement, and their two children, Millicent and Donald. Patterson, who had arrived in Pomona in 1891, operated a funeral parlor on Main Street. By 1901, the house was sold to W.L. Wright, and the Patterson family moved out. Patterson later relocated his funeral business to Second Street, operating a larger facility with a chapel and office, and he became well known in fraternal circles as a pioneer in the Pomona community .
Wilbur Lee Wright purchased the house in 1901 and lived there with his wife Annie, his sons Lewis, William, and Ross, and his daughters Mary Maude and Bessie. Wright had previously operated a wholesale grocery business in Omaha before moving to California. In Pomona, he acquired the J.H. Graber wholesale grocery business, which he and his son Lewis expanded into one of the region’s leading wholesale merchants. Wright became a prominent civic leader, serving as vice president and later chairman of the First National Bank, president of the Pomona Chamber of Commerce, and a trustee of Trinity Methodist Church. He also helped organize the Pomona Community Chest, supported the construction of the YMCA, and held leadership positions in several financial institutions. Wright passed away in 1945 at the age of 88, and his wife Annie remained in the house until her death in 1955 at the age of 93 .
After changing hands several times between 1956 and 1985, the house was purchased by Wally Shultz. With the help of several Sigma Chi brothers from USC, he secured the down payment, and ownership was transferred to the Theta Sigma Housing Corporation. Shultz managed the property until 1998, when Mark Herda took over as Housing Corporation President, a role he has held since.
There are several interesting notes about the property. The lot is 8,048 square feet, while the house itself is 4,170 square feet. A neighboring house, known as the Seaver House, was built in 1900 by Carlton and Estella Seaver, who raised six children there. In 1979, the Seaver family gifted the property to Pomona College, and it was moved to Claremont, where it now serves as the Alumni House. A tragic event occurred on the lawn of 159 E. Holt about fifteen years ago when a woman, fleeing police at high speed, crashed into the neighboring building. Her car ended up on the front lawn, where she died.
Although the house is not officially designated as a historical landmark, it is located in a historical zone, which provides certain benefits. As of 1998, it was believed to be the sixth oldest home in Pomona. Over the years, residents have reported possible hauntings, including unexplained noises, strange activity in the upstairs hallway, and even one account of someone feeling a hand on their shoulder while showering. Whether haunted or not, the house remains a significant and storied property tied closely to Pomona’s history and the legacy of Sigma Chi .