303 Markham Place

A 1901 Colonial Revival in Pasadena's Governor Markham Landmark District. Represented the buyer. Closed October 26, 2026.

Year built: 1901; Year built
Listed to under contract: 2 days; Listed to under contract
Square feet: 4,080; Square feet
Acres: 0.39; Acres

125 years on Markham Place

Markham Place is one block long and sits just off South Orange Grove Boulevard, the stretch of Pasadena once called Millionaires' Row. Homes here almost never come up for sale, and this one had not changed hands since 2015.

Built in 1901 and attributed to architect Herbert L. Smith, the house was carefully renovated in 2016 by Pasadena architect James V. Coane. Behind the original facade: a chef's kitchen, formal dining room, study, four bedrooms upstairs including a primary suite with its own balcony, and a backyard with a pool, spa, cabana with outdoor kitchen, and a guest studio.

It listed in September. Two days later it was under contract with our buyer, and it closed on October 26, 2026 at $4,675,000.

4 bedrooms
5.5 baths
Chef's kitchen
Primary suite with balcony
Pool and spa
Cabana with outdoor kitchen
Guest studio

Listing photography courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty.

The history

A governor, a landmark district, and a house from 1901

1879
A governor comes to Pasadena
Civil War veteran Henry Harrison Markham moves his family to Pasadena. He later serves in Congress and, from 1891 to 1895, as Governor of California. The neighborhood around his estate still carries his name.
1880s
Carlisle Heights is laid out
Developer George Woodbury Stimson subdivides the Carlisle Heights tract and designs the layout of Markham Place, a short, quiet street just off South Orange Grove Boulevard, Pasadena's Millionaires' Row.
1901
The house is built
A two-story Colonial Revival rises at 303 Markham Place, attributed to architect Herbert L. Smith. It joins Queen Anne, Shingle, and Craftsman neighbors designed by some of the most important architects working in early Pasadena.
2013
National Register of Historic Places
Nominated by Pasadena Heritage, the Markham Place Historic District is listed on the National Register. Nearly every house in the district was built between 1891 and 1933.
2016
Restored for a new century
Pasadena architect James V. Coane leads a renovation that adds a chef's kitchen and modern systems, including a retrofitted foundation, rebuilt chimney, and 200-amp service, while keeping the 1901 character intact.
2026
A new chapter
The house lists in September for the first time in over a decade. Two days later it is under contract with our buyer, and on October 26 it closes at $4,675,000.