By Shel Segal

ROSEMEAD - With the Rosemead City Council recently allocating funds to help fix up the historic Dinsmoor House - located at 9632 Steele Street, on the corner of Ellis Lane and just off of Temple City Boulevard - Rosemead resident Julie Gentry said she feels the time is now to finally fix up a piece of Rosemead's rich history. (At left is Julie Gentry in one of the rooms at the Dinsmoor House. Photo by Shel Segal.)

And there is much that needs attention in the old house, Gentry said.

"From the basement up, it needs seismic and electrical upgrades," she said. "The plaster is falling off the windows. Shelves have dry rot."

So, what is going to occur in the near future?

"What they are going to do is start immediately with $55,000 from the insurance money from water damage, and there's $28,000 from the city's general fund," said Gentry, who added the city owns the house and property. "They're going to start on the exterior."

While the initial funds most likely will not cover much, she said she is hoping more money will follow. She added help from the public is also being requested.

"(The council) will probably vote for more funding," Gentry said. "But we would like to get fundraising and volunteers to help repair the building."

Gentry explained how she got involved with the Dinsmoor House, when while it is a testament to the city's past, not many in Rosemead know about it.

"I love history," she said. "When I got involved with the group, we found it had fallen into disuse. It's a repository for the history of Rosemead. The architecture, the grounds are peaceful and are just to die for. To have community events here would be wonderful."

Gentry's husband, Les, agreed.

"You can come in and sit in the living room and it's just relaxing," he said. "It's peaceful."

The woman who built the house - Isa Dinsmoor Putnam - was a touch woman and one who was ahead of her time, Gentry said.

"She was a force to be reckoned with," Gentry said. "She wasn't timid. She was into everything. She was in all the clubs.

She wasn't a timid, mousy housewife. She ran for city council. She traveled the world. She gave back to the community."

Gentry added she hopes to fix up the house so it can be given back to the community, just as she thinks Putnam would have wanted it.

"Our goal is to renovate," she said. "If they don't do it now, it will cost more later. We want to renovate it to a museum, have cultural events, community events, civic events and groups have their meetings here. It's nice. It should be utilized."

In addition, the museum will be utilized on May 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. as the museum will be hosting its seventh annual "Garden Spring Tea." Tickets are $12 and are available from the Rosemead Chamber of Commerce, whose number is (626) 288-0811, or by calling Gentry at (626) 572-4564.

(Shel Segal can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .)