Glimpse of a gracious, reclusive past
Geoff Pryce of Santa Barbara walks past the massive beachfront estate owned by reclusive heir Huguette Clark. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
A rusted fence encloses the beach side of the estate. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Bellosguardo, seen from behind a chain-link fence in a view from the adjacent cemetery in December 2010. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Bellosguardo hides behind high walls and trees on a blufftop overlooking the ocean. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The Andree Clark Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara is named after the sister of Huguette Clark. Clark donated $50,00 in 1928 to the bird refuge on the condition it be named after her sister, who died at age 16 from meningitis. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Tourists from Canada visit the bird refuge. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)