Southland Residences Recall Era of Fabulous Mansions

During the last 50 years, the stately mansion has been an endangered species. But it wasn’t always that way. At one time, nearly every American city boasted at least one mansion--often situated on a hill, the residence of the most influential family in town. Many Southland cities had more than their share. Pasadena’s Orange Grove Boulevard was lined with magnificent examples, and in Riverside, the richest city per capita in the nation in 1890, imposing mansions were everywhere.

Soon, the demise of the mansion began. Many were divided into apartments or became seedy boarding houses, eventually sliding into a decline that ended in demolition. But some remained and are now open to tour. Here’s a look at a few of the former dwellings of the rich and famous.

Heritage House, 8193 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, (714) 689-1333. Built by the widow of a moneyed orange grower, this mansion is a tribute to the affluent orange-growing community of Riverside during the 1890s. Everything in this restored, furnished house is authentic and pre-1900, including the thriving rose bushes in the garden. There are seven glorious tile fireplaces, each different, interior shutters and exquisite Oriental rugs. Heritage House is open Tuesdays and Thursdays noon to 2:30 p.m., Sundays noon to 3:30 p.m. Closed July and August. Admission and parking free.

Banning Residence Museum, 401 E. M St., Wilmington, (213) 548-7777. The years have been kind to the Banning house, which was built in Greek Revival style. Its 23 rooms are furnished in a variety of decorating themes. The formal reception room is American Empire, and the drawing room is flamboyant French Rococo Revival.

The dining table may be set with delicate Haviland china, but then again it may not, because the settings are changed frequently. There are the traditional Victorian peacock feathers, Boston ferns and a stunning display of Imari china. The mansion is open Tuesday through Thursday, and Saturdays and Sundays. The first tour starts at 12:30 p.m., continuing each hour until 3:30 p.m. Admission is $2 ($4 for special events this weekend only), ages 12 and under free. Ample street parking.

Hollyhock House, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 662-7272. Hollyhock House was built by Frank Lloyd Wright. Constructed on many levels, it includes terraces and courtyards that are extensions of the indoor living space. The dining room furniture is original, designed by Wright, as are all of the built-ins. Tours are offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 and 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.; and on Saturdays and the first three Sundays of the month at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. General admission $1.50, seniors 62 and over $1, ages 12 and under free. Free parking lot.

Adamson House, 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (213) 456-8432. This is literally a house of tile. Walk through the massive front door to behold tile floors, wainscoting, fireplaces and tables, all custom designed. Perhaps the most striking use of tile replica is in the center hall. There is what appears to be an intricate Persian carpet--complete with silk fringe--on the floor. Adamson House is open Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free. Parking costs $4.

Phillips Mansion, 2640 Pomona Blvd., Pomona, (714) 623-2198. This imposing 3-story mansion, the first brick building in Pomona, was once the hub of a 12,000-acre ranch. The Butterfield stagecoach stopped right down the road. Now the residence sits in solitary grandeur amid a bustling industrial park.

This house escaped demolition when the Pomona Historical Society saved it at the last minute during the 1960s. Today, it is authentically furnished in the later Victorian style. None of the furnishings is original. All have been donated or loaned by citizens. This mansion is open the first Sunday of each month from 2 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Ample street parking.

Heritage Square, 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles, (818) 449-0193. Heritage Square is a 10-acre site filled with relocated and restored structures that include an authentic railroad station, an unusual Victorian church and a carriage barn that once stood adjacent to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. All were built before 1900.

Fully restored Hale House is a masterpiece with its towering brick chimneys and stained glass windows. It is grand, about as gingerbready as a house can be. No detail has been overlooked, from the authentic sheet music on the gleaming piano to the heavily fringed window shades. Heritage Square is open Saturdays and Sundays and public holidays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $4.50, $3 for seniors 66 and over and ages 12-17, free to children 11 and under. Closed Dec. 3-Jan. 6. Free parking.

Gamble House, 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena, (818) 793-3334. Built in 1908, Gamble House is an example of the painstaking artistry of its architects, Charles S. Greene and Henry M. Greene. They custom-designed the furniture, built-ins, paneling, leaded stained glass, accessories and landscaping. Wood is featured--redwood, maple, teak, cedar and oak. Open Thursday through Sunday noon to 3 p.m. Admission is $4, $3 for ages 65 and over and $2 for full-time college students. Free for ages 17 and under. Ample street parking.

Brand Library, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale, (818) 956-2051. El Miradero, the structure housing the art and music collection of the Glendale Public Library, is the result of Leslie Brand’s trip to the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where he fell in love with the East Indian Pavilion. After sending an architect to India, he built El Miradero, a chalk-white edifice with graceful minarets, horseshoe arches, bulbous domes and decorative towers. The dining room has a comfortable window seat and elegant wood grillwork. Tiffany leaded glass, hand-carved wood and domed ceilings are featured. Brand Library is closed Sundays and Mondays. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 12:30 to 6 p.m. Free admission and parking.

Fenyes Mansion, 470 W. Walnut St. (corner of Orange Grove Boulevard), Pasadena, (818) 577-1660. Many people have a sense of deja vu when they enter, because this residence has often been used for motion picture and television filming. The productions “Testimony of Two Men,” “Eleanor and Franklin” and “Being There” used this setting.

Built in 1905, it was home to four generations of the Fenyes family, who were devoted to travel, collecting and bringing treasures home. There are Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, English and Italian rarities. An intricately inlaid Spanish chest dates from the Spanish Inquisition period and contains a secret compartment. The Fenyes Mansion is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m., and the first, second and last Sundays of the month from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is $3, $2 for students and seniors 62 and over. Free for children 12 and under. Free parking lot.

Heritage Square Museum, 2612 Main St., Santa Monica, (213) 392-8537. The scent of spicy potpourri perfumes the air as you tour this charming mansion, which was built in 1894 by John P. Jones for his son.

The decor represents different decades. The dining room is authentically Victorian, but the cozy living room dates from a later period. The kitchen is 1930s style, complete with a set of the Franciscan pottery popular during that time. Open Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays noon to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free.