Historic Home Evokes Era Before the Age of Glitz
Omaha businessman Gurdon Wattles had his dream vacation house in the Hollywood Hills in 1907, long before the rich and famous in the movie industry had even thought of staking a claim.
And the estate he called Jualita is the only remaining snapshot of a winter home from a time when members of the area’s upper class were known more for their gardens than their entertainment credentials.
The Wattles Mansion and Gardens, at 1824 N. Curson Ave., are often overlooked in the presence of more famous historical homes. That’s because they aren’t quite as grand -- but then, they were never meant to be.
“All of the other mansions that are left were built for full-time use. This was a vacation home, and it’s the only one we really have left,” said Steven Sylvester, the live-in caretaker for the house, now run by the nonprofit Hollywood Heritage.
Looking out from the front of Wattles’ tan stucco Mission Revival home the year it was built, a visitor would have seen rolling green land. Hundreds of avocado and citrus trees grew in a large grove, and where Wattles’ property ended, farmland began.
Behind the home was a testament to the variety of plants one could grow in Southern California. An around-the-world trip provided Wattles the landscaping inspiration for his magnificent gardens, said Steven Moga, an architect and historian.
At its peak, the estate had formal English, Spanish, Italian and American gardens. Wattles also built a Japanese garden, complete with a teahouse to entertain guests. Fountains, artifacts and unusual plants lined the estate, stretching up to Runyon Canyon.
“It was one of the area’s first tourist attractions,” said Elizabeth Brill, Wattles’ 83-year-old great-niece. “They would open the gardens to the public one or two days a week so everyone could enjoy them.”
Today, the city owns the property and has subdivided the estate. Most of it is a park, where half-buried balconies are reminders of former glory. A community garden sits where acres of groves used to be.
But the mansion, its restored Italian rose garden and its terraced Spanish garden have been preserved by Hollywood Heritage, which uses it for film shoots, meetings and private events in addition to offering public tours.
The house itself was designed by Myron Hunt and Elmer Gray, the architects of the Hollywood Bowl, Huntington estate and Pasadena Playhouse.
The seven-bedroom home has wood floors and paneling. Its large archways and windows were designed to generate a light, airy feeling.
The mansion even has a ghost story. Wattles’ first wife died soon after he bought the property. He married a much younger woman a few years later.
According to lore, the first Mrs. Wattles has been spotted by visitors to the home, especially near an upstairs bathroom. People who say they have seen the ghost describe her as a little old lady.
“When she died, she liked it so much she decided to stay,” said Marian Gibbons, a member of the Hollywood Heritage board.
The unfurnished house has a magnificent view of the gardens. The Spanish garden features a brick terrace leading up a gentle hill.
Visitors can see neat beds of purple, yellow and orange lilies, surrounded by jasmine flowers.
A small pond separates the Spanish garden from the Italian rose garden on more-level ground. Rose specialists are restoring the garden, using old photos as a guide.
Another pond empties into a seating area lined by exotic flowers. But on the edges is evidence the property wasn’t always in this condition.
Graffiti still line some of the colonnades. The concrete is cracked and defaced by blue and black spray paint.
The property had been in steady decline since 1932, when Wattles died. Most of the family’s money was lost in the Depression, and upkeep of the house became increasingly difficult.
In 1968, the family sold the property to the city. What had been promises of a major undertaking -- creating a museum, an amphitheater and a park -- never materialized, according to Hollywood Heritage.
“In just a few years, with Hollywood on the decline and the city not having money for anything, vandalism took over,” Sylvester said.
Vandals rolled boulders from the canyon into the gardens, stole fencing and artifacts, and defaced the property. Mudslides in the early 1980s overwhelmed what remained of the Spanish and Italian gardens.
“At one point, the city was ready to give up on the place,” said Brill.
Hollywood Heritage began what has now been 21 years of restoration to return the house and gardens to their former glory. Brill got married there more than 50 years ago; others can now do the same in the landscaped settings.
For those familiar with the home’s history, its condition is good but not good enough. There is talk of obtaining grants to remove evidence of vandalism, restore the Japanese garden and fill the mansion with period furniture so it can be turned into a full-fledged museum.
“This is a really special place, and the city would like to see it continue to improve,” said Linda Barth of the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department.
The mansion and gardens are open by appointment from noon to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
