El Mirasol: From Swan to Albatross

Quarterly Magazine Or Ti-ip. Santa Barbara Historical Society VoL XLVll, No. !

Spring 200J

L MiRASOL:

ROM Swan to Albatross

nr decades, Id Mirasnl ivas one oj the most eleganl hotels in the city, ll icas initially the home oj y^lary d'dilcs I lerter. I 'pan her death in her son, Albert, anddaughter'}n-Lnv,Adcle, transJonned ike house into ci hotel. 'Ike sumptuous interiors rejlecLed the artistic talents oj Alhat and .■\dcle I lerter, xvhile the gardens gained a repiitalion jor their lie<.iui\. Ihe hotel hosted luminaries Jrom around the ivorld. 'Ihen, in its dying days in the igbns, Id Afirasol became the center oj a controversy ichicli irrevocably transjoiincd public policy in Santa Barbara. I lattieBeresJord chronicles the histoi-y oj IdAiirasol in this i.s'.sueo/NociciasJrom home, to hotel, through itslinaldays. She examines the role the hotel played in the social lije oj the city, as well as the ramirhable artistic achievements oJ the I lerterfamily and the role the family played in enriching the community. All images are Jrom the collections oJ the Santa Barbara I listorical Societ-e unless othen.vise noted. Ihe jront cover image is jrom an undated brocina-e oj the Cl y\dirasol I lotel. dhe bacfcovcr image .seimed as the logoJor the hoteljormany years.

THE AUTHOR: / lattieAL BeresJordcametoCiililomiain uj^i^when herjamily emigrated from theA'etherlands. She eanied herB.A. degree and secondaij teaching credentialjrom the University of Lalijornia, Santa Barbara, and has sewed studentsjor the past tiventy-sevenyears cm an Cnglish andhistory teacher Jor the Santa Barbara School District. She sewed as a CjAI E site coordinatorfor eighteen years, activi ties director for six years, and hem been instnimental in seeing her studentsi xvorfpidilished and shown locally and ivorldivide. She has previoimly published articlesJorvarioim educationaljowmeds, and has most recently uorfed as a volunteer historical architectural suweyoroj the Waterfront District for the Setnta Barbara City Planning Department. author’s acknowledgements: BounccoLis [hanks to Murid Oscerhaus who kindly agreed to share her memories of El Mirasol with me o\'cr the phone and in an interview at her lovely home in Santa Barbara’s Samarkand neighborhood. She and her daughter Clyde worked lor days prepar ing and organizing the information. She allowed me to read portions ol her diary, and she sent me home with a sturdy cardboard box in which 1 iound a treasure trove ol memorabilia about El Mirasol. In addition to a vast lile ol newspaper clippings. Muriel shared private correspondence, notes, photos, and mementos from her El Mirasol days. Loui.s Ncustader once told Muriel, 'When I count my blessings, one ol them is you." Ditto.

Thanks also to Sey Kin.sell for so enthusiastically sharing his rcl lections c)l his boyhood days at El Mirasol as well as his marvelous postcard adlection ol the hotel; to Christine Palmer, City Histo rian, for putting me on the case and directing me to Muriel; and to Mary Loui.se Days, lormcr City Historian, whose paper, "The Public Shapes Public Policy," helped me make sense of the convoluted story behind tiie high rises and the grass roots ellorts to change governmental deci sions and policy.

INFORMATION Fc^R CONTRI15UTOR.S: NOTici.v.s is a e|uartcr!v {oumal devoted to the study ot the history ol Santa Barbara County. Contributions ol articles are welcome. Those authors who.se articles arc accepted for publication will receive ten gratis cojiies of the issue in which their article appears. Further copies arc available to the contributor at cost. The authority in matters ol style is the University of Chicago Aianual of Style, i^th edition. The Publications Committee rc.servcs the right to return submitted manuscripts lor ret[uired changes. Statements and opinions cxjircssed in articles are the sole responsibility ol the autiror.

Michael Redmon. Editor Judy Sutclillc, Designer © 2001 The Santa Barbara Historical Society 136 E. De la Guerra Street. Santa Barbara. California 93101 Telephone: 805/966-1601 ♦ Fax: 805/966-1603 Single copies $5.00 ● ISSN 0.681-5916

^ El Mirasol ^ To CDnVmous ■

"from

Santa Barbara,1914. El Mirasol is the hotel of choice ''for those who dislike the publicity, the noise and pro miscuity of a large hotel.” The elegant brochure states, "There will be no band, no ill-mannered and indiffer ent bell boys, no obligatory tipping at every turn to insure attention.”1 Instead, one will find a pervasive spirit of "quiet cordiality and cheerfulness."2 Such was the promise of Santa Barbara's luxury hotel which opened to rave reviews

over sixty years the luxurious Hotel El Mirasol adorned this site. In its transfor

on August 18,1914, Despite the pall of the outbreak of war in Europe, a reporter who attended the opening gushed,"Everywhere is color, harmonious tones that arc felt as

mation from graceful swan to ominous al batross lies a tale worthy of Lewis Carroll and cabbages and kings.

Before there was a hotel, there was a

well as seen; rich rugs, hangings, pictures, pottery, and light shades of exceptional loveliness, so finely wrought that each is a masterpiece of its kind.”2 Today, the block bordered by Michcltorena,Garden, Arrcllaga, and Santa Barbara streets is the botanical oasis of

house. In 1904, Mary Miles Herter, widow of Christian Herter of the New York de sign firm, Herter Brothers, moved to Santa Barbara and decided to build a home. She bought an entire city block from Charles G. Emery who had bought it the previous year from Elise Hall (nee Elizabeth Boyer Coolidge),4 the widow of Richard J, Hall, one of the early physicians at Cottage Hos pital. Elise had become famous in her own right as the "saxophone lady," who had organized a musical group called "The Amateurs," and as a founder of the St.

Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens, but for

A\. 1 ?ere^aiJ

Cecilia Society, the purpose of which was to fund a free room at the new Cottage Hospital.-'’ Elise returned to her hometown

1

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of Boston in 1897 soon after her husband’s

they were with the firm of Carrcrc and

death and eventually sold her Santa Bar

Hastings. Both had studied in Paris at the Ecolc des Beaux-Arts; Aldrich in 1895 and

bara block to Emery, In 1905, Mary Herter commissioned the newly formed New York architectural firm of Delano and Aldrich to design a house for her.

Chester Holmes Aldrich {1871-1940} and William Adams Delano (1874-1960) began their business in 1903. Previously, the two had begun a collaboration when

Delano in 1900, and were probably in Paris during some of the time that Albert and Adele Herter, Mary's second son and daughter-in-law. worked and studied there.

Eventually, Delano and Aldrich became one of the most prominent architectural lirms in the East. Their clients included

A/an: y\iilcs Iletter, mother ofAlbert I letter and the builder of thefamily home ivhich later became ElM.ira.sol. VV. Edwin and Carolyn Qledhillphotograldi, igi2.

3

EL MIRASOL some of the most illustrious tamilies o( the Gilded Age: the Astors, Burdoiis, Havemeyers, Otto Kahns, Pratts,

synthesized an eclectic mix ot Mission Revival, Spanish Revival. Italianate, and Romanesque features.^ Built of brick and

Mary Herter’s home under construction. Vie house ivas designed by Chester Aldrich and William Delano.

Rockefellers and Whitneys. Their credits include the J.D. Rockefeller House in Pocantico Hills. New York, 1906-1908; Kykuit. the Rockefeller home for genera tions. which overlooked the Hudson River in Westchester County, New York, 1913; Okeka Castle in Long Island, the home of Otto Hermann Kahn, the banking tycoon, 1919; the Japanese Embassy in Washing ton. D.C.. 1913; the Colony Club in New York. 1916; and La Guardia Air Terminal.

1940. The facades of their houses were de rived from architectural styles as diverse as the chateaux of the Loire Valley and ncoPalladian London. It has been said of their house plans that they "did not ramble about In a picturesque fashion but rather pos sessed a general sense of regularity and managed to combine dignity with what Royal Cortissoz has described as 'gracious, endearing friendliness, The "bungalow" that they designed for Mary Hcrter certainly contained these qualities. They designed a house which

stone, the house was U-shaped around a central courtyard. Its front was one story and the wings and loggias on each corner were two-storied. The exterior was plas tered and the roof, red-tiled. Standing at 215 Micheltorena Street, the estate cov ered the entire block.

Albert and Adelc Hcrter came to Santa Barbara in 1909 to help Mary decorate the home. They were well-suited for the job: Albert's father. Christian, had owned and operated Hcrter Brothers, one of the most renowned interior design companies in New York from 1858-1906.

When Mary died in 1913, she be queathed the home to Albert, who thought it was too grand and impractical for a resi dence. He and Adelc made plans to con vert the house into a home hotel with a limited number of guests by changing the interior and adding first eight and eventu ally fifteen bungalows.

Calling on artist and designer friends from New York for help, they brought in

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Jessie Arms, Fay Taylor and a "Mr. Courtney” to assise them in the conver sion. Wlxn it came time to name the ho

mobile at the station where they had often arrived by private rail cars and with their personal maids. They were then driven to

tel, Albert whimsically held a contest, ask ing people to send in their ideas. He selected

the seclusion of the hotel where they would be served by Chinese houseboys in blue silk

7/ie 1lerterliome atidgnmnds tookupan entiredty hlnck- Albert andAdele Herter arrived in Santa Barbara in igog to help Mary decorate the house.

"El Mirasol,” meaning "the suntlower," from over one hundred entries.8 The bun galows at El Mirasol, built by WA.Tay lor of Pasadena, were built to harmonize with the main house. Their plastered exte riors with arcaded verandas and flat, tileedged roofs eventually became romanti cally covered with vines. The grounds became a botanical masterpiece with ex tensive gardens and rare plants. One visi tor remarked."A richly tropical effect was achieved outdoors, and a sylvan atmo sphere was created with several wicker cages of parakeets in the patio."9 The guests were there by "invitation” only. El Mirasol was an exclusive hotel and catered to the rich and famous of the era.

Early brochures for the hotel advertised it as a place for those who wanted a home like but posh and pampered place to stay, off the noisy, crowded tourist track.

When guests arrived, they were met by a special attendant and a private auto-

mandarin coats by day and bright orange jackets in the evening. Ever conscious of artistic impression. Adele and Albert had selected the bright colors ol the jackets to harmonize with the decor of the Peacock Room, the smaller dining room. Its bold colors caused one observer to remark; "How few would have had such courage in the use of color, yet how marvelous the result nowit is done.” 10 Wlien Albert sold the hotel to San Francisco hotelier Frederick C. Clift in 1920, the latter operated it with the same attention to detail and service as his famous hotel located at 495 Geary Street in San Francisco. There were eightyfour employees or one-and-a-half to two servants per guest.

Attractions of the hotel, besides the ex clusivity of its demeanor and its fascinat ing clients, included the beauty of its gar dens, the architecture, and the interiors cre ated by the artistry of the Herters. Besides the main dining room, there was the Pea-

5

EL MIRASOL cock Room, so-called after the designs on two hand-painted panels. This room, de

The sky-lighccd Persian Room's arched windows and walls were derailed wich in-

signed by the original architects. Delano and Aldrich, had been added to the main house when it became a hotel. Its floor was

tricate gcomecric designs in the Arabic eradition. Tea was served here, where guesrs could enjoy two scenic murals painted by Albert in the same Middle Eastern tradition that embellished the arcaded walls.

an intricate design of orange and blue and the tables and chairs continued the theme of the decor, Even the specially-designed plates carried out the theme of blue and orange as did the exquisite Herter-loomed draperies.12 The drawing room, known as the Cac tus Room, was papered with gold leaf and silver foil taken from squares of silver pa per in which Chinese tea was wrapped.

Adele had meticulously ironed each square, which contained real silver, and affixed it to the wall. Upon this background, Adele painted such exquisite scenes of various cacti that Frank Lloyd Wright exclaimed that it was "the most beautiful wall cover ing in the world,

'Ihc loblyy ofEl MirtLsol.

There were also a library with rare, old leather-bound volumes and a lircplace, a card room, and an open cloister where tea was served on warm days. Everywhere, exquisite decorative details abounded: in tricately-designed tiles facing the fireplaces, elegant little tables, richly upholstered di vans, beautifully paneled doors, and amaz ing draperies; many, undoubtedly, created

by Hcrter Looms and designed by Albert and Adele, Inside the U-shape of the main build ing, an arcaded patit) bordered the court yard whose center boasted a fountain and pool of imported tile.l"^ Tiles traced in pale

jumiturc in theforegmund arc pieces designed by Hcrter Brothers.

Ihe ceiling lamps are Iry lijfany.

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NOTICIAS

blue edged the pool which was painted a deep blue to accent the bright orange of the goldfish which swam la zily in their little haven. Off one side of the patio stood a roofed pergola under whose "pillars and monastcrial arches” stood little tea tables.

From the vine-clad bun galows, beyond the luxurious landscaping of the garden, guests had magnificent views of the Santa Ynez Moun tains. Regarding this garden, one observer rhapsodized that "the fidelity to detail . . . and rare taste and skill” of El Mirasol is nowhere "more clearly shown than in this wonderful garden. Al though every path is bor dered with flowers of endless variety in color, and . . , each bungalow . . . seems to have Aibert I h-tcrstrikes a dramatic/xwe in thegardens ojfziMirasol. a flower garden all its very W.Edivin and CawLyn QlcdkiLtphotograph, igiT,. own. yet so skillfully has the whole been composed chat... the result is gave the bungalow cottages the effect of an impression of absolute unity” which was country homes, dominated by the blue and orange of the In its heyday, El Mirasol’s amenities theme of the hotel. almost paled in comparison to the glitter The bungalow guests had a choice of a five-room, three-bath cottage or a fourroom. two-bach cottage. Each room had a private entrance and each bungalow had a lattice-like covered veranda. Inside were fireplaces and roomy closets. Beds, chairs, and dressing tables were cream-colored with striping to match the dominant col ors of the chintz upholstery and accents.

Large windows provided views and light, and cushioned rattan chairs and wooden rockers provided comfort. Lace bedspreads and specially-designed lighting fixtures

of its patrons, the rich and famous of the Gilded Age who resided there for a month or two each year; the Morgans, the Vanderbilts, the Crockers, the Rockefellers, the Guggenheims, the Armours, the Rich ard C. Danas. Countess Gizyeka,!^ and the Maharajah and Maharanee of Kapurthaia, India, and retinue, to name a few.19 In later years. Joseph P. Kennedy, Admiral Richard Bird, Colonel Charles Lindbergh, Herman Wouk, and Cary Grant were counted among the illustrious guests of the hotel.20 Atone time.John D,

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EL MIRASOL

and had a long and success ful career. Though officially retired since 1988, he has kept active in all sores of civic activities and organiza

' V4V«(H

tions including Hospice. Scy grew up at El Mirasol and remembers the exquisite fur

■

Vie Persian i\oom was named for Albert Ikrter's paneb which

nishings and decor and illus trious guests through a child’s eye, which is to say, he wasn't very impressed at the time. It was all just pare of the everyday background of a young boy’s life. He re members rolling up his pants

adorned the room. Quests could enjoy aj'temoon tea under the skylights. Photograph courtesy ojMuriel Osterhaus.

when his mother wasn't

Rockefeller, Sr. could be seen sitting on the porch of his El Mirasol bungalow on the corner ol Micheltorcna and Garden streets

wading in the patio pool

looking and being fascinated by a real U.S. Post Olficc mailbox in the lobby. He hated eating in the fancy dining room because the chairs were just awful, and he had to cat things like french green beans and broiled tomatoes. On the upside, he had access to the kitchen and all the ice

handing out shiny new dimes to the chil dren of the neighborhood.^!

Having purchased the hotel in 1920, Frederick C. Clift and family retained own

cream he wanted,a situation that made him

ership of it lor close to twenty years. C.D. Willson managed the property lor much of the 1920’s until he became the manager of the Biltmore Hotel. By 1932, Clift's sonin-law. Henry S. Kinsell, and his wife Grace and family had moved to Santa Barbara,

popular with his school chums. The kitchen also had a fascinating machine. It cooked dozens of eggs in assembly-line fashion as they were placed on a movable track which immersed them in boiling water for the pre scribed time.

and Kinsell took over the management of the hotel. The Kinsells lived across the

For him, the most notable piece of de cor was a pair of terra cotta dragons which guarded the front porch. His overall im pression of the gardens was of striped aw nings and porch swings and rattan furni ture which dotted the lawns. The lawns

street from the hotel at 1603 Garden Street, one of four houses owned by Clift in the area. Clift and his wife. Grace, became resi dents of El Mirasol by 1936. and Grace continued living there until 1940. two years after Frederick’s death. At that time, her grandson, Clift Scybert Kinsell left for Stanford University and she returned to San Francisco.

Scy Kinsell eventually returned to Santa Barbara as a doctor of pediatric medicine

themselves were bordered by riots of flow ers; roses, geraniums, flax, hydrangeas, and white jasmine vines which twined through the trellises of the cottages. The most no table social event was the wedding recep tion of his elementary school teacher on whom he was a bit sweet. During the

NOTICIAS 1930’s, chc horse shows brought crowds of people CO Santa Barbara and El Mirasol.

Sey remembers particularly chc Lachrops, owners of Matson Luline. the passenger liner business. As a teenager, Sey worked for them at the stables. Tlic same year he left for Stanford, the hotel passed out of the hands of the Clift family.22 Over the next twenty years, ownership of the hotel changed several times and by 1962, Morgan Flagg owned the hotel. He had purchased the tour-and-a-half-acrc piece of property complete with fifteen cottages and main house from Lawrence A. Wein of New York for $700,000 dol lars. In March 1963, Theodore C. Osterhaus of the accounting firm of Reed Oscerhaus Associates became manager of the hotel when John Noyes, chc manager of the time, left suddenly for an offer in

Palm Springs. Oscerhaus was chc accoun tant for chc hotel, and he and his wife Muriel,former New Yorkers, were recruited to be resident managers for one year. The hotel was now fifty years old and required extensive maintenance efforts. The beau tiful gardens alone required the devotion of three full-time gardeners. The picturesque cottages needed constant repairs to foun dations, wiring, heating, roofing, and plumbing. Tlic cottage furnishings were old and worn out, and efforts were being made to rccarpcc and refurnish those chat were reserved for overnight guests. The rest of chc cottages were occupied year-round by retirees and furnished by them. Muriel re ported there was a "dizzying downward spiral ot disastrous financial losses" for the owners.2?, Contributing to chc fiscal crisis was a

'Ihe decor ojthe Cactus Room,designed by AdeLe Herter, was called by Frank,Lloyd Wright, "the most beautijid ivall covering in the zvorld.”

EL MIRASOL

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A trademarkofthe Bl Mirasolgardens was the distinctive striped outdotyrfurniture.

shik in world view. The glamour of the Gilded Age patronage, which had survived in a different form in the Roaring Twen ties. had dimmed. The world had suffered

maid service and meals which were served

through two World Wars and a Depres sion, was caught up in the Cold War. and was witnessing the dawn ot Vietnam War

maintenance aspects of the hotel, Muriel worked with the chef on the menu, which

protests, the civil rights movement, free speech, free love, and the antiEstablishment’s Age of Aquarius. Rever ence for those robber barons who had "got ten us into this mess” was at a low ebb. as was respect for the institutions they cre ated. Yet. somehow, the graceful swan, feathers drooping, hung on to its glorious past.

By this time the hotel had become pri marily a retirement-residence hotel, and most of the guests were quite elderly. Re tirees from the millionaire class, they fur nished their bungalows with items from their former estates. Many of the cottages had become duplexes. El Mirasol staff pro vided full hotel service which included daily

in the dining room. The cost was $35 per week.

While Ted handled the financial and

changed daily. She also handled the corre spondence, arranged lor luncheons and meetings of various organizations such as the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Pres ervation, and organized special events like symphony previews with Johnny Green.

She promoted the arts with her changing displays of art work in the lobby. She pitched in as busboy, waiter, hostess, and maid as the need arose. The Oscerhaus’ were not protessional hotel managers and they approached their new responsibilities as host and hostess of El Mirasol with the same code and sense of hospitality they would have shown guests in their own home. They exemplified the earlier prom ise of El Mirasol and provided an atmo sphere of "cordiality and cheerfulness."

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Upon hearing of chdr leaving die position in December 1963, many former guests expressed dismay as well as appreciation through countless letters and cards sent to

the couple, whose knack for turning strang ers into triends had so enhanced the allure of El Mirasol.

During their all-too-brief tenure there,

One could stay at thejahulous F.l Mirasoljor ds little as S^.oo a day zvhen this bro chure was issued ca. 1955.

ELMIRASOL Muriel became fascinated with El Mirasol’s past and set out to discover and document this almost forgotten history. Besides searching through newspaper clippings and city records, she read the old ledgers and contacted former guests, residents, and employees for their remembrances and sto ries. She even contacted Christian A. Herter, the former Secretary of State, for his recollections about his parents and grandmother and El Mirasol. Although he O C3 responded to her appeal, he was unable to add much information. One person she tracked do'wm was Jessie Arms Botke who had come out from New York to help Adelc and Albert transform Mary's house into a hotel fifty years earlier. Jessie, an artist who was living in Santa Paula at the time, sur prised Muriel by jumping into her car and driving up to El Mirasol for a delightful lunch and reminiscing chat. In New York.

Jessie had imported the French weavers for Herter Looms which Albert and Adele had opened in 1908 in Mary Herter’s New York City home at 32 Madison Avenue. These looms were the first to make use of syn thetic silk, a precursor to nylon. For El Mirasol, among other artistic tasks, Jessie helped paint the cottage furniture with its distinctive striping. She remembered fondly her time with the Herters.

Another former guest whom Muriel contacted was Lolita Armour Mitchell, the

11 and wearing casual clothes. Over lunch, the two chatted amiably about the early days of El Mirasol, Muriel’s research into El Mirasol’s past caused Walker Tompkins to christen her.

"The Historian of El Mirasol." Indeed, it became a passion with her and she was in vited to speak about El Mirasol at lun cheons and even for K.DB radio. Besides providing herself and others with pleasure, her research was used to help promote the hotel through various newspaper ads en titled "Did You Know." One such ad read, "DID YOU KNOW.. . that the dramatic photograph of Mme. Christian Herter, which hangs in the library of El Mirasol, was taken by W Edwin Gledhill, Director of the Santa Barbara Historical Society? . . . El Mirasol, Sunday Brunch — $1.75."

Besides coming to love the hotel and its history, Muriel also came to love the residents and remembers them fondly. One particular trio of gentlemen always man aged to make her smile, or laugh or blush, as the case warranted; Arthur Bachman, Louis Neustader, and Nicolai Hiller, Louis, an inveterate flirt, was the youngest of the three at eighty-nine; Hiller and Bachman were both ninety-five. When the Osterhaus’s arrived. Hiller toasted them with a hearty, "Welcome aboard!” Muriel lound these elderly residents fascinating.

Hiller, for instance, whose lather had been in the American consulate, was born in

daughter of the meat-packing magnate.

Jonathan Ogden Armour. As a child. Lolita and her family spent the winters at El Mirasol and as an adult she made the Santa Barbara area her home at Bl Mirador in

Shanghai. He spoke Russian and Chinese.

He had lost the sight of one eye in a vol leyball match in 1928 at age sixty Arthur Bachman was a San Francisco financier and

Montecito. She. like Jessie Arms Botke, was delighted to accept Muriel's invitation to lunch. The manner of her arrival sur

patron of the arts and a consummate gentleman.

Louis Neustader. also a retired finan

prised Muriel, who was bemused to see a member of such an illustrious family sit ting next to her driver in the front scat of an unassuming gray four-door Chevrolet

cier. was described by Muriel as a frail, shrunken gnome of a man who had been wheelchair-bound for many years. Each evening as he was wheeled into the dining

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NOTICIAS

room by his acccndanc. he stopped at the Oscerhaus table and kissed Muriel’s hand.

Muriel recalls that though Mrs. Bothin lived at El Mirasol with her nurse in 1963. she

He once quipped. "I wonder if Td have any chance in a duel with Ted over your hands?” He had a rather Clemcnsesque sense of humor and remarked in response to a question about his family ”My sister’s not the least like mc; she’s respectable and rather abort at times.” Another time, when asked about his attitude toward life he re

still owned the estate on Cold Springs and everyday a liveried chauffeur in an elegant limousine would arrive at precisely 3:00 p.m. to cake her to AfarT Cd for tea.

torted. "I’m a pessimist; I wear both a belt and suspenders.” In Muriel’s reply to a let ter from a former resident. Harmon L. McIntyre, in October. 1963. she writes.

"We gave your regards to Mr. Bachman and Mr. Ncuscader who both appreciated being remembered by you. Good news is that the latter’s dear little helper. Marga ret. is expecting her first baby in April and Uncle Louis is more excited than anybody!

He says that they’re going to get one of those twin baby carriages — one end for the new baby and one for the old one[him self], so Margaret can wheel her two chil dren proudly up and down State Street! He is such a dear — never loses his sense of humor.” Muriel’s genuine affection and en joyment of her guests shines through every line she wrote.

Muriel remembers well another elderly resident. Mrs. Henry Bothin (nee Ellen Chabot)who was nearing one hundred when she lived at El Mirasol. She and her hus band had built the Pimn/lur5^estate on Cold Springs Road in Montecito and had added 350 acres above Mountain Drive to it in 1916. There, they built the famous tea gar dens known as Alar Y Cel. Bothin had started his fortune by opening up a spice and coffee factory in San Francisco and later branched out into commercial real estate.24 He died in 1923 and his wife continued liv ing at Piranhurst until she moved to El Mirasol. which some people at the time ir ”25 reverently called. "God’s waiting room.

El Mirasol remained a favorite dining spot for Santa Barbarans and ouc-ofcowners alike. Before dinner, guests could relax in the elegant Peacock Room with a "Martini; cracked ice — dry vermouth — dry gin — twist of lemon peel — shaker and cold glass — 75 cents.” Ac a white linen-covered cable in the Crystal Dining Room, one might order a lobster cocktail, 85 cents, and then a bottle of Cruse Mcdoc, $4.00. to go with dinner. Then the diffi cult decision would arrive — whether to or der the Chateaubriand for two with onion rings and french fries, hoc rolls, and coffee for $10.00, and perhaps two mixed green salads at 50 cents each, or to order the spe cialty of the house, the Banquet Parisienne.

The Parisienne started with Supreme of Gulf Shrimp El Mirasol. Then came Broiled Filet Mignon. Fresh Mushroom Caps Sauce, Long Branch Potatoes, and Tossed Salad Greens with French or Roquefort Dressing. Dessert was Fresh Strawberry Sundae and Coffee: total price, $5.00.

Non-resident guests in 1963 paid the exorbitant tariff of twelve to sixteen dol lars per night for a double or a twin, and, if one were feeling especially flush, a tworoom suite could be rented for twenty to twenty-six dollars. Breakfast the next morning would run between $1.00 and $1.75. Lunch started at $1.75 and dinners at $ 2.75.26 Amazing as these prices ap pear CO us today, they, of course, need to be put in perspective. In 1963 the $600,000 houses of today cost $20,000, a postage stamp cost 6 cents, and a starting teacher’s salary, with which one could afford to buy a modest home, was $6,000 a year.

EL MIRASOL

The Herter Family: Legacy for Santa Barbara In the 1920’s. Adcle and Albert Herter traveled extensively between Europe, the West Coast, and their home, The Creeks, in East Hampton, Long Island. They con tinued, however, making Santa Barbara their home for many years in various loca tions around the city. Their daughter.

Lydia, also an artist, lived in town and their son. Christian Archibald Herter. who would become Governor of Massachusetts and then Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, often came to visit.

Today, the Christian A. Herter Award is given annually to the person who has made a significant cerntribution to international understanding and cooperation. Past win ners of this award include George Bush, Sr., Brian Mulrony, Boutros Boutros Ghali.

Henry Kissinger, and Javier Solana.27 In Santa Barbara, however, the Herters’ fo-

13 cus was on spiritual rather chan political peace. "Springtime gatherings of the fam ily saw the Herters motoring through the countryside at a time of year when it was ablaze with California poppies. The yel low-gold of the poppy sings through the painting of both the elder Herters,”28 Tlieir time in Santa Barbara provided them with the motifs for much ol their art.

Both Albert and Adcle were involved in various Santa Barbara civic institutions and helped found a few. In this patronage, they were following in the footsteps of Albert’s mother, who was an artist hcrsclt. a sculptress of some talent. She claimed to have "devoted her life to advancing the cause ot aestheticism.” She financially sup ported the municipal band and opened her home for band benefits and loved attend ing concerts,29 From 1909-1914. a young Italian from Naples. Ceasare La Monaca, was hired to produce outdoor concerts in Santa Barbara in an effort to bring people

El AlirasoL Ilotd,ca. i gzo. Note tlie tico annexes, Left and right, which have beai added to the original luruse.

NOTICIAS

Published For Nye Sight Seeing Autos,Sa>^&Barbara.,Cal. Ihe Herters were great patrons oftke arts in Santa Barbara. Mary Miles Herterwasamusic lover and helpedfinance concerts by a band led by Cesare La Monaca.

downtown to shop in the commercial dis tricts. Though in her eighties and feeble, a space was left at the edge oi Alameda Park for Mary’s carriage from which she could view the La Monaca concerts. In 1910, Mary was one of the leaders who organized an Italian fete at Oak Park to augment the band lund for La Monaca. In 1914, he moved to Miami where he became a wellknown band director.30 In a rare twist of fate, both the first hostess of El Mirasol and the last, Muriel

as he directed the Municipal Band and whispered such exhortations as "Heads up!—Watch it! —Horrible! I’ll not be able to sleep tonight!" 31 Apparently the dash ing and once long-locked conductor had lost none of his fire.

Albert and Adele continued Mary’s legacy of civic involvement when, together with Pearl Chase, they started the tradi tion ol lighting the tree at the YMCA cor ner. the northwest corner of Chapala and Carrillo streets, and called it "The Tree of

Osterhaus, gave their hospitality to La Monaca. In September 1963, La Monaca, now seventy-seven years old, returned to Santa Barbara to receive the "Excclentissimo Schor Don de Santa Bar

Carrillo Street. The couple designed and donated to the Recreation Center a blue and

bara award which is given to non-residents who have brought honor and aid to Santa Barbara. He was invited to lunch with Murid and TC. Osterhaus and toured the

gold stage curtain, its color, a special shade of blue-green, which became known as "Herter Blue." In 1959, this curtain could be seen in the Garden Room of the Lobero

grounds. Later that week, Murid, like Mary fifty years earlier, was able to at tend a La Monaca concert in Alameda Park

Tlieatrc, but has since gone missing. Albert also painted an intricate backdrop for the Recreation Center stage. Both Adeic and

Light.’’ Shortly after World War I, Adde started a tradition of a Christmas Eve Tab leau at the new Recreation Center on

EL MIRASOL

15

Albert decorated parts of the Rescaurante del Pasco lor their Iriend and creator and

Mdlisandc. Albert played the part of the brutish husband. On opening night he for

owner of El Pasco, Bernhard Hoffmann.

got his lines when he was informed that "all of Hollywood” was in attendance. He had to admit to the audience, "I don’t know

They planned the gilded walls and ceiling of the Gold Room,painted frescoes for the restaurant, and created the poppy-gold hangings and decorative ceiling. They also designed, and Hcrtcr Looms produced, draperies lor the restaurant.

Tlic Herters helped recruit Frank Morlcy Fletcher to come from Edinburgh to become director of the Santa Barbara School of the Arts, part of which later became the Alhccama Theater. They were among the founders of the Community Arts Associa tion and Albert wrote, directed, and acted in plays at the Potter Theatre and later at the Lobero, In one ol his plays, Peleas and

Lydia llcrter, daughter of Albert and Adcle Hater,poses in exotic costume.

what I am saying,” and walked off stage to have the book holder give him his lines.

Albert also wrote and performed in a play in blank verse,77ie Qift ofEternal Life, in which Ruth St, Denis, a famous American dancer and iriend from Hollywood per formed. This, coo, was held at the Lobero Theatre.32 "phe Hcrccrs’ involvement in Santa Barbara enriched the community at the time and leic a legacy that Santa Barbarans today enjoy.

The Herters were in and out of Santa Barbara for many years working on vari ous art commissions throughout the United States. Albert, who was primarily a muralist, portraitist, and textile designer, has murals hanging in many state capitols and public buildings. Albert also painted por traits of many notable Santa Barbarans.

Two of his murals, out of what was to be a series of ten(some sources say four)on the theme ol the History of the Printed Word, hang in the Santa Barbara Public Library.

Johann Qntenberg Printing the First Bible was completed in 1937 and Egyptian Hieroglyph was completed in 1944.

Albert also painted the murals for the California Room of the Los Angeles Public Library. One is a scene of Indians attend ing a Spanish fandango in front of Mis sion Santa Barbara. Ac the opening, he was criticized for his lack of historical accuracy due to his depiction of the Indian in the scene wearing buckskin and beads. Clearly this was a Plains Indian, not Californian.

Albert’s haughty reply to the critic was, "Madame, chat is a visiting Indian.”33 Be sides having many paintings hanging in the Metropolitan Galleries in New York.

Albert created the capescry-like murals for

16

NOTICIAS

Detail of tlut mural executed by Albert I letterfor the Parisian train station, Qare dc L’F.st, after the death ofhis eldest son, Liverit, in World War 1.

chc Mural Room at the St. Francis Hotel In San Francisco. The title of the series was A Pageant ofNations. The largest of the seven was Vie Bringing of Qifts ofthe Old World and New.He also painted murals for the Peacock Room oi the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

When Frederick Forrest Peabody, the philanthropist who financed Santa Barbara High School’s Peabody Stadium, ap proached Albert Hcrtcr in 1923 with the suggestion that he paint an Eagle Scout, Albert was glad to comply. He chose as his model. Andrew Cobb Blake, the first

'Ihe Ilettersons, Christian on the left, Bverit on the right. Christian ivent on to serve as Secretary of State in the Eisenlurwer administration. Portrait by Albat Herter.

\

/

EL MIRASOL

17 Museum oi Art has in its collections a still

scout to achieve Eagle rank in Santa Barbara’s Mission Council. Peabody pre sented the painting, entitled 'Ihc Jamboree, to London's Sir Badcn-Powell. the founder

life by Adele and a remnant ol Herter loomed fabric.

of the Boy Scouts. Color reproductions were made and circulated to subscribers of

Herter Brothers: Interior Designers for American Barons

the Boy Scout magazine, The Jamboree.

Hertcr’s image became the icon for the scouting movement.

After the Herters’older son. Everit, who was working as a earnout lage artist in World War I, died at Chateau Thierry, Albert painted a twenty-seven-foot-high, forty-foot-wide memorial mural tor the Parisian train station, Gare dc LEst,in 1927 The mural was entitled Depanure oflroops from QaredeL’Est and depicts the first French troops embarking for the tront in 1914 as their families and the citizens of Paris say a sad tarewell from the station platform. He painted the image of his son Everit looking through a foggv train window and included his son Christian A. Herter. his daughter Lydia and her friend, Ingeborg Praetorius. and several grandchil dren, among the figures in the crowd say ing good bye. The French government gave him a room in Versailles in which to paint, and he was presented with the ribbon oi the Chevalier Legion of Honor by Marshal Joffre for this monumental piece. At the unveiling, applauding soldiers sat on top of trains that were backed into the station tor the ceremony.

Adclc died at their Long Island home in 1946. and Albert died at El Mirasol in 1950.

Upon the death of their daughter, Lydia, in 1951. her house mate ot many years, Ingeborg Praetorius. arranged a memorial exhibit of Albert and Adele's work at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in February 1951. Many Santa Barbarans loaned their paintings and other artistic pieces to the exhibit and there were a number of pieces from El Mirasol. Today, the Santa Barbara

El Mirasol’s appeal to the rich and fa mous may have had as much to do with the history of the family which created El Mirasol as the attractions of the hotel and the allure of the beautilul resort town of Santa Barbara, The history of the Herter liaisons with the elite of the Gilded Age started in New York in the middle of the 19th century. Christian Augustus Ludwig Herter and his half-brother Gustave(Julius Gustav Alexander Hagenlocher; later.

Herter) were notable New York City inte rior designers who crafted furniture and interior elements such as wall and ceiling paintings, textiles, lighting fixtures, and other decorative objects. Today their fur niture is much sought after by collectors of antique furnishings. Both Christian and Gustave were born in Stuttgart in the prin cipality of Wurttemberg which is now part of Germany. They probably learned the German tradition of cabinet making at the knee of their father, yet another Christian Herter. Both boys, however, at different points in time, studied in Paris, an experi ence which was to have a profound influ ence on their designs.

In 1848, at age eighteen, Gustave, who was nine years older than his brother Chris tian. immigrated to New York and went to work as a cabinet maker. His designs and craftsmanship earned him instant rec ognition and he became a member of the furniture-making and design firm of Herter, Potticr and Company. Although this com pany went out of business in 1853, four years later he organized the Gustave Herter Company which would become the lead-

18

NOTICIAS

Oncojthe seven murals which Albert I letter createdfor the St. Francis I Intel in San Francisco.

EL MIRASOL ing New York cabincc-inaking and interior design company. His 1 irst commission was to decorate the Ruggles Sylvester Morse residence. His younger brother, Christian, arrived in New York in 1859 and joined the firm. He became a full partner by 1864, and the name of the business changed to Hertcr Brothers in 1865.

19 some with Anglo-Japanesc inllucnce.-^^ The Anglo-japanese style had been created in Europe after England’s first Counsul General to Japan, Sir Rutherford Alcock. sent over one thousand pieces of Japanese furniture to the 1862 International Exhibi

furniture and interiors. Gustave designed the rosewood staircase for Robert L.

tion in London, The stylization, restraint, and sophistication of the designs impacted Western artists and designers who adapted and used them in their owm designs, thereby creating the Anglo-Japanesc style. This style did not become popular in the United States until the 1876 Centennial Exhibi

Stuart’s 5th Avenue mansion and decorated, for the New York Central Railroad, the first

tion in Philadelphia although Christian Hertcr, who had studied and worked in

private car built in this country. When Gustave and his wife Anna and their chil

Europe, was conversant with its concepts.

His early experiences may have given Hertcr Brothers an edge when it came to the new popularity of Anglo-Japanesc fur niture design in the United States. Their later work, therefore, incorporated elements of the English design reform ideas which included cbonized cherry and Marquette interpretations of the Anglo-japanese style.

They also specialized in rosewood furni ture inlaid with mother of pearl.

In 1872, President U,S. Grant’s admin

Thus began their most active and wellknown period as a string of wealthy pa trons sought their skills at creating lavish

dren returned to Germany in 1870. Chris tian took over the management of the busi ness. Christian continued the practice of importing and selling textiles, wall papers, and art objects, some of which were manu factured to his own designs. In addition to furniture. Herter Brothers designed wood work. plaster work,lighting fixtures, win dow treatments, wall and ceiling paintings, carpets, textiles, mosaics,stained glass, and other decorative objects. Wlien Christian A. L. Herter died of tuberculosis in 1883 at

istration purchased fifteen pieces of bed room furniture for the White House from

the age of 44, the firm continued under the

Herter Brothers at a cost of $5,016.30.

direction of William Baumgarten and William Gilman Nichols. In 1892. Gustave

Herter Brothers also designed Mrs. Mark Hopkin's residence on Nob Hill in San Fran cisco and William H. Vanderbilt’s mansion

returned from Germany but did not take an active part in the operation of the com pany. He died in 1898 and the firm of Hertcr Brothers closed its doors in 1906.

Their early designs blended Greek; Pompon; Renaissance, which makes use of massive forms, many applied ornaments, portrait medallions and square forms; and Louis XV and Louis XVI motifs. Their stylistic range was wide and they were early designers in the Aesthetic style, which made use of marquetry and surface painting decorations and rectilinear shapes.

on 5th Avenue in New York City, which was to be Christian’s last great enterprise.

Tlie family's contacts with notable persons was. undoubtedly, forged during these hal cyon days. Tlicir clients included a large portion of the Who’s Who of the Gilded Age; Morgans. Rockefellers. Vanderbilts, and Goulds. These captains of industry and banking and their progeny later became the patrons of El Mirasol Hotel.

In 1864, Christian A. L. Hertcr had married Mary Miles, the daughter of Dr.

NOTICIAS

20 Archibald Miles, a physician prominent in Ohio and Connecticut. In 1865 their first son. Christian Archibald Hcrtcr, was born in Glanville, Connecticut. Following in his maternal grandfather’s footsteps he became a physician of some note. He graduated from Columbia Medical College in 1886 and was a member of the faculty there in 1903. He is the author of several books on medical subjects and performed research in clinical pathology. He was involved with the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Re search from the beginning. In 1910 he died of pneumonia, leaving behind three daugh ters and a wife, the daughter of David Dows, "the railroad man.’’3-‘^ In 1871.

Mary and Christian A. L. Hcrter. had their second son. Albert Marsh. Albert followed in his parents’footsteps and became an art ist. He studied in Paris where he met Adelc

McGinnis, a fellow art student who was born in New York City in 1869 and whose father became governor of New York.

They married in 1893. honeymooned in Japan, and embarked on a career in art.

Their eclectic artistic talents were to make El Mirasol the unique showpiece that it became.

The Albatross Outwardly, the hotel flourished un der the direction of a variety of owners for many years but, over time, the little swan was becoming an albatross. In 1965, Morgan Flagg traded the hotel to Jacob Seldowitz in exchange for Scldowitz’s Santa Barbara County ranch.

Rancho Costa Linda. The hotel was val ued at $'850,000. In December. 1966, two

Lydia, Adclc, and Albert Hcrtcr at their home on Long Island.

ELMIRASOL consecutive fires destroyed the entire at tic of the west wing of the house. The first fire started in the kitchen wall be hind the range. Guests were evacuated but most of the damage was to an attic storage area over the kitchen and to files, rugs, and old furniture(Hertcr Brothers?) stored there.36 The second fire destroyed the entire attic above the wing lacing Santa Barbara Street.37 Hoping perhaps to have El Mirasol spring phocnix-like from the ashes, Jacob Seldowitz. in August 1967, proposed to demolish the old hotel and build a ninestory "low rise" hotel with underground parking for four hundred cars plus another car lot across Garden Street on the site ot another early hotel, the Mission Inn. Among other things, the complex would have a restaurant, lounge, and auditorium/ performing arts center which would seat 2,500 people. Seldowitz claimed the archi tecture of the new building would harmo nize with the Santa Barbara motif, perhaps because it had arches.

To unveil his plans for the property and to gain public support, Seldowitz invited over a hundred respected Santa Barbara leaders from all fields to a meeting to dis cuss three proposals for the site. Of those voting, sixty-seven favored the abovementioned plan. Only five voted against any of the three development plans.

Among those was Pearl Chase who said, "You have skirted the objection ol Santa Barbarans to the term'high rise’ by calling your 9-story projections'low rise.' I doubt that this artful dodge will be accepted in the manner proposed.”3^ Scrito John Menegon, AlA, the architect for the com plex. explained why the project was ben eficial to Santa Barbara. He said."... beau tification alone is not enough to preserve the health of our community." He pointed out the many vacancies in the downtown

21 area. "If nothing is done to upgrade the central area, in 15 years, all that will remain . . . is a rather shabby portion of 'Old Touti.’ . . . a performing arts center and hotel in the heart ol Santa Barbara would reverse the downward trend in com merce.”39 Thus began a typical Santa Barbarastyle controversy as opponents and sup porters of the plans marshaled their re sources. Jacob Seldowitz petitioned the Planning Commission for a zoning change from R-3 to R-4(which he had been de nied in August 1966)and a height variance.

R-3 zoning allows for mulitiple dwellings, but an R-4 zoning allows for hotel/motel use. Since the old hotel’s existence predated the R-3 zoning ordinance, it was,ol course, a legally operating hotel. Now, however, a new structure was being proposed, and an R-4 zoning was needed. He sent out a vol untary survey to which 225 people responded. Eighty-five percent favored the nine-story hotel.40 Meanwhile, the opposition gathered sig natures of their own. Letters flew to the editor's desk. One writer, Dorothy Pearce, restated Walker Tompkins' information that four million tourists left $44 million dollars in Santa Barbara each year due to the charms of the city. A lot of Calilornia towns have gcxxl beaches, weather, restau rants, and hotels, she said. The charm Tompkins relerrcd to was the historic char acter of the city. "Esthetic and historical considerations as described by Muriel Osterhaus [she had published an article about El Mirasol a week earlier] in last Sunday’s News-Press, ought alone to be sufficient to prevent the destruction of this bcautilul building. But even if they arc not, we should have the plain business acumen to realize that such a building as El Mirasol is an cs.scntial part of that very charm chat has proved so irresistible to tourists.”

22

NOTICIAS

At a public meeting on October 19, 1967, before the Planning Commission, the combatants battled it out. Commissioner Harold Dunham made a motion to deny the petition. He said the rezoning to R-4. "is not in harmony with the surrounding

area and approval would scare more rezon ing,’’41 In August. Thomas Mullen, part ner in the law firm of Cavalletco, Webster, Mullen and McCoughey, had spoken on behalf of the hotel-cheater project, "It is possible to have progress and orderly

El Mirasol ivasfamoiLSijar the ius/mess ofits gardens.

EL MIRASOL

23

growth and still retain the essential character and charm ot this city.

Wliat is needed,..is a large transient type hotel with tacilitics to attract tourists and major conventions . . . which cannot now be accommo dated in Santa Barbara by reason of the lack ol meeting facilities. . . .

The economic stimulus thus pro vided would give a healthy impetus to the city and downtown shopping district,”42 At the Planning Commission meeting. Tom Hudson, one of the local attorneys representing the property owners near El Mirasol, showed on charts that the ninestory high rise would obscure moun tain views and have an overall nega tive effect on the area. The heat rose when Scldowitz charged that, among other things, the opposition to his plans stemmed from wellheeled citizens who "do not like the S'

idea ot Jacob Scldowitz owning El Mirasol."43 These charges imply-

M-uriel Osterhaus, Ccsarc La A'Lmaca, and Muriel's

ing anti-scmicism only added fuel to the tire of acrimony evident in

daughter Clyde, 1963. Muriel tried desperately to save El Mirasolfram destruction, Init without tsuccess. Photograph

the proceedings.

Earlier, on October 1, 1967. the

courtesy of Muriel Osterhaus.

Santa Barbara Ncivs-Press had published an article about El Mirasol by Muriel Osterhaus. Muriel related El Mirasol’s history and tried to impress on Santa Barbarans the historic importance of the hotel. She sent the article to former resi dents and guests, desperately hoping that someone would buy the hotel or help save it from demolition. The replies poured in.

One was from Mrs. John L. Maxwell (Deborah) of San Francisco who had lived in Santa Barbara as a young girl and whose family had entertained Ingcborg Practorius at Danish-speaking evenings at Deborah’s home. She remembered going to dinner at

El Mirasol and seeing the play which Albert Hertcr wrote, directed and acted in at the Lobero, The Qift of Eternal Life. She wrote.

"Only in Santa Barbara could such a play have been written, staged, and produced!

Only in Santa Barbara could there be an El Mirasol. and only in Santa Barbara, some how,would a person. or persons try to keep such a romantically beautiful structure. . .

In spite of the world’s rejection of the ro mantic these days, there is always room for chat quality, and 1, for one. am happy chat 1 grew up in such an csthccically aware city as Santa Barbara." Perhaps Muriel

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SVIDIJ.ON

EL MIRASOL should have sent her a clipping depicting the esthetics of the "new” El Mirasol that was being proposed.

In the end, when the vote was counted, the City Planning Commission denied the zoning variance which was needed to build the project. Thunderous applause erupted.

When an appeal to the City Council was not heard because the request was four days late, Scldowitz essentially gave up on his plans. Eventually, Seldowitz applied for a demolition permit to raze all the bunga lows and the hotel. For his swan song to Santa Barbara, he held a New Year’s sale of the hotel’s contents. In the December 3 advertisement announcing the sale, he led with, ”E1 Mirasol was Santa Barbara’s grand old hotel and has lost the zoning fight to survive. We must apologize for losing to forces opposed to the hospitality and cultural progress of the community.” No one had stepped forward to save the hotel at the eleventh hour although I, Magnin did step forward to save the exquisite Herter wall coverings and bought five pan els which they displayed in its store on State Street for many years. The last visi tors to the sale were thieves who stole five stained-glass windows designed by Albert Herter and executed by Tiffany’s.

On December 27, Colonel Fritz

25 lead no greater happiness of mankind and our own country.” Insightful words, but he couldn't prevent the destruction either.

Those who had worked to save the old El Mirasol failed. Those who worked to prevent a high rise prevailed. That should have been the end of it, but the property was acquired by El Mirasol Investment Company, a group of twenty-eight Santa Barbara civic and business leaders. This group, at first, wanted to build an elevenstory condominium complex. Once again a height variance was requested. Tlic battle recommenced.

A citizen's committee, with Pearl Chase as the leader, formed to organize the pro test against the eleven-story project and the granting of a variance. El Mirasol In vestment Company then withdrew their variance appeal, changed their plan to two nine-story towers and refiled for the height variance. As the controversy dragged on, the League of Women Voters joined the fray and several neighborhood groups formed in opposition to the plan. Signa tures were gathered and out of 1,008, only 143 were in favor of this new plan.

El Mirasol Investment Company placed ads in the SantaBarbaraNcwS'Prcss.Thc

when art and culture were held in high es teem is gone. Now science and technology, industrial, financial, and military might arc foremost in our mind. These factors deter

company claimed the project would bring $8 million in buying power to Santa Bar bara. It implied that the opposition to high rises was hypocritical as there were already buildings in Santa Barbara that exceeded the height ordinance. Those who were against the project were a vocal minority 44 that did not represent Santa Barbara besides, the El Mirasol site was unique in that it was a full city block, and there was no danger of a proliferation of high rises because no other suitable sites existed.

mine our thinking, our national policy and our style of life. But I am sufficiently opti mistic to hope that one day we will realize chat this concentration of power will not

The ads also included a mail-in coupon so Santa Barbarans could show support for the project. In response,James Bottoms of G.O.O,(Get Oil Out) warned. "Like oil

Oppenheimer, who had served on Eisenhower’s staff in World War II and was a ft:)rmer guest of the hotel, wrote to Muriel. "Like you, I much deplore the in tended demolition which I consider to be an act of barbarism. I fear that the time

26

NOTICIAS

platforms, ic won't scop with one. The city will become an extension of Los Angeles, victims of visual pollution.

As the audience waited anxiously for the decision, the City Planning Commis sion voted 4-3 CO deny the variance. This

an old lady, bedecked ivith diamonds(ivhich I thought could pay the national debt), entered the lobby and cried out in anguish, "What a shame!Hoiv hornble! Ihis beautiful, histori' cal edifice will be destroyed. Ilow can they do such a thing!’!” *s .

●<

●' ui..^Ml

,t.

^-

-

..

- '.Vl' .■>.

-

f»».

A

BlAiirasol, "Ihe Siinjhnver.

time, however, the appeal to City Council was successful. On March 25, 1969, the council voted 4-2 in favor of the variance.

While saying this she looked at me, and 1 said, "I agree with you, Jvladam. 1, also, love this hotel. There have been nine or ten oivners

Charges of undue influence were made and the battle of letters to the editor contin

who have Jailed to make this hotel a success.

ued. Responding to chose who wrote let ters to the editor deploring the bulldozers that were revving their engines to finally "clean up the El Mirasol lot,” Maurice Zam wrote on November 29. 1968. the follow ing editorial; l{eal Tragedy of El Nlirasol, Editor, News-Press: It is inspiring to realize that there are so many noble hearts palpitating and writhing in esthetic agony for the future of Santa Barbara. When I lived at El T^irasol,

Why don’t you operate this hotel, even at a loss and preserve its artistic and historical inter est. %uivouldtvin the gratitude ofthousands.

What a chancefor immortality!!” / ler answer was a look only Freud could have analyzed. She left me, however, abruptly and with apparent pleasure.

Now 1 come to the conclusion, and askof all those wonderful and many Jalmlously rich people, who rise in righteous indignation against the high rise, why they did not buy El Nlirasol, and thus save Santa Barbarafrom ugliness^ In the East or in Europe the city

ELMIRASOL would have done so. Ij not, the money would have been raised orgiven by people who knoiv that love costs money(a R^d Cross slogan).

In concliLsion, I dare to state (even at the danger of being shot by a lover ojthe beauti ful,) that the real El yMiVoso/ tragedy is the simple fact it is jnuch easier to move heartstrings than purse-strings. In fact, so little pull at the purse-strings ivas evident, that even the money to preserve the beautijid IlertermuraLs ivas non-existent.

With this (the lach offinancial commit ment)in mind,and not beautiful letters refecting such interest in Santa Barbara’sfuture,I sincerelyfeel that they (the critics oftheproject) do not have a moral right to impede the inevi table.

—MauriceZam. Muriel Oscerhaus had hoped to find a savior for El Mirasol when she sent out copies of her article to various former resi dents and guests. Ac one point, she was contacted by Christian A. Hertcr, Jr. who had been sent a copy of her article by mu tual Iriends. Mr. Hcrcer, like his father, was prominent in government work, and in quired about his grandfather’s self-portrait which he had seen in the paper. A corre spondence between the two ensued and Muriel gently inserted the idea that it would be wondcrlul if the Hertcr family came in at this last minute to save the old family estate. Hertcr did not take up the challenge, and the bulldozers plowed thn^ugh the site in August 1969.

Heartbroken. Muriel wrote. "I've loved El Mirasol . . .[but] now 1 hope 1 don’t ever have to see that ravished, plundered de spoiled site again!" It would be ten years bclorc Muriel and her husband Ted drove up Santa Barbara Street again.

Meanwhile, the opposition to the new high rise project appealed to the courts and on April 9, 1969,Superior Court Judge John B. Rickard ordered a stay of the variance

27 order pending a hearing. On May 8, the issue was taken under submission by Su perior Court Judge Harold Underwood of Trinity County who was on loan to Santa Barbara for the case. Tomlinson,one of the attorneys tor the investment syndicate, called the El Mirasol project opponents "unrealistic” and "a small but vocal minor ity.” and he extolled the economic benetits ot the project. John M. Sink, attorney tor the opposition, claimed that the council had acted illegally in that a factual showing required under the ordinance was not made and that the ordinance was unequally ap plied. On July 10, 1969, it was all over.

Judge Underwood determined that the evi dence led "to the conclusion that the vari ance granted docs complete violence to the comprehensive general plan.” He ordered the City Council to rescind the order of variance. On July 18, El Mirasol Invest ment Company conceded defeat. The two general partners, William Alexander and J. William Beaver, sent letters to the in vestors saying chat they planned on sell ing the property and returning their invest ments.

Yet that was not quite the end of it for those who had been opposed to the height variance. From the tirsc. Pearl Chase had recognized chat the root of the problem was the lack ol a clear and consistent policy and vision tor neighborhoods. During the City Planning Commission meeting back in October of 1967 she had said to the com mission "1 challenge you and the City Council CO sec your house in order with area-wide and neighborhood planning.”

The many neighborhood organizations and ocher groups that formed in opposition to this plan proves chat the character of Santa Barbara wasn’t her concern alone.

In 1933. Charles F. Luinmis had writ ten a series of articles in the SantaBarbara Morning Press. His words were republished

28 in Thomas Scorkc’s aucobiography, CaliJomia Editor. Storkc. former owner and editor of the Santa Barbara News-Press, wrote On my 81sc birthday I reprinted Dr, Lummis’ stirring plea, for in his elo quence I found expression of my lifetime’s sentiments and strivings.” Although writ ten thirty-six years earlier. Lummis'words would have struck a chord with those who sought to preserve the character of Santa Barbara in 1969. In fact, their sentiment is still valid for Santa Barbarans today.

Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin Santa Barbara of her Ppmance!They are sure to do it,unless you watch and standjast.

Viis is essentially the Vandal Age. Romance is the greatest asset California has. It has been,for more than 350 years. To all this centuried romance Santa Barbara is the legitimate andfavorite heiress—about the only town left that has yet to trade away her birth right.

Beauty and sane sentiment are Qood Business,as wellasgood ethics. Carelessness, ugliness, blindmaterialism arc Bad Business.

Vie worst curse that could befall Santa Bar bara woidd be the craze, ofQETBIQ!Vdhy big? Pp.n down to Los Angeles for a few days—see that madhouse!%u’d hate to live there!

By all that isfine and reverent and high— by every sentiment responsible to Beauty , to Faith, to Patriotism—get together! The honor ofSanta Barbara is in yourhaneb—and do not fancyfor a moment that her Qood Name will stand if you let the materialists strip her of her Ppmance and leave her nakedly Common.

It is up to you to save Santa Barbara's ro mance and save California’s romance for Santa Barbara. I ivould like to sec Santa Barbara set her mark as the most beautiful, the most artistic, the most distinguished and themostfamous little city on our Pacific Coast.

It can be, if it will,for it has the makingsE'^

NOTICIAS The cadre of Santa Barbara preserva tionists who had staved off Los Angelesstyle development lived up to this plea and took up the challenge. Though they had won a victory, the opposition to this kind of growth realized that they would possi bly have to fight the issue again and again as new projects came before the City Plan ning Commission and the City Council.

Exhausted by the three-year battle, they somehow summoned up the energy and strength, and. once again led by Pearl Chase, set out on a campaign to make it illegal to build above four stories in Santa Barbara, thereby taking the decision out of the hands of the political system.

On November 7. 1972. they attained success when an amendment to the City Charter which limited the height of Santa Barbara buildings was passed by a vote of 26,499 to 8,048. Its opening lines reflect their vision for Santa Barbara, "It is here by declared the policy of the City that high buildings arc inimical to the basic residen tial and historical character of the city.” El Mirasol would be the last development project that attempted to circumvent the height ordinance in Santa Barbara.

In the next few years, various ideas for development of the El Mirasol site came to naught. Ac one time the Santa Barbara Museum of Art acquired the site and planned on building a new museum there, but money for the project was not avail able. Under the museum’s ownership, it became a community garden, but the sta tus of the sice remained changeable and unclear. Finally, on December 9,1975, the City of Santa Barbara received an early Christmas present. An anonymous donor gave the entire El Mirasol site to the city for a park.48 Attorneys for the secret phi lanthropist bought the site from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art for $800,000. The donor promised to pay for the landscaping

EL MIRASOL and endowed the park wich a $7,500 bequese tor five years to pay tor mainccnancc.

The donor was also co be allowed co name chc park.

In 1977 chc donor’s name was revealed.

One-cime and sometime resident. Alice Keek Park, chc daughter of William Myron Keck who had founded Superior Oil Com pany. had died in Tucson. Arizona, on June 26. Her attorneys. Reginald Falccci and Francis Price. Jr,, announced that since the reasons for her anonymity no longer ex isted, they would like co name chc park in her honor. They also announced her other generous bequests co Santa Barbara which totaled $20,000,000 co be apportioned among Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, chc Santa Barbara Museum ot Arc and the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden.

A strange cale then began co unfold. Her attorneys suspected chat Alice Keek Park, a widow, had remarried. If so, she had not mentioned her husband in her will, but un der California law, her husband, if he ex isted, had a claim co fifty percent of her estate. The twency-million-dollar bequest

29 was held up until an investigation was con ducted. Also, because the city park which she had endowed in 1975 was not yet com pleted, questions arose about whether chc landscaping and maintenance monies would be lorthcoming from chc estate.

What had made the attorneys suspicious were postcards and a telegram in their pos session which prolesscd love for Alice and were addressed co Alice Leonarduzzi.

When she was alive, Alice had refused co receive these postcards and ordered her at torneys not co have them delivered co her.

A hunt for chc secret husband ensued.

Two local attorneys, Brian Rapp and Michael Cooney, were put on chc case.

Eventually, Bruno Valentino Silvio Leonarduzzi was found living in Italy, working as a physical education teacher.

High strung and eccentric, he initially ran from chc investigators chinking chat chc Americans were there co kill him. When he was finally run co ground, he revealed chat he and Alice were,indeed, husband and wife. They had met in Italy in 1962 and in 1968 made a "secret golden pact," the na-

30

NOTICIAS

cure of which he refused to reveal because it would be dishonorable. In 1970. the couple moved to Aspen and then Glenwood, Colorado, so they could have a legal common-law marriage. They lived there until 1973 when they returned to Italy, On December 4, 1973, Alice mysteri ously and suddenly returned to the United States and refused to ever see or hear from him again. When he was questioned about the reasons for the break-up, Lconarduzzi refused to reveal what had happened, again saying it wouldn’t be honorable. Attorneys also had problems with his testimony be cause he refused to swear an oath. As months of investigation and testimony continued. Michael Cooney became con vinced that Lconarduzzi was telling the truth. He found Lconarduzzi to be a man of great conviction and honor and, though many aspects of the relationship remained shrouded in mystery, everything he had

cold them checked out through ocher sources. In 1979. the estate was settled when Lconarduzzi accepted five million dollars to relinquish any further claims to the estate, and the bequests to the hospical, museum, and botanical gardens could be distributed. The two-year delay ended up being fortuitous for the recipients as the amount of the bequests, which had been invested mostly in oil stocks, had grown from $20,000,000 to $40,000,000. 50 Meanwhile, the city park which Alice Keck Park had donated in 1975 was still not completed by September ol 1978 al though work on the landscaping was in progress. Finally, in the spring of 1980, the park was formally dedicated, and to day the beautiful Alice Keck Park Memo rial Gardens preserves many of the speci men plantings from the once illustrious Hotel El Mirasol. In this exquisite setting of winding paths and placid ponds, the ghost of the elegant swan still shimmers.

NOTES 1. Brochure, Hotel El Mirasol, n.d.

2. Stella Haverland Rouse, "Olden Days: Hcrtcr Home Becomes El Mirasol," SantaBarbdraNewS'Press, 16 August 1964, 3. Ibid.

4. David F. Myrick, Montedfo and Santa Barbara Volume 11 The Days of the Qreat Estates(Glendale: Trans-Anglo Books. 1991), 285-291.

5. George A. Higgins, M.D.. "The Saint Cecilia Society and 'That Saxophone Lady,”'A'oticias 38(Autumn 1992): 5360.

6. Adolph K. Placzck, cd., TWacTVdd/an Encyclopedia ofArchitects{New York: Free Press. 1982).

7 Kurt Helfrich, curator of the Architec-

tural Drawing Collection, University Art Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara, interview with author. Summer 2000.

8. Rouse, Santa BarbaraNewS'Press. 16 August 1964.

9. Stella Haverland Rouse. "In Old Santa Barbara: Maharajahs and Princes Visited El Mirasol Hotel,” Santa Barbara A^ewS'Press, 27 August 1978.

10. "El Mirasol Hotel: Santa Barbara, California”(San Francisco News Letter, 26 May 1917; reprint, Schaucr Printing Studio).

11. Michael James Phillips, Historyof Santa Barbara County, California:From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 11(Chicago: The S.J. Clarke

EL MIRASOL Publishing Company. 1927), 285-287 12. "El Mirasol Hotel: Santa Barbara, California.”

31 32. SantaBarharaNews-Press. 23 April 1944.

13. Muriel Osterhaus, interview with author. Summer 2000.

33. Walker A. Tompkins, Santa Bar bara History Makers(Goleta; Kimberly Press. 1983). 325-327

14, Phillips. 286.

15. Stella Haverland Rouse. "Olden

34. Web site for Antiques by Lise Bohm.

Days; The Gracious Old El Mirasol Hotel.” SantaBarharaNewS'Press. 20

35. New‘York'limes, 6 December 1910, 8 December 1910.

August 1978.

16. "El Mirasol Hotel; Santa Barbara, California.”

36. SantaBarharaNews-Press. 27 December 1966.

17 Phillips, 286.

18, Muriel Osterhaus, SantaBarbara News-Press, 1 October 1967

Future Debated at Unusual Session,” Santa Barbara News-Press. 28 December 1966.

19. Dtiit)iA/exvs(Santa Barbara), 1916.

On file at the Santa Barbara Public

38. SantaBarharaNews-Press. 22

Library.

20. Osterhaus, interview, 21. Rouse. SantaBarharaNews-Press.

16 August 1964.

22. Clift Scybert Kinscll, M.D., inter' view with author. 4 February 2001.

23. Osterhaus. interview.

24. Brochure. Mar Y Cel, Renaissance Real Estate, 1999.

25. Myrick, 293-297 26. Rate schedule and menu, El Mirasol Hotel, 1963.

27 Web site lor World Affairs Council, Global Education Office, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

28. SantaBarharaNews-Press, 30 April 1959.

29. Rouse, SantaBarharaNews-Press, 16 August 1964.

30. Stella Haverland Rouse. "Olden Days; La Monaca’s Band Enlivened the Town.” SantaBarharaNews-Press, 15 September 1974.

31, SantaBarharaNews-Press. 21 September 1963.

37 Bert Willard. "El Mirasol Hotel

August 1967 39. SantaBarharaNews-Press, 27 August 1967 40. SantaBarharaNews-Press. 10 September 1967 41. Santa Barbara News-Press, 20 October 1967 42. SantaBarharaNews-Press. 22 August 1967 43. SantaBarharaNews-Press. 20 October 1967 44. Advertisement, El Mirasol Invest ment Company, SantaBarharaNewsPress. 21 March 1969.

45. SantaBarharaNews-Press. 26 March 1969.

46. Ibid.

47 Thomas A. Storke, Calijomia Editor (Santa Barbara; News-Press Publishing Company, 1958), 285-286.

48. SantaBarharaNews-Press. 9 December 1975.

49. Santa Barbara News-Press. 29 July 1977 50. Santa Barbara News-Press. 18 November 1979.

The Santa Barbara Historical Society wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

A\r, ayiA AAts.

ChAtr

towards the publication of this issue of

iAS

SANTA BARBARA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2000 MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS Tlic Santa Barbara Historical Society wishes to thank and to acknowledge with pride the following individuals and institutions for their generous contributions in 2000.

GRAND PATRONS

Scarbuck, Tisdale & Associates

($25,000 and above) Harold A. Parma listate Smith'Walker F-oundation

Joseph Taylor/Tile Heritage Foundation William & Barbara Tomicki

Janet Larsen Dunbar Charles & Eve Fairbanks

PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE

Donald & Jo Beth Van Gelderen Ivano Paolo Vit

Frank & Elizabeth Lee Ferry Zelva Pierce Fischer Don & Susan Fuhrer

Albert & Cicely Whcclon

Ronald J. Gillio Richard & Kay Glenn Mrs. Richard Grant

($10,000 to $24,999) Lawrence & Astrid Hammett Michael Haskell Antiques John Moran Incorporated Jim & Marlene Vitanza MAJOR BENEFACTORS ($5,000 to $9,999) David & Melissa Dvorak Preston & Maurinc Hotchkis Audrey Koehler H. Travers & Joanna Ne\\T:on Santa Barbara Bank & Trust PATRONS ($i,000 CO $4,999) Stewart & Katherine Abercrombie Ethel Bernstein Michael & Sheila Bonsignorc Norma Bowles Mary Carrigan Charles & Margaret Chapman Charles & Patricia Clcck Lucy Clifford Patrick & Marilyn Chandler DeYoung Roy & Elizabeth Edwards Katherine H. Haley Estate Benjamin & Ruth Hammett Perri Harcourc Thomas & Eleanor Harriman Holden Family Foundation Harry & Leslie Hovey Derk & Frcdericka Hunter Hutton Foundation

BENEFACTORS ($500 to $999) Arlington Gallery John & Patricia Broome Marie L. Carty Appraisal Service Alger & Marge Chaney Chubb Group of Insurance Companies Janet Milligan Crary John V. Crawford George & Jane Eagleton Gordon & Constance Fish Valeric L. Fish Priscilla K. Giesen Richard & Katherine Godfrey Jean Smith Goodrich R(xlncy & Betty J. Guilfoi!

Janette M. Hellmann Richard E. Hughes John & Josephine Hunter Josiah & Karen Jenkins Mid-State Bank Donn Miller Ogilvy-Hill Insurance Donald & Jane Patterson Dennis Savage Teresa Wagstaf Siebert Joseph & Jean Stevens Hugh & Mary Thorson Betsy Blceckcr Wallace Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Yzurdiaga

Joan Irvine Smith Fine Arts The Ann Jackson Family Foundation

SPONSORS

James Main Fine Art Nancy Balch Marscon Hugh & Anne Rhett Merrill Warren & Marlene Miller

Adam (lx lYnelope Bianchi Terry & Patricia Bliss Mr. & Mrs. David Borgatello James & Jane Burkemper Mary Louise Case Sharon T Cherry Robert A. Chick Louise Clark Richard & Barbara Cleveland

($250 to $499) AND F'raming Services Junior League ol Santa Barbara, Inc. Albert & Rosalind Amorteguy Lee Bacon Thad & Laurie MacMillan

Jane Rich Mueller Maureen Murphy F'inc Arts Paul Bagley Collection David Richardson Kenneth & Mary Louise Riley Santa Barbara News-Press Ruth Brooks Scollin

Timothy & Laiii Collins Ben & Betty J. Conway Richard Alexandra Crissman

Edward & Nancy Cudahy The Dchlscn Foundation

Nancy G. Gray Eleanor Gribbin Chris & Dec Gronbeck Christopher Hill Rose Ann Hill Cynthia Cox Huntting Kaleidoscope Flowers Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Kinscll Lynn P. Kirst/Spcctrum Tours J. Blake & Ann Kocpfli Frances D. Larkin Henry & Joan Lev^^ Robert & Wanda Livernois Marborg Industries Carrie Belle McFic Mrs. Frank McGrath, Jr. Elizabeth Broome Miller Geoninc Moriarty Gary & Anna Nett Mr. & Mrs. Gene O'Hagan Margo Oshcrenko Peggy Fuller Pieper Alexander & Hcloisc Power Robert & Nancy Power S. Wayne & Ruth Powers Virginia Ridder Michael & Joanne Rodrigue E. Walton & Shirley Ross John F. Saladino Janet Sands C. William & Nancy Schlosser Richard & Robin Schuttc Arent & Jean Schuyler Olive J. Shannon Eleanor Simpson Molly M. Smith South Coast Fine Arts Conser vation Center David Sowlc Sally St. John Sullivan S; Goss Robin & Stefani Taliaierro Marie J. Tliornbury Marie M. Wangeman Shirley A. Wilson Benyaurd & Pat Wygant Elizabeth S. Youkcr

I

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contents Pg. 1: History of E! Mirasol

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