Blog
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The Villa Montezuma
18 January 2012
Over looking downtown San Diego on a gently sloping hill sits the Villa Montezuma, a striking and unique example of eclectic late 19th century Victorian/Queen Anne architecture. Located at 1925 K Street, this romantic and colorful symbol of the 1880’s was the creation of spiritualist, talented musician, singer and author, Jesse Shepard. The Villa was designed by Comstock & Trotsche. It was built in 1887 for $19,000 (with an additional $7,000 for stained glass windows), by Cheney & Leonard. This crown jewel of notable homes in San Diego weathered through a remarkable and tumultuous history, passing through many owners and circumstances. The Villa, known to be haunted, is in the process of renovations leading to its return as an historical home museum open to the public.
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Friends of The Villa Montezuma
02 January 2012
Happy New Year! I want to give a big thank you to Louise Torio of Friends of The Villa Montezuma Inc., a nonprofit organization. Louise was very gracious with her time and an invaluable Sherman Heights resource on the upcoming blog article on the historic Villa Montezuma.
The Friends of Villa Montezuma are solely devoted to the ongoing restoration and operation of the Villa Montezuma House Museum. Their mission is to raise funds for the preservation and operation of the Villa Montezuma, to educate people about the museum under the Accredation Standards of the American Association of Museums (AAM).
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The Smaller House Movement
01 December 2011
In these economic times, people often take a look at ways they can downsize their spending and make less do more. One area that is seeing some growth is what I’ll call “the smaller house” movement. While we love to tour mansions and watch TV shows that showcase extravagant spaces, the opposite side of the real estate spectrum is getting serious attention from home owners across the globe.
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San Diego Hardware
07 November 2011
Established in 1892, San Diego Hardware is the oldest family owned business in San Diego. It’s motto of “having everything under the sun” holds true today.
Bill Haynsworth and business partner Rip Fleming have owned the company since 1983. The two business partners bought the business from Haynsworth’s father keeping the business in the family for the last four generations.
The hardware store originally opened in downtown San Diego and eventually moved in 1922 to 840 Fifth Avenue. During the first 100 years of existence the company sold a wide selection of typical and hard-to-find hardware store items including wash boards, pitcher pumps, axes, knives, clothes wringers, ice chippers, and meat grinders and more. The store also sold and installed cast iron wood stoves, heaters, and iceboxes.
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Historic Districts: Shirley Ann Place
03 November 2011
Shirley Ann Place is a small one block neighborhood of small, modest homes built in the early part of the twentieth century in University Heights. Shirley Ann Place is significant based on it’s layout and architectural styles of individual homes, where the Spanish Colonial Revival style predominates. A significant portion of the properties within this district have retained their historic integrity and remain in good condition.
Shirley Ann Place consists of twenty-four homes, eighteen of which are Spanish Colonial Revival style bungalows (plus four late 1930’s to late 1940’s bungalows). The neighborhood is laid out along a one block area surrounding a central alley street running north of Monroe Avenue to Madison Avenue on the south. Two additonal Spanish Colonial Revival style bungalows, along the south line of Monroe Avenue near the south-eastern corner of Shirley Ann Place, and a local “Mom & Pop” grocery store at the southeastern corner of Madison Avenue and Shirley Ann Place, are also included due in part to their similar styling and having been part of the original neighborhood development.
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