EX-Z3
ƒ/2.6
5.8 mm
1/250
a mysterious tower near Laguna Beach…
19 responses to “Strange Beach Artifact”
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Very strange indeed. From my point of view, it is only there to allow a way to go down that cliff (or up).
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Interesting. Where exactly is this? Could you geotag it?
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Seen on the Web. (?) -
here is more info on the tower:
"This French Provincial Revival House is located along the blufftop above Victoria Beach and is one of Lagunals most noted landmarks. The house is comprised of two structures, the main house on the bluff edge and a guest house off the street. Both
feature steeply-pitched, multi-gable roofs and half-timbering with wide rough hewn m planks. The house is not large, but has a varied personality derived from the use of several window types including a bay window in from and pointed-arched and
rectangular stained glass windows on the sides. Most of the remaining windows are
casement with mullions and are framed with the original shutters fashioned from the
same wood as the half-timbering. A bronze sign hangs in front with the original name
"La Tour. "
A 60-foot Norman style tower, built at the time of the house, is located along the
height of the cliff and is used to get from the house to the beach below. The beach
tower is of poured concrete with an ocean stone foundation and conical shingled roof.
Several narrow rectangular window openings are at erratic intervals. A wooden spiral
stairway provides passage on the interior of the tower.
The house and tower were built for William E. Brown and his family. Mr. Brown was a State
Senator from Los Angeles and a noted Christian Science lecturer. He used this house
during the summer and holidays and it can be assumed that the uniqueness of the house and
tower were, at least in part, of his inspiration. The house was owned by the Browns unti 1
the early 40’s when it was acquired by Harold Kendrick, a retired Naval officer from Los
Angeles. During the decades that Kendrick owned the house, he was thought to be as
eclectic and fascinating as the buildings themselves. He dressed himself and the house
in a pirate theme and was the attraction of all the local children. Kendrick had the
house stocked full of games and puzzles which the children played; winners received coins
from his bowl of "cold cash" which he kept in the refrigerator. He also hid coins in the
many crevices of the tower interior and let the children scour the inside to try to find
them. Finders were keepers.
The architecture of the house and tower are closeli interwoven with the natura:e
precipitous quality of the cliffs. The style on both is unique and outstanding. The
house rightfully serves as one of Lagunals leading landmark homes.from: http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/development/historic/3 Victoria Beach.pdf
at the very bottom of the document.
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P-)
avast’ye landlubbers!
…heh… 😛
Awesome story indeed. What I find as awesome is that it´s almost 3 years since you posted this… wow… this time thing… so permanent and impermanent at once… ♥
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Interesting and strange. I enjoyed all the information on this.
The World Through My Eyes -
I grew up in the house above in the ’60s and the tower was our access to the beach. I live in Baltimore now and haven’t been back to Laguna since my boys were born. I went looking for a photo of the tower to show my youngest (6) – I found this. The commentary is interesting, so I thought I’d add my 2-cents worth.
Even in the ’60s, I found coins stuck deep in the cracks of the plaster and wooden steps of the stairs – maybe 10 or 15 coins all together – quarters, dimes, nickels, and a single half-dollar, mostly with dates from the 20s and 30s. The wind would whistle eerily through the tower when the wind blew, and the stairs creaked in just the right way you would want for a spooky movie.
The lock on the wooden door at the base of the tower door looks like a submarine hatch from the inside – nothing bit a hole for a custom-made key tool from the outside. Still, at least once a summer, some yahoo would figure out how to unlock the door. Then we’d have an explosion of tourists spewing forth from the tower into our garden at the top. It was amazing how they would claim they had every right to break into the tower and traipse around.
My mother and I rented the smaller of the two homes – the one visible from the street – and a Hollywood art director owned the property and lived in the other house. A beautiful courtyard separated the two. The space between the homes and the cliff was covered in ice-plant and had paths with benches and a gazebo.
The house and tower were often used as a film set. Dick Clark filmed segments for the 60’s music show “Where the Action Is” a few times while I lived there. Fun stuff.
I visited the house nine years ago while I was on a business trip. The house had changed hands a few times and had been owned for a while by Bette Midler. She had joined the two homes into one, filling in the gap with a large kitchen, something both homes had lacked. The courtyard remains, however, and the entire property remains a treasure of Laguna.
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Very Nice! I love the stories from your commenters! Your nice photo is not the usual shot or pose. Please add this photo to Unique Shot!
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A wonderful thread of stories and comments, lovely, really. Thanks Stewart indeed! A powerful boost for the magical works of the collective consciousness flickr is.
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That is so cool! Not exactly the kind of thing you expect to find in Laguna Beach.
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