Rustic Canyon
&
Santa Monica Canyon

SOME HISTORY OF RUSTIC AND SANTA MONICA CANYONS

The lush, beautiful canyons and mesas of Rustic and Santa Monica canyons were originally settled as a series of private enclaves from 1887 to around 1945 (not including the Native American and pre-historic villagers, who sought hot-weather comfort at the spring-fed streams).

The first European settlers arrived in 1839, when the Spanish King bestowed the land grant of Rancho Boca de Santa Monica to Francisco Marquez and Ysidro Reyes. The Marquez family settled and farmed Santa Monica Canyon.

The natural beauty of the beaches, trees, and streams attracted vacationers from Los Angeles, who camped, picnicked and created one of Los Angeles' first resorts.

In 1887, Rustic Canyon housed the nation's first forestry station, and the Edmond family bought several adjacent acres.

According to Street Names of Pacific Palisades "After World War I, the properties both came up for sale. The Methodists (led by Rev. Charles H. Scott) made the first offer, and actually held a camp meeting there in 1921 before moving west to build the community of Pacific Palisades. They were succeeded by the Uplifters, a group of business and professional men who had founded a club of their own within the Los Angeles Athletic Club and were looking for a site for a country home. They bought the Methodist holdings and several other pieces of property and used the Edmond Home as their first clubhouse."

Members were permitted to lease land and to build rustic-style vacation homes on a limited number of the lots. Harry Haldeman, one of the founders of the club and its revered "Grand Muscle," constructed one of the larger homes and was placed in charge of the building program. Another dedicated member, Howard Latimer, was appointed "a committee of one to engage help to immediately clear the land acquired of brush and provide paths and roadways throughout the property." By 1925, the club had spent thousands of dollars for roads, landscaping, terraces, and retaining walls made of stream cobbles, and the two roadways bore the names Haldeman and Latimer."

According to Betty Lou and Randy Young's recently published Santa Monica Canyon (A Walk Through History), "in December 1923, the structure [referring to the Uplifter's (Edmond House) clubhouse] burned to the ground and was replaced by the spacious Spanish Colonial Revival structure [pictured at the top of this Web page] that is today part of Rustic Canyon Park. For the next thirty years, the Uplifters held sway in the groves along the stream, where they were known for their musical and dramatic presentations, equestrian and polo facilities and annual all-male summer outings."

During prohibition, the Uplifters were referred to as "the cuplifters" by some. Their "all-male summer outings" are a subject of local lore.

From Street Names of Pacific Palisades, "In 1924, an additional property was purchased on the west band of the stream to make room for equestrian sports and eventually a polo field.

The resulting indebtedness, combined with the Depression of the 1930's, led to severe retrenchment, in which leaseholder had to purchase their own properties through the club's lawyer, Joseph Musgrove, or lose possession.

The demise of the club was accelerated during World War II with the sub rosa sale of the Uplifter's property in 1943 to Musgrove and his associates. Two years later, in l945, the polo field was sold for development to Read and Wright, a Beverly Hills real-estate firm. George Read, a partner in the firm and a resident of the ranch, personally planned the polo field subdivision and chose street names inspired by the canyon's natural beauty. In 1947, the clubhouse and surrounding acreage were sold to Leonidas Embiracos, a Greek shipping magnate. He retained Read and Wright to subdivide the land and again, George Read used the "tree" theme in naming the new streets." ( Brooktree, Greentree, Hightree, etc.)

Today, Rustic Canyon Park (see map) is an idyllic setting, renowned for its preschool, art and craft classes, a gym/auditorium for fitness classes and Ping-Pong. There is a public pool, open in summer, 6 public tennis courts, a basketball court, baseball diamonds and picnic and jungle gym area.

From Street Names of Pacific Palisades, "Beyond Sunset Boulevard was the ranch and polo field belonging to the beloved cowboy writer/actor Will Rogers. His land extended from the western mesa, across Rustic Canyon to the eastern rim and far up the canyon. Nine years after Will's death, Mrs. Rogers gave the home and surrounding land to the state for a park, and the remaining acreage was offered for sale. The Villa Grove and Ravoli Drive mesas were subdivided, and the twenty-one acres on the floor of the canyon were purchased by the three Evans brothers and a brother-in-law, all of whom built homes there. "

Although technically, upper Rustic Canyon street addresses are Sunset Blvd, the area is known as "Evans Road." Homes on Evan’s Rd. sell for $6Mil up to $26Mil.

Today, excellent examples of Craftsman style homes, new and old, 1950s contemporary to contemporary Cape Cod, Spanish Colonial, and High-tech may be viewed on a tour of the coastal canyons. The eclectic mix of architectural styles in Rustic and Santa Monica Canyons attests to the varied tastes and distinctive personalities of the inhabitants.

A photograph across Santa Monica Canyon from Adelaide Drive, S.M., looking north toward Mesa Road and Rustic Canyon.

Alisal Lane, in Santa Monica Canyon (Santa Monica P.O., but LA City services and schools). This recently developed area is southwest of and adjacent to the Riviera golf course.

Price Range:

Santa Monica Canyon: Approximately $2Mil for a tear-down to about $6 Mil.

Rustic Canyon: $2.5 Mil tear-down to approximately $16 Mil.

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