 One of the great, historic Ocean Blvd homes is on the market. 2700 Ocean Blvd was built in 1929, only a couple years after the Kerckhoff Marine Lab and China House, and sits atop the stairs down to China Cove. The look of the home has evolved over the years but it was beautifully remodeled and restored by the Wurts family who owned it for many years after moving to CdM in 1971. 
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 514 Acacia (Credit: CdM Historical Society) We haven’t released our Top 100 Cottages list yet but wanted to share some history on one of the Top 100 before it gets bulldozed next week so you can take one last walk past it this weekend and remember it before it is replaced by a lot-filling modern home. The plans look to be more along the lines of soulless modern rather than modern farmhouse but from their IG it appears that the developer has churned out plenty of both of these styles which now dot our Flower Streets.  Rendering of its replacement (Credit: nicholson companies) We’ll save the full story for the Top 100 profile on 514 Acacia but this lovely home remained in the same family for the past 60+ years starting with a dancer who appeared in several Hollywood films in the silent movie era.
 Did you know there used to be a grocery store on Fernleaf, one house in from Ocean Blvd? While reviewing this great photo from the Sherman Library of the Kerckhoff Marine Lab and the Hole House sitting above it, we noticed a sign for a grocery store on Fernleaf.
 Tucked away on Marguerite is a multi-family complex that went up during the post-WW2 housing boom and has managed to maintain its vintage charm and original details for over 70 years. The complex at 610-614 Marguerite built for former owners Albert & Vera Hutchins in March 1948 has (6) 2BR, 1 BA units situated on 1 ½ lots.
 Photo: MLS/REMAX Bringing Cottage of the Week back to recognize 518 Marigold. Not your grandfather’s cottage – while we love cottages that maintain an original look - we also love cottages like this one that have been wonderfully updated to appeal to current tastes and ensure their survival.  This house has had a couple major renovations in its day, with the first coming in the late 1980s when owner Ross Bartlett converted it from a duplex into a single family residence and the latest in 2017 when owner Shannon Hondl updated it to the beautiful house you see today.  We have not announced it yet but 518 Marigold was selected by our distinguished panel of judges as one of CdM’s Top 100 Cottages. It earned high marks for its modern take on the traditional CdM cottage. We will have more info on the Top 100 announcement soon, apologies that our posting has slowed a bit while we work on getting that ready. This 4 bed/4 bath, 3,100 sq ft house is listed by Lee Ann Canaday and Christa Lee Canaday from REMAX/Fine Homes for $3.374M.  Jim Abbott receives a standing ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd. Photo: jimabbott.net 27 years ago today, CdM resident Jim Abbott pitched a no-hitter for the New York Yankees. Only 10 Yankees pitchers have thrown a no-hitter in the franchise’s 120 years. What makes Abbott’s no-hitter even more remarkable is he was born without a right hand.
 Continuing on the artist theme, ceramic artist Kay Finch (1903-1993) built her studio and showroom next to Five Crowns where Crown Cove Assisted Living is now located. It was later Sam’s Seafood and Don the Beachcomber.   CdM has had a number of famed artists that lived in our community. We have featured Rex Brandt, who is likely the best known locally and Chuck Jones, who was called “the Orson Welles of animation.” Today, we feature Charles Payzant (1898-1980), a talented illustrator and watercolor painter that lived in the village at 609 Acacia. He was one of the pioneers of what would become known as the California Style of watercolor painting and would work on some of the most famous Disney movies of all time.  One of our surviving historic treasures is the Kerckhoff Marine Lab in China Cove. While it became a Marine Lab when it was sold to Caltech, it was originally designed as a boat and bath house for the short-lived Balboa Palisades Club in 1926. The club ran into financial difficulty while it was still being built and they ended up selling it to Caltech in late 1929 for $50,000. The lab was acquired with funds donated by William G. Kerckhoff, a California businessman who made his fortune in power and gas.
 1953 photo of China Cove from the OC Archives – the Kerckhoff Marine Lab is prominent and upon closer inspection a few other surviving homes can be found as well.
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AuthorCdM Historical Archives
October 2020
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