The H. E. Huntington’s San Marino Ranch, Southern California
Huntington Mansion on San Marino Ranch, CA
by Nancy Armitage
On the H. E. Huntington’s Estate, San Marino Ranch, there once was a Bowling Alley with a Billiard’s Room. The Billiards Room had a Billiards Table & a pool table. This was a large long building structure seen on old maps (1927 San Marino Ranch called “Demolition Map”). The building was a long & narrow building running north & south. It was located just west of the Huntington Mansion through the fragrant Rose Pergola & the large Bird Aviary. This structure is where the Huntington Library “Tea House” is now. In a aerial photograph of the San Marino property, the Billiards/Bowling Alley went from the front of the existing teahouse to the very back of the existing “Huntington Herb Garden”. The present Herb Garden used to be Mrs. Arabella Huntington’s fragrant “Flower cutting garden”. She requested daily & weekly flower arrangements for the Huntington Mansion. On a 1921 map for City of San Marino (made at Cal Tech by engineers, it shows us what shape this building was). It was a long rectangle shape with another rectangle protruding in the middle to the left (shaped like a sideways “T”). Document: maps housed at the Huntington Library, San Marino, CA shown to me by HEH Collection curators.
Gentlemen’s Retreat
The Billards Room/Bowling Alley was decorated like a Gentlemen’s Hunting Lodge with taxidermy birds & Spanish-Style décor. A place Henry “Edwards” Huntington & his friends could go to smoke a cigar & have a glass of whiskey. It was decorated with lovely Autumnal colors of red, yellow, Naples yellow (creamy yellow-white) & terra cotta. In the winter mornings or afternoons, the Huntington’s footmen or parlor maid could have lit a nice fire in the fireplace with the brass andirons. They had a pair of iron & brass andirons at the fireplace. Maybe a whiskey, a sherry, or a hot toddy to warm up their house guests.
Spanish Hacienda Decor
I found a Huntington mansion/buildings inventory book in the Huntington Library archives. It gives us clues what the rooms of the Bowling Alley/Billiards Rooms actually looked like in the 1920’s. This retreat with a inspired Spanish influence, the description sounds like it looked like a elegant Hacienda Ranch-styled rooms. They had one Mahogany Spanish Cupboard with 2 doors- elaborately carved, 52″ x 26″;There was an inlaid wood Spanish Table, made of rosewood & ivory 31″ x 22″ of the Redezne Collection. Also, a rectangular table with brass mounts & 2 drawers, 2 carved mahogany Spanish armchairs with terra cotta color & red silk brocade seats & one Mahogany Spanish armchair with red silk seat. There was 6 carved dark walnut Spanish straight back chairs & wood seats with 3 low Spanish armchairs with leather seats & backs. Along the Billiard & pool tables, were 3 carved Spanish benches two with arms, 7′ x 8′ long, respectively.
Mrs. Arabella Huntington & Mr. Joseph Duveen’s decorated a lot of the rooms at the Huntington Mansion. Most likely, he might have helped her with a theme for the Billiards Room/ Bowling Alley was Rancho Spanish style. They had a China Cuspidor, one pair of gilt mirrors with rosettes, one pair of carved Spanish cupboards with 2 doors, & semi-circle mahogany console table with 4 drawers & 4 feet high high of the Redezne Collection, one old Spanish Chest with folding legs with gilt, & one Chinese Bookcase (7 doors & 3 shelves 50″ high), & one mahogany Spanish Chest: 16″ x 13″x 7″ with brass finishes. All these items went to the estate of Mr. H. E. Huntington (his daughters).
Billards Room/Bowling Alley Paintings:
There were 7 oil paintings in the Bowling Alley/Billards Room (SMR). There was: “The Apple Gatherers”, “Portrait Sunset of Ruth”, “Portrait of Woman’s Head”, “Landscape: Courtyard with Various Figures”, a early French interior by Navier & “Model Bathing” by Richomme, & a portrait paintings of H. E. Huntington. They also had a framed photo of Collis P. Huntington: who was HEH’s uncle & Arabella Huntington’s deceased husband. These paintings all went to the library after Mr. H.E. Huntington died & the portrait painting of H. E. Huntington went to Estate (his family).
There must have been 2 or 3 rooms to this building because of the huge amount of furniture in it. There was a carved-oak Billiard Table & a Pool Table made of oak with carved legs with cues, balls, & markers. Then, there was a 2-lane wooden Bowling Alley, they had 2 Bowling Sets of pins & bowling balls.
A Petit Library:
On warm sunny days at the San Marino Ranch, these rooms (Billard’s Room & Bowling Alley) & the veranda was used for afternoon reading, afternoon tea, or get-togethers at sunset. They had 2 round Vienna Bentwood tables & 2 Bentwood armchairs. Mr. H.E. Huntington loved to sit & read a book, maybe share in a piece of poetry he found interesting. For the Huntingtons & their houseguests they had 4 bookcases; (3 sections) filled with 85 modern books [1927] in the bookcases on the west side; 116 modern books in cases on the east side. It is highly likely that some of the Huntington’s book located in the Billard Room/Bowling Alley were some of Mrs. Huntington’s garden books. She had a huge collections of books on famous gardens & gardeners, & books on every kind of flower. Those botanical books are now in the Botanical Section of the Huntington Library. Mrs. Arabella Huntington was a avid reader of modern books & magazines at the time. When her eyesight got bad, her secretary or friends would read to her. On sunny afternoons (or rainy days), one could have a cup of tea, with a great book, smell fragrant roses in the air, & hear the sweet sounds of chirping birds in the Bird Aviary close by or the grand peacocks walking by.
Gentlemen’s Hunting Lodge – Bird Museum
To add to the Gentlemen’s Hunting Lodge vibe of this retreat, Mr. H. E. Huntington had a mini bird museum. In the Huntington’s time at the San Marino Ranch, there were many wild animals. In the early 1900’s, the men would hunt for food on the land. In the Huntington’s case some of these taxidermy birds, were their family pets. With the pet already deceased, they had them stuffed. They had a pair of stuffed Toucan birds, & one stuffed white peacock. Also, in the Billiard’s Room, there were 6 other wild animals – 6 stuffed animals “trophies”: foxes, wildcats, one pair deer heads with antlers, & one stuffed elk head with antlers. .
Peacocks at the San Marino Ranch
Mr. H. E. Huntington loved his exotic Toucan birds. He actually used the toucan bird image on his orange crate Logo on for San Marino Ranch :”H. E. Huntington’s oranges”. Mr. Hertrich states in his book: Huntington Botanical Gardens that peacocks (white & blue peacocks) roamed freely on the San Marino Ranch.
Gentlemen’s Smoking Retreat
The Huntington’s Billiards Room & Bowling Alley could have been used as a Gentlemen’s Smoking Room, also. Mr. Huntington loved smoking cigars; Mrs. Huntington didn’t like smoke in the Huntington Mansion. The Bowling Alley as a gentlemen’s retreat solved that problem. In the Edwardian years (1910-1920’s): Gentlemen after “Dining” on a multi-course dinner usually retired to the Drawing Room or Billiards Room. Mr. Huntington & his male guests most likely took a walk outside to the Bowling Alley/Billiards Room. To enjoy their fancy cigars & glass of brandy or whiskey. Mr. Huntington was not a big drinker, but he was very hospitable to his guests, if they wanted to partake.
Whiskey, Sherry, a Brandy, or Tea
Mr. & Mrs. H. E. Huntington (Belle & Edwards) could have hosted a tea, or enjoyed a glass of sherry. The Billards Room/Bowling Alley could have hosted cocktails in the evening. The San Marino Ranch/ now the Huntington Library, get a lovely evening breeze that cools one off. They had numerous guests & house guests to the Ranch in the Winter & Springtime.
In Mr. H. E. Huntington’s correspondence, an invitation to the Huntington Mansion was usually requested for 2:30 or 3:00 pm in the afternoon. The Huntington gardens are particularly lovely during that time of day, which Mr. Huntington mentioned in a letter. The Huntingtons or their guests could have also used this resort building for playing cards, bridge, & game of hearts which were their favorites! At the Ranch, the Huntington’s kitchen staff made their own homemade ice cream & homemade rootbeer. At a “Sundays at the Ranch” entertainment, they would be perfect. On a hot day, they might have served some hot fudge sundaes or root beer floats as a treat for their guests.
Chocolate Sauce, Van Nuys (1922)
Mr. H. E. “Edwards” Huntington before he built the Huntington Mansion on the ranch; he stayed at the elegant Hotel Van Nuys in downtown Los Angeles. He often put up his mother, Mrs. Solon Huntington (Harriet) & his sister, Carrie Huntington Holliday & her family at the Hotel Van Nuys. Maybe this recipe is from the Hotel Van Nuys.
1 lb. Sweet chocolate
2 c. Powdered sugar
2 oz. Butter
1 c. Water [or Heavy cream or Half & half]
Put in a double boiler & place on fire. Cook until smooth, stirring occasionally. Do not let it boil, as to do so makes it sticky and destroys the smoothness. From: Thomas Cooney, Chef Book: Castelar Creche Cookbook, Los Angeles, CA 1922 [For a Hot Fudge Sundae: In a milk shake type glass: Scoop out some vanilla ice cream or chocolate chip ice cream. Drizzle this tasty chocolate sauce, & sprinkle some chopped some Virginia large crunchy peanuts & place a maraschino cherry on top.]
Orange or Lemon Pound Cake or Bundt Cake (infused with Whiskey Sauce)
In the heat of a Southern California summer, no one wants to heat up the kitchen. A enhanced store-bought teacake is great!
1 Orange or Lemon Pound Cake or Bundt Cake
Sauce:
1 C. sugar
squeeze of fresh orange or lemon
1/2 c. or more Irish Whiskey
In a quart size purex cup, add 1 c. sugar, orange or lemon juice & Irish Whiskey & mix until sugar is dissolved. Place cake on a lipped cake plate. Poke holes in the cake with skewers, to accept the whiskey sauce. Slowly drizzle with whiskey sauce over the cake. Put dome lid on top of cake plate. Let sit for several hours. Add a bunch of lemon thyme or colorful roses in the middle of the Bundt cake or a couple sprigs of lemon thyme on pound cake loaf. Slice & serve with cup of tea. Recipe by Nancy Armitage
There was a veranda attached to the Bowling Alley/Billiards Room. A lovely place to enjoy the sunshine & afternoon fresh air, amongst the fragrant Huntington rose gardens. The Huntington’s could have hosted “Sundays at the Ranch” at this location also.
In Southern California, the roses bloom (in 6 or 7 flushes) about 9 months of the year. The Veranda had two large porch swings with leather cushions; appraised $1,000.00 each (1927). This Veranda area must have been quite large, it was recorded they had 17 wicker chairs [I’m guessing white] with 3 Philippine tables “in -nest”. These nesting tables would have been perfect for afternoon tea or sherry, for guests to put their tea cup or plates of tea sandwiches down. They also had 2 large Peacock Havana chairs, & 8 reed chairs for many guests.
Document:
HEH Coll. MS 38/6 uncat [Huntington Mansion Inventory Book -Brown 8 1/2″ x 11″] page 133-134;
Map: Map of San Marino Ranch 1927 Demo Map;
Map of San Marino Ranch 1921 Cal Tech map for map of a portion of the City of San Marino
Book: Wm. Hertrich’s book Huntington Botanical Garden
Book: Castelar Creche Cookbook Los Angeles, CA(HEHs book copy); this cookbook also has a lot of Mrs. Howard Huntington’s (Leslie) recipes in it.
Inside the Huntington's Story 