By Nancy Armitage
This little Huntington cottage by the sea has been a mystery to me for quite sometime. At the Huntington Library, I was told by the HEH Collections Curator, Dan Lewis, that Mr. Henry E. Huntington owned a seaside cottage. The name of the cottage was “Clifton-at-the-Sea” down by Redondo Beach, CA. What I found out by a Southern California map: is Clifton-at-the-Sea was actually the community name. It became a 1000-house community (each property was 1-acre each). 1-acre was a lot for California beach property.
Mr. H. E. Huntington & his partner, Mr. Walter Martin were trying to create this seaside community. Remember that Mr. Huntington owned Los Angeles-Redondo railway to the Pacific Ocean ending in Redondo Beach, California. Huntington had bought the railway company in 1905. Check below for details.
This beach community was located just north of Palos Verdes & San Pedro where the large ships came into Los Angeles Port . His railroad was called Los Angeles – Redondo Beach Railway Company…. It makes sense that Mr. H. E. Huntington wanted to create a beach front community & then a means of travel to get there from Downtown Los Angeles. They imaged “Cliffton-by-the-Sea” with a hotel, golf course with country club. Sometimes the spelling has two F’s, Cliffton. Also, a place to enjoy for car travelers from the LA /San Pedro port of Los Angeles, also.
Searching through Mr. H. E. Huntington’s archives I did find this. In Mr. H. E. Huntington’s Bio File: “Mr. [H.E.] Huntington bought the little property on July 14, 1907 for $15,000.00, a small 200 sq. ft. lot. Document: HEH Coll. MS 19/5 (3rd box) uncat (HEH Bio file; Huntington Land & Improvement Ledgers) at the Huntington Library San Marino, CA . When Mr. Huntington bought this property, it is highly-likely it was used as realty office of sorts to sell land; HEH also could have spent the night there too, it had several (14) rooms.
In the summer of 1909, H. E. Huntington’s brother-in-law, Burke Holladay mentioned HEH’s “Clifton” cottage in his journals: “Mon. Jun. 6, 1909, Motored with Edwards [HEH] out to Redondo [Beach] & Clifton – dined with Harry Ainsworth & wife, returning to LA in the afternoon. We motored out to Edward’s new house again [Huntington Mansion on San Marino Ranch]- he calls it “the Ranch” & taking bread & milk dinner, there returned to LA & the Hotel for the evening.” Document: HEH Collection MS 53/2/2 uncat (E. Burke Holladay family papers) Huntington Library, San Marino. – Burke was HEH’s brother-in-law. Nancy Note: I’m not sure what bread & milk dinner is… a cheese sandwich on bread with a glass of milk?
The hotel, Burke Holladay mentions in his diary, is the Hotel Van Nuys, a luxury hotel in downtown Los Angeles. It was a very elegant hotel that Mr. H. E. Huntington & his son, Howard Huntington lived at for a short while before the Jonathan Club in Downtown Los Angeles, Calif. When his Huntington family (HEH’s mother Harriet Huntington, HEH’s daughters & his sister, Carrie Holliday & her family (that lived in SF, & Oneonta, NY “the Holladays”) they all stayed at the Hotel Van Nuys in Los Angeles when they came from San Francisco, CA or Oneonta, NY. At this time H.E. Huntington was building his Huntington Mansion on the San Marino Ranch (by Pasadena, CA) from 1908-1910.
Between 1908-1911, the Huntington Mansion was being built on the San Marino Ranch. But in May of 1910, Mr. H. E. Huntington (a single divorced man) moved into the mansion with a small household staff (Cook, chauffeur, Housekeeper, Night watchman, & a laundress.)
Huntington seaside beach cottage
Did Mr. Huntington ever stay at his seaside cottage at Clifton-by-the-Sea? I don’t know, he could have and bring his in-house staff with him. When Southern California gets really hot in the summertime, going to the our local beaches is quite a relief. Especially in July, August, & September temperture can reach to 100@. The beach/coastal areas are usually is 10-20 degrees cooler then inland properties.
Looking at a Southern California map, Clifton-by-the-Sea (just called “Clifton” now on local map). It is situated on the north cliffs of Palos Verdes Peninsula. The Huntington cottage was north of Rancho Palos Verdes & south of Redondo Beach right on the Pacific Ocean looking out to Santa Catalina Island. His Spanish Mission-style cottage was at the corner of Esplanade & B street in Redondo, CA. The actually address was 826 Esplanade (between Ave A and Ave. B, Redondo Beach, CA. Now the property is part of Redondo Beach State Park.
This last month, I found out some more information. In a article in the LA Herald Newspaper with no date, but most-likely around 1909 or earlier. It was in 1909, Mr. H.E. Huntington with several partners was selling off parcels of land in Redondo [Beach].
Titled “$10,000 Beach Residence” a newspaper article states. It went on “Henry E. Huntington has given orders to Hunt & Grey [famous architects – Myron Hunt who was also building the Huntington Mansion on the San Marino Ranch at the very same time] to prepare plans for a handsome beach residence, to be erected on the corner of “B” street & the Esplanade at Clifton-by-the-Sea, south of Redondo [Redondo Beach]. The house is to be of the Spanish Mission style with plastered exterior & the red tile roofing. The Huntington residence will be followed by others of similar architectural beauty & arrangement. The cost will be about $10,000.00.” Document: LA Herald Newspaper article with no date (1909-1914)
By this article, it almost sounds like Mr. H.E. Huntington & his company Huntington Land & Improvement Co. built the little cottages & then sold them. I’m assuming all of them being Spanish Mission Style architecture. But the below newspaper article indicates that it was just the land that they were selling.
If you are selling beachside property. And you have a cute little beach house over the Pacific Ocean looking towards Santa Catalina Island. Showing what it could be like for people to own cottages themselves… maybe a 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms with a dinette, small kitchen, a living room with a fireplace & a bathroom (s) & a amazing view of the ocean & a cute little garden. What a draw! I guess it was quite a feeding frenzy in 1909, when the land started to sell. Having only 1000 lots to sell, they went quick. They most likely used Mr. Huntington’s house as a realty office of sorts & to show people the architecture & the interior, how the interiors were set up, & so on.
Another newspaper article of the Los Angeles Herald Newspaper Volume XL, Number 86, 10 February 1914 headlines: “NEW BEACH IS A PLAN FOR L. A. MEN” & goes on with the story:
“H. E. Huntington & Walter S. Martin, owners of 1170 acres, including the high-class seashore suburb adjacent to Redondo known as ‘Clifton-by-the-Sea”, have turned the property over to a syndicate headed by Henry S. Judson, who announced today plans for turning the property into a residential & recreation resort. Golf, polo, & tennis will be provided. The residence built by Mr. Huntington, facing the sea, some years ago [1909], is to be converted into a café, & the Martin residence will be turned into a clubhouse. A thousand lots [at a 1-acre each] are to be placed on the market at once by Campbell & Bentley of the C. F. W. Palmer syndicate, who have been selected as selling agents for the tract.”
When Mr. H. E. Huntington sold his little seaside cottage, it became a café/teahouse for the residents of the area. It had a really lovely garden & nice grassy area surrounding it & a lovely view of the Pacific Ocean. Then the seaside café was turned into a teahouse called “Seagull Inn” in Redondo Beach, California. Another amazing place to visit & stay at the time was the large Hotel Redondo Beach. It was quite a grand seaside hotel. by an old b/w postcard, it looked like the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, Calif.
Hotel Redondo, a elegant Victorian luxury hotel (1890)
Hotel Redondo was a grand Victorian 225-room 3-story hotel. It was built & opened on May 1, 1890 by E. W. Root. The hotel had a lovely romantic veranda for guests to look out over the Pacific Ocean, to the passing ships. There was a banquet hall & a elegant ballroom, that were used often. For the guests entertainment, they had a Billiards Room and a Bowling Alley, Fishing excursions. Hotel Redondo had a 18-hole golf course, 3 tennis courts. They also had beach cottages to rent for weeks at a time & (camping) tent city at $3.00 -$13.00 per week. In 1905, Henry E. Huntington purchased bought the luxurious Hotel Redondo in Redondo Beach, CA.
I found a lovely holiday menu for the Hotel Redondo Beach, CA: On January 2, 1910 Los Angeles Herald Newspaper announcement: “Gala Night for Jolly Party at Reopening of Hotel Redondo, Redondo Beach, CA: ….”The banquet, which was an elaborate affair, was served at 6 o’clock:
The New Year’s 8- course Dinner Menu:
Bisque of Lobster [Soup Course], [Relish]Mission Olives, Celery en Branch, [Fish Course]Fried Fillet of Sole with Tartar Sauce, Sweetbreads Patties, Mushrooms, Green Peas, [Entrée Course]: Roasted Redondo Turkey, [with accoutrements]:Cranberry Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, [Salad course]: Alligator Pear Salad [Avocado], [Dessert course]: Mince Pie, [Cheese course]:Roquefort Cheese, [Finale:[ Ice Cream, Cake, Fruit & Coffee. Document: LA Herald January 2, 1910 Volume 37, Number 93 (Los Angeles Newspaper)
The timeline of the LA & Redondo Railway Co is as follows:
1888-1889 – Two captains founded the Redondo Railway Co. They were Capt. J. C. Ainsworth & his partner, Capt. J. J. Thompson. These 2 men had owned & ran the Oregon Steamship & Navigation Co.
1896 The Redondo Railway Co. was renamed “Los Angeles & Redondo Railway” (LA&R). Which makes sense to inform LA citizens that this railroad ran from downtown Los Angeles to Redondo Beach. LA&R was a 95 miles of railroad track.
1902 The Los Angeles & Redondo Railway Co. was electrified.
1905 Capt. Ainsworth had died & the Ainsworth Family & his relative (H. B. “Harry”) Ainsworth took over the management of Redondo Beach enterprises: Redondo Hotel Co., Redondo Railway Co., & Redondo Investment Co. & then sold the railroad to Henry E. Huntington. Huntington also bought the Redondo Hotel Co. that year.
Documents:
HEH Coll. MS 19/5 (3rd box) uncat (HEH Bio file; Huntington Land & Improvement Ledgers) at the Huntington Library San Marino, CA .
Document: HEH Collection MS 53/2/2 uncat (E. Burke Holladay family papers) Huntington Library, San Marino. – Burke was HEH’s brother-in-law. (Burke & HEH visit Cliffton)
Document: LA Herald Newspaper article with no date (1909-1914)
Los Angeles Herald Newspaper Volume XL, Number 86, 10 February 1914 headlines: “NEW BEACH IS A PLAN FOR L. A. MEN” & goes on with the story:
LA Herald January 2, 1910 Volume 37, Number 93 Menu of Hotel Redondo
Sea Gull Inn Postcard, Los Angeles Times VI:2 date: 3-18-1914
Blog: “Clifton-by-the- Sea took the long way in becoming part of Redondo Beach” published by Sam Gnerre, his blog/website: sbhistoryblog.wordpress.com gave me extra information about the Huntington cottage : the exact address, how many rooms there were, & even a picture of what the 2-story living room with a fireplace actually looked like. The Living Room was quite large. The photo was probably taken when 14-room structure was a tea house or Seagull Inn. It had 4 or more tea tables set up for cafe service.
“Los Angeles & Redondo Railway” article by Steve Crise April 4, 2025 on the Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society website. Great history of the railroad & its beginning, information about the railroad cars & their identification numbers and railroad car garage.
Inside the Huntington's Story 
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