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Month: July 2020

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China Cove in 1953

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

In a 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.

2700 Bayview:  Looks very different today but the 1929 home is right at the top of the stairs going down to China Cove

214 Goldenrod:  Appears identical to how it looks today although the 1930 house is currently flanked by construction sites as the houses on either side are recent teardowns

2608 Cove: 1949 cottage was just 4 years old at the time but looks to be identical to how it is today

2708 Cove:  Tucked in the back is this 1946 cottage which retains a similar shape although the beachfront garage appears to have been wisely converted to a bedroom.

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Kerckhoff Marine Lab

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

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.

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CdM in 1979

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

427 Fernleaf Ave. in 1979 (Photo: Sherman Library)

The Sherman Library recently came across a collection of photos taken of different houses throughout the Village in 1979. Many of them are gone now, but a few caught my eye as interesting photos of houses that have survived today.  Pictured above is
427 Fernleaf, built in 1944, which is definitely one of CdM’s most unique homes.  

427 Fernleaf Ave. in 2019 (Photo: Google Streetview)

The current owner bought it in 1958 and in 1969 (ten years before this photo was taken) took the gingerbread pieces off a Victorian house (built in 1870) that they were tearing down in Santa Ana and designed and built the Victorian house it is today.

708 / 706 / 704 Avocado Ave. in 1979 (Photo: Sherman Library)

706 Avocado, built in 1961, was very different looking in 1979 but is clearly recognizable. You can also see part of 708 Avocado, which has survived and was recently sold. 704 has been torn down.

413 Poppy, built in 1956, has survived and is a great example of a cottage.   415, listed as being built in 1947, has survived although it had a different look in 1979.

413 / 415 Poppy Ave. in 1979 (Photo: Sherman Library)
708 / 706 / 704 Avocado Ave. in 2019 (Photo: Google Streetview)

The portion of the deck that wrapped around on the Poppy side of 415 was removed and those large windows/doors were replaced.

413 / 415 Poppy Ave. in 2019 (Photo: Google Streetview)