| Address: |
275 Robincroft Dr |
APN: |
5729-010-026 |
This property is designated by the city as an individual historic resource (see "designation type" field for the specific city designation type). *
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| Address: |
275 Robincroft Dr |
| City: |
Pasadena |
State: |
CA |
| Zip Code: |
91104 |
County: |
Los Angeles |
| County Code: |
37 |
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| Historic Name: |
Robincroft Castle/Fletcher's Castle |
Common Name: |
Robincroft Castle |
| APN: |
5729-010-026 |
Zoning: |
RM-32 |
| Building Sq. Ft: |
7030 |
Site Size (Acres): |
0.900 |
| Year Built: |
1903 Estimated |
District: |
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| District: |
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Property Status: |
Designated |
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| Resource Description: |
Built in 1903, Robincroft is an exotic, two-story, 7,030 square-foot mansion on the north side of Robincroft Drive, between Castile Lane and N. Garfield Avenue. An irregular rectangle in plan, the building has a three-story octagonal tower at its east end connected to the main house by a second-story deck and third-story bridge. It is constructed of reinforced concrete (according to Sanborn map, assessor’s records, and early newspaper accounts) with a granite foundation and has an exterior coating of cement plaster. It is at the crest of a hill, where, to the north, it has impressive views of the San Gabriel Mountains, and, to the south, it aligns on axis with the dome of City Hall. The front elevation is set back 70 feet from a parking lot and 130 feet from the street. The grounds have several mature trees. The property has been used in recent years for social gatherings and fundraisers.
The mansion is the only example in Pasadena—and one of a small number in California—of a castellated Gothic-Revival villa, a rarity in Southern California. Among its distinctive architectural features are the pointed-arch windows in the tower, the octagonal form of the tower, two half-octagonal front bays, and the flat overhanging roof supported by knee braces.
The Pasadena Star publication for New Year’s Day in 1910 describes
“Pasadena’s famous castle” as a “magnificent home,” which “can be seen for many miles in all directions as it stands upon the highest point within the city limits [at that time].” It further describes the “beautiful towers…[that are] one of the sights which first attract visitors upon approaching the city by train or other vehicle….In the beautiful garden…are contained over a hundred varieties of rare and beautiful shrubs and trees…surrounded on all sides by fine streets…and a splendid grove of…California oranges.”
This house was constructed for William S. Fletcher (1857-1913), known as the “Bee King” (or “Honey King”) of southern California for his cultivation of bees.
Fletcher acquired an 11-acre site, known as Harrison Heights, from the estate of W. W. Harrison. He commissioned construction of an “octagonal shaped castle” and expanded the “highly cultivated grounds” to 22 acres, when he sold the property in 1907. Newspaper accounts record that the design of the “medieval”
“palatial dwelling” stemmed from Fletcher’s imagination and from an unidentified “old castle” in Spain. They also refer to an unspecified architect. At the time of the 1907 sale, the Pasadena Daily News reported that the grounds “contain some of the rarest and most beautiful botanical specimens known to the Southern California landscape” and an “artificial lake.” By 1913, however, the property had been exchanged in “several large realty deals” and had been vacant “for years.” Later that year, the Pasadena Star described the “neglected” condition of the property and how “mischievous boys… [were] demolishing the once superbly planned and planted grounds.” Nearby residents also asked that the City acquire the site as a library and social center. In 1920, when the Robinson family acquired the site, the Pasadena Evening Post described the mansion as a “long neglected show place” that was being “cleaned of weeds and rank growth.”
The Robinson family donated the house to the Methodist Episcopal Church for use as a retirement home for Methodist clergy and missionaries. With this new use, the mansion underwent a rehabilitation to reverse 13 years of decline. Over time, cottages, group homes, apartments for people with disabilities, and an infirmary occupied the surroundings of the mansion, and the property acquired the campus-like appearance that it has today.
The mansion appears to have been used as a single-family house for a short period of time, possibly as little as three years. Curiously, too, there is conflicting information about its early history. Some recent histories (including local tour guides, brochures, and historic resource surveys) incorrectly attribute the design of the mansion to Pasadena-based architect Joseph J. Blick and cite Harrison as the original owner. These attributions rely on one newspaper source which reported that Harrison in 1899 had intended to build a “Spanish style” house designed by Blick on the site. There is no evidence, though, that Harrison built a “Spanish style house” or the “castle,” But multiple newspaper sources identify the date of construction—1903—and the original owner—the “Bee King” William S. Fletcher. Even more confusing is the identity of the original owner, William S. Fletcher. Two obituaries for him—with different death dates and different life stories— appeared in local newspapers; both obituaries ascribe construction of the “castle” to the decedent.
Major Exterior Alterations:
The mansion has had major alterations including removal of the original wooden crenellations on the roofline. The crenellations were a significant character-defining feature of the mansion and imparted a Gothic/medieval appearance. Other changes include: a small second-story addition over the porte cochere; a one-story passageway connecting the tower to the house; a small rear addition; and full restuccoing of the exterior house in what appears to be a coarser texture than the original finish. This surface treatment also covers the balcony corbels, window lintels, cornices, and the wooden knee braces supporting the overhanging roof. The perimeter fencing and gates (in ornamental steel), changes to lawn and site features, and significant reduction of original acreage are other changes to the property. The original, wood double-hung window sashes have also been replaced with colored aluminum–framed sashes. In some windows, the original transoms with horned rails were attached as a fixed grille overlaying the replacement window assemblies. The original paint scheme also highlighted ornamental features at the roofline in a darker color than the main portion of the mansion. The original entryway with an oak door and sidelights remains unchanged.
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| Legal Description: |
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| Primary Architectural Style: |
Gothic Revival |
| Secondary Architectural Style: |
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| Architect: |
Unknown |
| Builder: |
Unknown |
| Contractor: |
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| Context: |
Residential Architecture 1883-1904
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| Original Owner: |
William S. Fletcher |
| Original Use: |
Single Family Residence |
| Original Location: |
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| Demolished: |
no |
| Notes: |
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| Moved: |
no |
| Date Moved: |
n/a |
| Designation Date: |
04/12/2010 |
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* This is a simplified statement of the property's status. Please review the NRHP Status Code field on the search screen for official, adopted status language.
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