The Historical Hacienda: Hearst`s Rancho Milpitas

The Historical Hacienda:
Hearst’s Rancho Milpitas
Fort Hunter Liggett
Family and Morale, Welfare and
Recreation
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Table of Contents
National Significance and the Need for a Ranch
3
Design and Construction
5
United States Government Acquires Hearst’s Land 7
Hacienda Murals
9
Illustrations throughout
a) Overview of Construction 1930
b) Hacienda Lounge 1930’s
c) Panoramic View of the Hacienda 1930
d) Hearst Ranch – Aerial View
e) Hacienda and Tin Barn – Aerial View
f)
Mural in Dining Room
g) Soldiers of the 18th Division 1941
h) Lounge Mural – “Boar at Bay”
i)
Uriarte Tile Mural – Church of San Bernardino
References 12
Mission San Antonio de Padua
13
Hacienda Rates and Catering Information
15
2
National Significance
Milpitas Ranch House (Common Name: Hacienda)
The Hacienda is nationally significant for its association with architect Julia Morgan and media magnet William
Randolph Hearst, who both in turn are significant individuals in the history of the United States. [9] Julia Morgan is
known for her extremely prolific, independent, successful career (her legacy contains over 700
buildings), and for being the first woman architect certified in the state of California. William Randolph Hearst is
known for his media empire which was comprised of 37 newspapers, 15 magazines, six radio stations, two wire
services, a newsreel company and a movie company.
Hearst exerted enormous power through communication that may well have influenced events of national or
international importance of his time. During their 38-year relationship, described by Julia Morgan, as ‘fellow
architects,’ they designed and constructed structures at: Hearst’s Central California estate, his estate in Wyntoon,
near Mount Shasta, his ranch in Chihuahua, Mexico (900,000 acres), the Hopi residence at the Grand Canyon and
the Los Angeles Examiner building. [4] Ms. Morgan also remodeled other buildings owned by Hearst,
including several Beverly Hills residences. When Hearst gave the Hacienda commission to Julia Morgan in 1929
she was already well underway with the design and construction of the Hearst Castle (or La Cuesta Encantada) at
San Simeon. [4]
Need for a Ranch
The Hacienda, known as the Rancho Milpitas at the time, was constructed between 1929 and 1930 to replace the
old ranch which had burned to the ground. [1] Hearst’s Milpitas Ranch House (also called the Jolon Ranch House)
[9] served as a working ranch and headquarters in the northern region of his 250,000-acre estate. The need for a
ranch headquarters in the north was due to the geographical isolation from the main ranch (Rancho Piedra Blanca
to the south) by the Santa Lucia Mountains. [9] From the late 1920’s to 1940, the ranch employed forty men
year-round (thirty extra during summer harvests) to take care of farmlands and livestock which included 7,000
head of cattle and several thousand hogs. Permanent residents of the Milpitas Hacienda included the ranch
manager, Harry Taylor, and ranch foreman, William Harrison, who supervised the fencing, the tractor crews, and
the harvest of wheat, barley, oats and alfalfa.[7][1] Other residents included cooks, gardeners and cowboys. The
ranch was originally planned to house 20 employees but was expanded to house 30. [1] The notion that the ranch
was used as a hunting lodge is untrue. Hearst never allowed hunting on his property. [1][9]
Although Julia Morgan’s original blueprint incorporated an extensive wing that would include Hearst’s private
residence, the wing was never constructed. Hearst himself did not occupy the Hacienda with any regular
frequency. He used it only on a few occasions and even then they only used the dining room. He never stayed
overnight in the wing reserved for himself and his guests. [9]
3
Throughout the 1930’s, the Milpitas Hacienda was the center of ranching in the valley. The town of Jolon
became the hub of commercial and social activities. A road and an airstrip were developed specifically to connect
San Simeon to the Hacienda. [9] On occasion, Hearst and guests were known to have traveled to the ranch by
horse and return to San Simeon by auto or plane. Among his guests (most from the film industry and newspaper
world) were rumored to be Clark Gable, Dick Powell, Will Rogers, Leslie Howard, Jean Harlow, Spencer Tracy,
Errol Flynn, Herbert Hoover and Marion Davies. [1]
a) Overview of Construction, 1930
Photo: Environmental Division, Fort Hunter Liggett
4
Design and Construction
Characteristic of Julia Morgan’s work, the Milpitas Hacienda was designed to be both functional and
attractive, and to emulate a more traditional mission style architecture that fit well with its architectural neighbor,
Mission San Antonio de Padua, one-half mile to the northwest. [9][2]
The basic construction material was concrete; the foundation, the floors, the walls and major trusses were
constructed of reinforced concrete. [9][2] The walls themselves measured from 11 inches to 33 inches in
thickness. [9][2] The concrete was whitewashed to further resemble concrete stucco adobe walls and masonry
arches. The beams were pre-poured with reinforced stressed concrete and the redwood underlay of the roof was
covered with high quality, handmade red clay tiles. [9] Indoor plumbing was installed as needed but no provisions
were made for electrical wiring. Wires for a single telephone were run from Hearst Castle, 30 miles away, to the
Hacienda. Wood stoves and fireplaces supplied the heat [2], candles and lanterns provided the light, and a well
from the San Antonio River supplied water to the east tower storage tank that was situated high enough to provide
pressure throughout the Hacienda. Breezeways and windows provided natural air conditioning. [2]
The Hacienda is handsomely laid out in a modified double “E” plan with a central arcade forming the spine and
with wings projecting on either side. [2][9] Wings are punctuated with towers and a cupola on one tower at the end
wing. The cuploa is painted gold and is balanced in design by a large building mass at the other end of the
building. The ground floor is approximately 21, 500 square feet; and the upper floors cover approximately 7,000
square feet. [9][2]
The East Wing housed the kitchen and dining facility, which ultimately served the ranch staff and Mr. Hearst’s
guests. The kitchen featured a walk-in refrigerator, scullery, cooking fireplace and office space. When the kitchen
was in use by the ranch the manager and ranch hands, as primary diners, ate in the kitchen rather than being
served in the dining hall which was usually reserved for Hearst’s parties or fiestas. The balcony above the hall was
used for a “Hollywood, Spanish-Costumed orchestra” during events. Gastronomically speaking, the worst of times
were the best of times. First class chefs out of work in San Francisco during the depression years were employed
by Mr. Hearst. [2]
The Hacienda today is the same as it was in the 1930s. The basic structure has not been altered and there
has been little deterioration. The building has been well maintained since the 1940s with only a few modifications
to the interior which include: the wall paintings, modernization of the bathrooms, two kitchens on the lower level,
and the installation of a kitchen in an upstairs room. A ventilation system was installed by the Army to evacuate
the smoke and odors above the stoves and deep fat fryers that were used when the kitchen functioned as a field
ration mess. The Hacienda was closed in 1978. All modifications have not affected its architectural heritage. [9]
5
b) Hacienda Lounge, 1930s
Photo: Environmental Division, Fort Hunter Liggett
c) Panoramic View – Construction Period
Courtesy: Environmental Division, Fort Hunter Liggett
6
United States Government
Acouires Hearst’s Land
On December 12, 1940 William Randolph Hearst sold approximately 158,000 acres of land to the United States
government. Other ranches in the San Antonio Valley sold another 108,950 acres to the war department. By 1941,
a total of 266,950 acres had been acquired by the United States government. [9]
In 1941, the land was designated as Fort
Hunter Liggett Military Reservation, named
after Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett (18571935).The reservation was under the authority
of Camp Roberts to the southeast until 1952
when it became a sub-installation of Fort Ord.
From the 1970’s through the early 1990’s
Fort Hunter Liggett served as a training area
for the 7th Light Infantry Division based at Fort
Ord. In 1993, with the closure of Fort Ord due
to 1991 BRAC, Fort Hunter Liggett was
transferred to the Army Reserves and, in turn,
was made a sub-installation of Fort McCoy,
Wisconsin in 1995. [9]
The Hacienda served as the Officers’ Club
and Commander’s Quarters but was vacated
by the 1970s and utilized as a restaurant and
inn under a concessionaire license.
On December 2, 1977 the Hacienda was
placed on the National Register of Historic
Places. [9]
Today, the Hacienda is managed by the
United States Army, Family and Morale,
Welfare and Recreation organization (MWR)
whose primary mission is to provide a variety of
quality programs that uphold the Army Family
Covenant. [8]
g) 18th Division Soldiers, 1941
Photo: Environmental Division, Fort Hunter Liggett
7
d) Hearst Ranch, looking South East
Photo: Environmental Division, Fort Hunter Liggett
e) Aerial View of the Hacienda and Tin Barn
Photo: Environmental Division, Fort Hunter Liggett
8
Hacienda Murals
The murals on the interior walls of the Hacienda were painted in 1957 by Bill Runyan who came to the reservation
as a Soldier. After his Army service, Mr. Runyan remained to finish the paintings as a carpenter in civil service. [2]
Mr. Runyan’s murals were painted with oil-based colors applied directly over the lime-based mortar and coated
with a glossy varnish. The full wall mural in the dining room depicts the Spanish Colonization of San
Antonio Valley. The Lounge mural consists of a central full color panel “Boar at Bay” situated over the fireplace.
Over the years, the leaking of rainwater into the mortar underlying the “Boar at Bay” mural caused the paint to
disintegrate. Full restoration efforts were initiated in 1998 and completed by 2000. [2]
The following is a list of translations for the paintings above the doorways to the guest rooms: [2]
“Serie de las Estrellascostos Ganado” – suite of the group of tired stars - Tower Rooms
“Serie de Principe Segundo” – suite of the second in command - Garden Two
“Serie de Caballero grande” – suite of the head cowboy - Garden Three
“Espacio de la Joya” – room of the jewel - Cowboy Room Five
“Espacio de la Hermosura” – room of the Beauty - Supply Room
“Espacio del Peregrino” – room of the Peregrine Falcon - Cowboy Room Six
“Espacio de la Urraca” – room of the Magpie - Cowboy Room Seven
“Espacio del Gitano” – room of the Gypsy - Mini-Suite
“Espacio de la Rosa” – room of the Rose - Cowboy Room Eight
“Espacio de la Zura” – room of the Stock-Dove - Cowboy Room Nine
“Espacio de la Amapola” – room of the Poppy - Mini-Suite
“Espacio del Pechirrojo” – room of the Robin Redbreast - Mini-Suite
9
f) Mural in Dining Room – Spanish come to California
h) “Boar at Bay”
Photo: Xavier Vazquez, Family & MWR, Fort Hunter Liggett
10
i) The Uriarte Tile of San Bernardino Church
(A rare example of Talavera Tile work c1930 fabricated by the Uriarte Talavera Ceramic Factory, Puebla, Mexico)
Located on the wall adjacent to the tower guest rooms at the end of the northeast corridor
Photo: Xavier Vazquez, Family & MWR, Fort Hunter Liggett
11
References
1.
The California State Military Department and the California State Military Museum Sacramento, CA.
Historic California Posts Fort Hunter Liggett. 14 Dec 2011 (web) <www.militarymuseum.org>
2.
“The Hacienda” Internal Brief on the Hacienda. Department of the Army, Environmental Division, Fort
Hunter Liggett. No date or author.
3.
Margolin, Malcolm. Preserving the Layers of History. Fort Hunter Liggett Military Installation, Heyday
Books, Berkeley, Calif., August 1997 p.16, “The Hearst Era.”
4.
The National Park Service, “The Milpitas Hacienda, Julia Morgan Collection,” Printed Report p.60-62.
3 Feb 2012. (web) < www.nps.gov/pwro/fhl/fhl_signifiance >
5.
Pacific Coast Architectural Database 14 Dec 2011 (web)
<https://digital.library.washington.edu/architecture/structures>
6.
Special Resource Study & Environment Assessment; Cultural Resources within Fort Hunter Liggett. “The
Milpitas Hacienda”
7.
Taylor, Eva S. “Ranch Activities” in Oxcart, Chuck Wagon and Jeep. San Lucas, California, 1945.
United States Army Family & MWR. “The Army Family Covenant; Family Programs and Services, Part I.”
8.
< www.armymwr.com>
9.
United States Department of Interior, National Register of Historic Places Inventory and Nomination Form
– entered December 2, 1977.
12
Mission San Antonio de Padua
Established 1771
1771 Padre Junipero Serra entered the Valley of the Oaks to establish
the third mission in California. The date was July 14, 1771. In the secluded
sierra district, Padres Junipero Serra, Miguel Pieras and Buenaventura
Sitjar hung the bells on the branches of an oak tree and named this
mission San Antonio de Padua. Fr. Pieras and Sitjar were left with a small
group to start the Mission. They start by building small dwellings and plant
the first fields.
1773 The site of the Mission was moved from the original location to a
place farther up Los Robles Valley because of the unstable water source.
At the end of 1773 the Mission has established workshops, a small church
and dwellings established at the new site. The construction was of adobe
brick. Some houses of tulles and wood were set up to accommodate the
soldiers and converts who now numbered about 163. It was also the year
of the first marriage celebrated in Alta, California between Juan Maria Ruiz
and
Margaretta de Cortona.
1775 Small adobe buildings were constructed for the church, store
rooms and the padre's rooms.
1779 Second church structure was built along with a small sacristy.
1781 Three more small rooms were built, along with the roofing,
using tiles. Serra writes, "thus far San Antonio triumphs, especially with
its roofing of tiles." No more reports were given on building developments
until 1794.
1804 Padres Padro Cabot and Juan Bautista Sancho arrived at San
Antonio. Fr. Sancho was known for having a strong and
agreeable voice and taught both Gregorian chant and figured music. The
reports for the year noted that a cemetery was laid out, 153 x 125 ft., surrounded by a high thick wall of stone, topped with adobe.
1806 A water-powered gristmill was constructed to grind the Mission grain. The millhouse was two-storied, the lower section housing the water
wheel and the upper portion the millstones and a storeroom. The reservoir, millrace and stone masonry of the mill remain intact; the water wheel and
mill house have been restored.
1808 A Structure of 165 x 37 ft was built for storing lumber. A tannery was constructed, having four tanks covered with tiles. This can still be seen
out by the water-mill. A ditch was extended to irrigate the fields close by.
1810 The 3rd and final church structure was started. Known as the Great Church, the structure ceiling consisted of large timbers that were floated
down the mountains on the water of the San Antonio River. It measured 200 feet long and 40 feet wide, with adobe walls approximately six feet thick.
It is finally blessed in the year 1813. It is the same church building, which stands reconstructed today. A horse-powered mill was constructed for
grinding wheat.
1815 A large building 224 ft long was built, with thick walls and 20 ft wide inside. This was partitioned with adobe to provide shops for the weav-
ing room, a room for carding and spinning, a workshop, storage for iron implements and tools, leather a carpenter shop and a stable. A corridor was
13
attached to two sides of the patio formed by the four wings,
with pillars partly of adobe and partly of brick and mortar. The
old granary walls were raised by five adobes and the wooden
beams and roof were renewed. Pigs, corn and flour were
exchanged for iron to make needed tools.
1817 There were no supplies that year from Mexico. Heavy
rains washed the cattle corral away and it had to be rebuilt The
corridor floors of the quadrangle were paved with brick. A house
of adobe, covered with tiles, was erected for the vineyardist.
This stood until 1906 and old photos show it in near collapse. It
was excavated by the Archaeological Summer School from Cal
Poly University over the semesters of 1985 to 1986.
1821 An archway is built to the portico of the ‘Great Church’.
This façade stands 12 feet from the front wall with three arched
openings, the middle being the largest. On each side above, are
square towers topped by cupolas, bell towers.
1834 The beginning of the period of secularization. San Antonio becomes government property. Governor Figueroa on November 4, 1834 issued
the final proclamation that took Mission San Antonio from the mission padres and placed the entire establishment under civil jurisdiction. At this time,
the mission began to fall into a state of neglect.
1851 Fr. Doroteo Ambris, a young priest who came as seminarian from Mexico, first comes out from Monterey and then takes up residence at San
Antonio. A few Indian families live at the Mission with him.
1863 On May 31, the U.S. Land Commission formally returns Mission property to the Church. San Antonio received title to 33 acres. The degree is
signed by Abraham Lincoln.
1882 - 83 Fr. Ambris dies at the Mission and is buried in the sanctuary of the Church. The Mission is abandoned. Tiles are taken from the roof.
Exposed to the weather, the walls crumble. Only the walls of the church itself still stand, along with the brick façade and the row of brick arches along
the front corridor.
1903 - 08 The California Landmark League rebuilt parts of the church walls and covered it with a wooden roof. An earthquake in 1906 destroyed
much of what they had done, but the project was begun over again. A local Indian family, the Encinales, assisted in the restoration.
1928 The Franciscans are invited to take back ministry at Mission San Antonio through residence at Mission San Miguel.
1939 - 40 The United States Army acquires the surrounding area from Randolph Hearst to establish the Hunter-Liggett Military Reservation and
train troops during the second World War.
1948 - 52 The Mission’s Reconstruction by the Franciscans is complete by 1952 and it is used as a Brothers Training School for the Province of
Santa Barbara.
1971 On July 14, the 200th anniversary "Bi-Centennial" of Mission San Antonio's founding was celebrated.
2005 was the year of transition in which the Franciscan Friars turned over the caretaking to the Diocese of Monterey, the owners of the Mission.
The Diocese continues to host group retreats, maintain a gift shop and serve as an active Catholic parish. There are four annual fundraisers each
year to raise the money necessary for the upkeep of the Mission buildings and grounds. A beautiful museum is located in the front section of the
quadrangle of the main building. A tour through the museum is self explanatory, with a donation of $5.00 per adult and $3.00 for child requested.
Non-flash photography and video recording are welcome. The grounds outside offer a realistic example of life in the mission days, with signs to read
at places of interest. There are picnic grounds with tables under the shade trees to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet of our secluded area.
Mission San Antonio de Padua
End of Mission Road / www.missionsanantonio.net / 831-385-4478
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Hacienda Rates
Cowboy Rooms $50
* shared bathroom and shower
Garden Rooms $75
*Queen bed, private bathroom
Tower Rooms $90
*Queen bed, full sofa-bed, private bathroom
Mini Suite $95
*Queen bed, full sofa-bed, private bathroom
Upper Commander’s Suite $150
*Two bedrooms, full kitchen, bathroom, living room with fireplace
The Hacienda is located at Building 101,
Infantry Rd, Jolon, CA 93928.
For reservations or to book an event,
please call 831.386.2262
Lower Commander’s Suite $200
*Three bedrooms, 1.5 bath, living room, full kitchen
Hacienda Catering & Events
The Hacienda Hotel and Catering operation is an historical building previously owned by William Randolph Hearst and
designed by Julia Morgan with the intent of entertaining everyone who stayed there.
Today, the Hacienda still serves that purpose!
Retirements, celebrations and ceremonies, unit functions, change of command ceremonies, memorial
luncheons, parties, retreats and any other function you want to have.
The Hacienda also features a beautiful courtyard, enjoy your function in the California sunshine. Podium,
projector, microphone, and PA system are available for use.
Full service bar with karaoke, large projection screen and shuffle board.
Stay the night with us! With a variety of original and beautiful rooms, the Hacienda is the perfect place to
wake up to the natural beauty that is California.
Reservation: (831) 386 - 2262 :: Business: (831) 386 - 2900 :: Catering: (831) 386 - -3068
Hours of Operation :: Office Monday - Friday: 0730 - 1630 Saturday - Sunday 0800-1630
Bar :: Wednesday - Friday: 1700 - 2300 Saturday 1700 - 0200
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A product of Fort Hunter Liggett,
Family and MWR