Outlands in the Eighty Acres

Historic building in California
United States historic place
Outlands in the Eighty Acres
Flanders Mansion, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
36°32′54″N 121°55′0″W / 36.54833°N 121.91667°W / 36.54833; -121.91667
Built1924/1925
Built byFred Ruhl
ArchitectHenry Higby Gutterson
Architectural styleTudor Revival architecture
NRHP reference No.89000228[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 23, 1989

Outlands in the Eighty Acres, also known as Flanders Mansion is an 8,000-square-foot Tudor Revival house.[2] It is significant as a work of architect Henry Higby Gutterson, and for its innovative construction with light grey interlocking Precast concrete blocks.[2] It is one of the earliest architect designed residences in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and the only known example of work by Gutterson in the region.[2] It is located within the Mission Trail Nature Preserve in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 23, 1989.[3][4]

History

Front of the Flanders Mansion

Paul and Grace Flanders, married in 1920, came to Carmel in 1922, to build a home and start a business in real estate development. They purchased 80 acres of land from Dr. Daniel T. MacDougal. Flanders designed a two-story home, which they named the Outlands at 25800 Hatton Road, located on a hill overlooking the Carmel Mission, and Point Lobos.[3][5]

The Flander's were one of the first Carmelites to hire an outside architect,[2] Henry Higby Gutterson, to design and contractor Fred Ruhl to build their residence. The home lies at the end of a driveway off Hatton Road surrounded by upper end of the Mission Trail Nature Preserve. The "Outlands" English cottage design was one of the first use[citation needed] of this style of residential architecture in Carmel By-the-Sea. The construction with light grey interlocking Precast concrete blocks that were advertised as "fireproof, waterproof and practically everlasting."[3][6]

In 1972, Mayor Gunnar Norberg mounted the "Save the Flanders Estate' campaign. As vice-mayor, he persuaded the City of Carmel to purchase the Flanders mansion and adjoining 14.9 acres (6.0 ha) from the Flanders heirs for $275,000 (equivalent to $2,003,103 in 2023). It has become part of the 34-acre Mission Trail Nature Preserve.[3] The non-profit organization Flanders Foundation was formed in 1998 to oversee the city owned 34 acres (14 ha) the mansion and Mission Trail Nature Preserve.[7]

One of the things former mayor Clint Eastwood was elected on in 1986 was tearing the mansion down because it was not making any money for the city after it was purchased by them in 1971.[8][9]

The Carmel Art Institute was relocated to the Flanders Mansion, where the Institute continued to operate under John Cunningham.[10]

The non-profit organization Flanders Foundation was formed in 1998 to preserve, enhance, and maintain the city owned 34 acres (14 ha) the Flanders Mansion and Mission Trail Nature Preserve.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d "Outlands in the Eighty Acres". Dictionary Of California Historic Places. Vol. 1. New York, New York: Somerset Publishers. 1987. p. 412.
  3. ^ a b c d Seavey, Kent L. (August 1988). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Outlands in the Eighty Acres". National Park Service. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  4. ^ "Federal Register 1989-03-07". archive.org. 7 March 1989. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  5. ^ "Easter Brings Eastbay Folk to Art Colony". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. 12 Apr 1925. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  6. ^ "The Flanders Mansion Historic American Buildings Survey" (PDF). City of Carmel. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. March 2014. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  7. ^ "Flanders Foundation receives grant trust". The Californian. Salinas, California. 17 Apr 2004. p. 35. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  8. ^ Erskine, Alice Putnam (2006). "Flanders Mansion". Loose Ends: A Biography of John Cunningham. Anava Design. p. 346-348.
  9. ^ Webber, Francis J. (2001). Encyclopedia of California's Catholic heritage, 1769-1999. St. Francis Historical Society. p. 16.
  10. ^ Grimes, Teresa; Heumann, Leslie. "Historic Context Statement Carmel-by-the-Sea" (PDF). Leslie Heumann and Associates. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. p. 103. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  11. ^ "Flanders Foundation receives grant trust". The Californian. Salinas, California. 17 Apr 2004. p. 35. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
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