George W. Marston House facts for kids
|
George W. Marston House
|
|
George Marston House
|
|
 Location in San Diego
Location in San Diego County, California
Location in California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 3525 7th Avenue San Diego, California |
|---|---|
| Area | 4.6 acres (1.9 ha) |
| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Irving John Gill |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000552 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | December 16, 1974 |
The George W. Marston House is a special museum and historic place in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. It is also known as the George Marston House and Gardens. A group called Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) takes care of it.
The Marston House
.jpg)
The George W. Marston House is found in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. This large home is about 8,500 square feet and sits on five acres of beautiful lawns and gardens. It was finished in 1905 and is a great example of the Arts and Crafts Movement style of architecture.
The house was home to George White Marston (1850–1946) and his wife, Anna Gunn Marston (1853–1940). It was a busy family home where two of their five children got married. Their oldest daughter lived there her whole life. Famous architects William Sterling Hebbard and Irving Gill designed and built the house.
Inside, you can see furniture designed by well-known artists like Gustav Stickley, L. & J.G. Stickley, and Charles Limbert. There are also paintings by artists such as Alfred Mitchell, Maurice Braun, and Charles Fries. Many of the Marston family's original items are still on display at the museum today.
The Marston family lived on two main floors, plus an attic. On the first floor, rooms with redwood walls open off a wide hallway. The living room and dining room look out onto a terrace, lawn, and canyon. The house has six bedrooms, a sleeping porch, and four bathrooms.
The Marston House became a museum in 1987. The Marston family gave the house to the City of San Diego. Today, Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) manages the museum and a gift shop in the old carriage house.
The Gardens
The gardens around the Marston House were first designed in 1905 by a landscape gardener named George Cooke. The house and gardens were updated in the late 1920s. A landscape architect named Hale Walker redesigned the grounds, especially the formal garden at the back. This happened around the time of the Marstons’ 50th wedding anniversary.
The garden covers more than 5 acres. It has many different kinds of trees, shrubs, vines, and flowers, both exotic and native. The Marstons also got plants and ideas from their friend, the famous plant expert Kate O. Sessions. They also worked with local San Diego plant nurseries.
Some of the plants that were in the garden then and are still there today include Pinus canariensis (Canary Island Pines), Eucalyptus trees, and Quercus agrifolia (California Oaks). You can also find Ceanothus leucodermis (wild lilacs), Solandra guttata (Mexican Cup of Gold vines), and Queen Elizabeth roses. The Queen Elizabeth rose was Mary Marston's favorite flower. Many of the original plants are still alive. SOHO is also working to bring back other parts of the garden. The geranium flower is also important in the garden. It represents George Marston's ideas for San Diego.
About George Marston
George Marston was a successful department store owner and an important leader in San Diego. He helped start the San Diego Historical Society, which is now the San Diego History Center. He is perhaps best known for saving the site of the San Diego Presidio. This was the first European settlement in what is now California, and it had fallen into ruins.
Marston bought the Presidio site in 1907. He then built a private historical park there in 1925. In 1929, he gave the park to the city. Presidio Park is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
His department store, The Marston Company, became the main department store in downtown San Diego. He became very wealthy and gave a lot of money to help the city. He later opened another store called "Marcie's," named after his daughter. The Marston department store was owned by his family until 1961. It has since closed.
See also
In Spanish: Casa George W. Marston para niños
- George Marston
- Save Our Heritage Organisation
- George P. Marston House
