Rockhaven Sanitarium Historic District facts for kids
The Rockhaven Sanitarium Historic District is a special place in Glendale, California. It was once a private hospital for women needing mental health care. A nurse named Agnes Richards opened it in 1923. She wanted to create a peaceful place for women to heal. This historic site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in June 2016. In 2021, plans were announced to turn it into a museum.
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A Special Place for Healing
For a long time, women with mental health issues were not treated well. In the early 1900s, new ideas about healing began to spread. These ideas focused on fresh air and sunshine. Rockhaven was inspired by a plan called the "Cottage Plan." This plan used many small buildings in pretty gardens. It aimed to make a calm, home-like place for patients.
Rockhaven is a great example of an early hospital run by and for women. It shows the vision of its founder, Agnes Richards. She was a registered nurse who wanted to improve care for women. Agnes had worked in large state hospitals. She saw how badly women were treated there. She wanted to create a safe and peaceful place. Rockhaven was built in Montrose, California. This location offered a quiet setting with a pleasant climate.
Buildings and Gardens
The Rockhaven Sanitarium Historic District covers about 3.4 acres. It has many old hospital buildings and small guest cottages. There are 15 buildings in total, built between 1920 and 1972. Agnes Richards even moved some buildings to the site. She also turned some buildings to let more sunlight into the rooms.
Agnes bought five Craftsman-style buildings over time. She also hired architects to design buildings in the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture style. This style was very popular in Southern California in the 1920s and 1930s. The buildings had patios and courtyards. These outdoor spaces felt like extra living areas. They offered privacy and a calm feeling. Outside, there were large oak trees and citrus trees. Many flowers filled the walkways, making the air fresh and sweet.
Famous Residents
Rockhaven Sanitarium became known as the "Screen Actors' Sanitarium." Many actresses and people from show business stayed there. It was mostly for women who could afford the special care. Agnes wanted to help anyone, but the cost meant it was often for middle or upper-class women.
- Gladys Pearl Baker: She was the mother of the famous actress Marilyn Monroe. Gladys lived at Rockhaven from 1952 to 1966.
- Billie Burke: She was a well-known Broadway and film actress. Billie is best remembered as Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz. She lived at Rockhaven for a long time.
- Peggy Fears: Peggy was a Broadway actress and a famous Ziegfeld Follies performer. She later became a real estate financier. Peggy passed away at Rockhaven in August 1994.
- Josephine Dillon: She was a famous acting teacher. Josephine was once married to Clark Gable. She passed away at Rockhaven in November 1971. She had been cared for there during a long illness.
- Marion Eleanor Statler Rose: She was an actress known for the vaudeville duo Statler & Rose. She appeared in musicals like King of Jazz (1933). Marion became a resident at Rockhaven in 1994.
- Mary Florence Cecilia (Babe) Egan: She led an all-female band called The Hollywood Redheads. They played across the United States, Canada, and Europe in the mid-1920s. Babe spent her final years at Rockhaven and passed away in 1966.
- Gwen Lee: Gwen was a stage and film actress. She was a "flapper" in silent films of the 1920s.
What Happened to Rockhaven?
Agnes Richards managed Rockhaven Sanitarium until 1967. Then, her granddaughter, Patricia Traviss, took over. Over time, Rockhaven changed to care for elderly women with memory issues. In 1971, an earthquake caused a lot of damage to the buildings.
In 2001, Patricia Traviss sold Rockhaven to a large hospital company. But by 2006, they found it too expensive to keep up. They sold it to developers who wanted to tear it down and build apartments. The local community stepped in to stop this. In 2008, the City of Glendale bought Rockhaven for about $8.25 million. The city planned to open it as a community park.
In 2016, the city thought about different uses for the site. In July 2021, the site received $8 million in state money. This money was for turning Rockhaven into the Rockhaven Mental Health History Museum. This idea came from Senator Anthony Portantino. He wanted to preserve the historic property for everyone to enjoy.
Legal Efforts to Preserve Rockhaven
The City of Glendale spent $8 million to buy Rockhaven Sanitarium. Later, California State Senator Anthony Portantino helped get state funds to preserve its history. The state recognized how important the site was.
A group called Friends of Rockhaven is working to protect the site. They even filed a lawsuit against the city of Glendale. They said the city was not taking good enough care of the buildings. They pointed out issues like roofs needing repair and mold growing.
Rockhaven's Legacy
Historic Recognition
On April 18, 2016, Rockhaven Sanitarium was approved for the California Register of Historical Resources. Even though the City of Glendale objected, the Friends of Rockhaven successfully nominated it. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in June 2016. Rockhaven is important because it is one of only three women's hospitals from its time that still exists.
The Friends of Rockhaven
The Friends of Rockhaven is a non-profit group. Their main goal is to protect the buildings and history of Rockhaven Sanitarium. They want to create a park and a community center there.
Future Plans
The Friends of Rockhaven are focused on making sure the sanitarium lasts. They want it to be open to the public for education. They are also working on fundraising and sharing information online.
