History
Noted local architects Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey designed the Mission Revival residence in 1907 with grounds featuring a Japanese garden, an Italian Rose garden, a formal Spanish garden, a palm court and orchards. It was one of Hollywood's first tourist attractions. Wattles was responsible for gradually transforming 49 acres (200,000 m2) of agricultural land intoorchards, thematic gardens and naturalistic landscapes.
After Wattles' death in 1932, his wife and his son continued to live on the property. Gurdon Wallace Wattles, Jr. negotiated the sale of the residence to the City of Los Angeles in 1965. In March of that year, the City of Los Angeles Board of Recreation and Parks Commission adopted Resolution 5135, designating the Wattles estate as an acquisition area, and purchased the property for $1,917,000 in June 1968.
Hollywood Heritage, a private non-profit preservation organization, began restoration efforts in 1983, and the estate served as their headquarters until May 22, 2009 when control of the property reverted to the Los Angeles Department of Parks & Recreation. Over the first decade volunteers with the Hollywood Heritage organization removed several feet of mud from the garden, replanted landscaping, and repainted and refinished the interior woodwork. Through their dedicated efforts, the Wattles Mansion was returned to its original state. In 1993 the Wattles Mansion was designated as City of Los Angeles Cultural Monument No. 579. In 2000 the J. Paul Getty Trust donated $75,000 towards a Preserve L.A. planning project designed to further the site's preservation.
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