The star-studded history behind the Annenberg Community Beach House
A notable contributor to the estate was Julia Morgan, California's first female architect and the architect of Hearst Castle.
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This Santa Monica beachside space was once a sprawling mansion for actress, producer and philanthropist Marion Davies and media tycoon William Randolph Hearst.
Now, only the guest house and main pool survive from the original architecture. Volunteers from the Santa Monica Conservancy give free public tours at the Guest House. ABC7 visited with them to learn more about the space and its history.
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Hearst had the property built in the 1920s for Davies who was his mistress and long-time companion, according to volunteers with the Santa Monica Conservancy. Hearst and Davies used to call the estate the Beach House, but the property is now known as the Annenberg Community Beach House and the Marion Davies Guest House, owned and operated by the City of Santa Monica.
"She had aspirations to become a movie star and that's what brought them out to California where a lot of the studio moguls, the celebrities had their little beach cottages," said Libby Pachares, a docent at the Annenberg Community Beach House.
From the 1920s to the 1940s, Davies and Hearst lived in the main house during her acting career at MGM and Warner Brothers Studio. The house was extravagantly furnished with Tiffany chandeliers and items Hearst collected on his European travels. The couple enjoyed the space for hosting lavish costume parties and film screenings.
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A notable contributor to the estate was Julia Morgan. She was California's first female architect and the architect of Hearst Castle, working on both the beach house and the castle simultaneously for Hearst. The main house was started by MGM set designer William Flannery, but Morgan joined early to complete the project, and the guest house was entirely her design.
"She was such an amazing woman who was a trailblazing architect at a time when women were not welcome in the profession," said Ruthann Lehrer, a board member with the Santa Monica Conservancy.
While Heart supported and helped finance Davies' career, some historians say she didn't get the credit she deserved as an actress in her lifetime due to her relationship with Hearst. He remained married to Millicent Hearst throughout their relationship.
Davies sold the property in 1947. It evolved into a boutique hotel, and then into a private beach club known as the Sand and Sea Club.
After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the property was out of service. It reopened to the public in 2009 thanks to a grant offer from Wallis Annenberg. Her goal was to create a public beach club open to all and with no membership fees.
Watch the video above for the full report.
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