HISTORICAL NOMINATION OF THE COSGROVE. RATNER HOUSE 5310 CANTERBURY DRIVE-- KENSINGTON

A Chris A. Cosgrove Mid-Century Modern Ranch Home

Cosgrove's Signature Flagstone l~ 0 '\ l,{ -= .i r

~ - ·r n Legacy 1061NC. IDSTORICAL NOMINATION OF THE COSGROVE-RATNER HOUSE 5310 CANTERBURY DRIVE- KENSINGTON

A 1949 Chris A. Cosgrove Mid Century Modern-Ranch Custom House

by

Ronald V. May, RPA President and Principal Investigator Dale Ballou May Vice President and Principal Researcher

Legacy 106, Inc. P.O. Box 503394 San Diego, CA 92150-3394

Research Assisted by

Leland Bibb, M.A., Public Administration Licensed Land Surveyor Lyn Herrington-Ekiss Legal Case Law History Research

April 10, 2003

Reviewed and accepted by Research Committee, Historical Sites Board, City of San Diego on 2003

© 2003 Legacy 106, Inc.

State of California - The Resources Agency Prima~#______DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial ------NRHP Status Code __ _ Other ListinQs Review Code ______Reviewer ______Date ------

Page ..L. of _1_ *Resource Name or#: (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrove-Ratner House

P1. Other Identifier: Cosgrave-Ratner House *P2. Location: D Not for Publication I8J Unrestricted *a. County San Diego and (P2c, P2e, and P2b or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) *b. USGS 7.5' Quad La Mesa 7.5' Quad Date April9, 2003 T ; R , f; B.M. c. Address 5310 Canterbury Drive City San Diego Zip 92116 d. UTM: (Give more than one for large and/or linear resources) Zone 11 0489973 mEl 3625869 mN e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate) Tax Assessor's Parcel # 440-01 0-09; Lots 254, 255, Map 1948. This location is just west of the intersection of Canterbury Drive and Ridgeway Drive in Kensington Heights.

*P3a. Description: (Describe resource and Its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries) The Cosgrave-Ratner House is a single-sto~. 54-year old Mid Centu~ Modem Ranch style house with a loop driveway, and flagstone mason~ front fac;ade, chimney, and backyard barbeque. The house exhibits 97% integrity with no additions or changes to the exterior walls. Front windows include wood-framed casements, one multi-paneled bowed out window, and one special canted­ out aluminum framed window. Carved wooden doors are set in ornate native stone and flagstone fac;ade. The west-facing wall is a series of large glass panels, 8-foot square wood-framed sliding glass doors, and bathroom glass transoms facing a swimming pool, cabana, tennis court, and flagstone barbeque. The property involves 9-acres on a canyon rim overlooking Interstate 15 and Mission Valley. The house is in excellent repair. Landscaping has changed over the years, but backyard landscaping is original. The interior has been remodeled, but retains original bathroom elements, room layouts, and bar. The kitchen and dining room have been remodeled. Original doors with unusual Mid Centu~ Modern, centrally-placed doorknobs and starburst doorplates exist throughout the house.

*P3b. Resource Attributes:

*P4. Resources Present: I8J Building D Structure D Object D Site D District D Element of District D Other (Isolates, etc.)

P5b. Description of Photo: View from Canterbury Drive to the west

*P6. Date Constructed/Age and Source: I8J Historic D Prehistoric

*P7. Owner and Address: Dale and Elizabeth Clegg 5310 Canterbu~ Drive San Diego, CA 92116

*P8. Recorded by: (Name, affiliation, and address)

Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc., P.O. Box 503394, San Diego, CA 92150-3394

*P9. Date Recorded: April 9, 2003 *P10. Survey Type: (Describe) Walked around the house

*P11. Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.") Historical Nomination of the Cosgrave-Ratner House, 5310 Canterbury Drive, Kensington Heights, to the City of San Diego for Historic Landmark Status

*Attachments: D Location Map Dcontinuation Sheet 18J Building, Structure, and Object Record D Archaeological Record D District Record D Linear Feature Record D Milling Station Record D Rock Art Record D Artifact Record D Photograph Record D Other (List

DPR 523A {1/95) *Reauired information State of California -The Resources Agency Primary # DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD

Page _1_ of _8_ *NRHP Status Code *Resource Name or# Cosgrove-Ratner House 81. Name: Cosgrove-Ratner House 82. Common Name: Cosgrove-Ratner House 83. Original Use: Single family residence 84. Present Use: Single family residence

*85. Architectural Style: Mid Century Modem Ranch Style

86. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) In 1949, Chris A. Cosgrove constructed this Mid Century Modern Ranch Style house across the street from his in-laws, the Barbachano family. Cosgrove and his wife, Celia, built the house to the best of his ability as their own home. He built about twelve other Ranch style houses on Canterbury Drive at the same time. He graded the site to set the Ranch style house on two rim lots overlooking Mission Valley to the northwest. The front walls are distinguished by a tan flagstone masonry fa~de that flanks the front door. On the east loop driveway, to the left of the front door is a special aluminum-framed and outward canted window with an indoor fountain. He sited the house facing a backyard swimming pool, stepped-down tennis court, and built a cabana along the south property line, also facing the swimming pool. He built a flagstone barbeque at the north property line, also facing the pool. The roof extends west over the patio deck and is supported with steel poles. Large, 8-foot square glass windows set in wood-frames slide on brass tracks to create a 15-foot opening at the living room to the pool. Afternoon sunlight reflects off the pool and a reflection is captured on the extended roof and inside the living room ceiling. Based on the Tax Assessor's records, the house footprint has not been changed. In the early 1950s, an exterior reflecting pool/fish pond below the canted window had been removed. Original thick, double-glass front doors were replaced in the late 1970s with carved wooden doors. Interior changes are limited to flooring and walls in the kitchen, living, and dining rooms.

*87. Moved? [8:1 No D Unknown Date: N/A Original Location: N/A

*88. Related Features: Tax Assessor Records document the swimming pool , tennis court, cabana, and barbeque were built in 1949 at the same time as the house.

B9a. Architect: unknown b. Builder: Chris A. Cosgrove

*810. Significance: Theme: Post-war Mid Century Modem Ranch style associated with Chris A. Cosgrove, Nathaniel Ratner, and David G. Fleet, who were leaders in real estate and clothing industries in San Diego. Ratner co-founded Ratner Clothing and hired up to 2,800 employees in San Diego, National City, and Chula Vista to become a leader in San Diego industry. Prior to purchasing from Ratner, Fleet and his family achieved importance in World War II aircraft production, post-war real estate development, and philanthropic activities to improve the City of San Diego. Cosgrove became a successful Federal Housing Authority real estate developer throughout Southern California and built high-end custom ranch style homes that contributed to shaping post-war San Diego in the late 20th century. Area: Kensington, San Diego

Period of Significance 1949-1953 Property Type Residential

Applicable Criteria (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, and geographic scope. Also address integrity.) (See continuation sheet for additional criterion.)

811. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) None

*812. References: (See Continuation Page 2)

813. Remarks: *814. Evaluator: Ronald V. May, RPA *Date of Evaluation: April 9, 2003

{This space reserved for official comments.)

DPR 5238 (1195) *Required information State of Califomla ·The Resources Agency Primary# ------­ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page 2..._ of .JL *Resource Name or# (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrove-Ratner House

*Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date April 9, 2003 181 Continuation D Update

*Applicable Criteria: (Continued from Page 1)

Crjterjon h. The Cosgrove-Ratner House is associated with persons significant to the post World War II San Diego real estate and clothing industries. Chris A. Cosgrove and David Fleet were leaders in the emerging post-war real estate industry throughout the City of San Diego. Ratner family scions of the electrical contracting and clothing industries helped shape San Diego's social and economic history during the same period. The confluence of Chris A. and Celia Barbachano Cosgrove with the Ratner family and Fleet family real estate interests resulted in significant effects on the history of San Diego in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Cosgrove was a significant land developer in San Diego County during the post World War II 1940s and 1950s eastern expansion of the City of San Diego, as well as urbanizing rural areas of the County of San Diego. In his 65-year career, he was a pioneer builder of over 3,000 homes and commercial properties in Point Lorna, College Heights, Talmadge, Rolando, Cosgrove Heights, and Kensington in the City of San Diego. He also built in La Mesa, Alpine, Rancho Santa Fe, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs. He was a recognized custom-home designer, who seized upon the fashionable architectural themes of post-war California modernism and favored his own version of ranch style homes that physically embraced backyard outdoor recreation. At the peak of his career, he and his wife Celia purchased vacant lots and built homes on many of the last undeveloped properties along Canterbury Drive and Kensington Heights. He also built the Ken Cinema and an associated commercial building in the Kensington commercial district on Adams Avenue that exhibits his distinctive flagstone masonry facades.

Cosgrove capitalized on the wartime defense housing industry, which had been strongly influenced in San Diego by Rueben H. Fleet and his son David G. Fleet, through the needs of their Consair Vultee Company. Cosgrove and his CBM Company provided complete "on stop service" to implement Federal Housing Authority (FHA) programs to build and furnish homes for veterans and defense workers. Cosgrove's version of affordable FHA model homes marks the final stage of real estate development in Kensington Heights. The Stock Market Crash of 1929, Great Depression of the 1930s, and Congressional building moratorium during World War II terminated the Kensington Architectural Review Board's ability to enforce Spanish Eclectic architectural styles in the late 1940s. Cosgrove took advantage of the regulatory vacuum in rural county areas in the late 1940s to develop about a dozen high-end, custom ranch style homes along Canterbury Drive in Kensington, which included his own home at 5310 Canterbury Drive.

Cosgrove hired subcontractors, like Ratner Electric, to electrify and outfit the houses. The Ratner family specialized in two industries, Ratner Electric and Ratner Clothing. Cosgrove's business relationship with Ratner Electric led to family friendships that included Nathaniel and Sally Ratner of Ratner Clothing, to whom he sold 5310 Canterbury Drive for cash in 1951 . Ratner Clothing owned large production plants in San Diego, National City, and Chula Vista employing up to 2,800 employees. Although outside the historical 50-year period, the Cosgrove-Ratner House continued to be associated with important San Diego citizens in the 1970s. The Ratners sold the house to David G. and Louarn Fleet in 1976. Fleet and his father, Major Rueben H. Fleet, developed Fleetridge housing in Point Lorna, which is just north of Cosgrove's Point Lorna Manor subdivision of the same vintage. Fleet became famous as an executive with Consolidated Aircraft, which built P-30 and B-24 bombers for World War II. By 1949, the Fleet family shifted from aircraft plants to real estate.

Criterion c. The 54-year old Cosgrove-Ratner House embodies the distinctive characteristics of a Chris A. Cosgrove Mid Century Modern Ranch architectural style house during the late 1940s. Cosgrove's innovative housing designs captured elements of the post-war modernism and western ranch style architecture, which embodied popular California recreational themes of the period. Extensive flagstone masonry wall facades, window fenestration with multi-paneled and canted-out windows and smaller wood-casements, flagstone chimney and fireplace systems, and the backyard flagstone barbeque are distinctive Cosgrove "signature" Ranch style construction motifs. He also built the Ken Cinema with the same flagstone fa93de. The Cosgrave-Ratner House is an excellent example of the highly desirable post-war modem lifestyle ranch housing that was promoted vigorously by Sunset Magazine and other popular media following World War II.

Although no architectural plans for the house survive, forensic analysis of the wood-framed, 8-foot square sliding glass doors, glass transom windows, cast concrete wall supports, cabinetry and projecting patio roof with steel post supports suggests an architect may have guided Cosgrove in the design of the Cosgrove-Ratner House. He set the building pad at 5310 Canterbury Drive in a natural depression of the Kensington Heights canyon rim to site the house, swimming pool, and tennis court over a magnificent view of Mission Valley.

DPR 5238 (1195) *Required information State of California -The Resources Agency Primary# ------­ DEPARTMENTOFPARKSANDRECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page ...3._ of ..JL *Resource Name or# (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrove-Ratner House

*Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date April 9, 2003 t8l Continuation 0 Update

*812. References:

Bauman, Thomas H., D.D.S. 1997 Kensington- Talmadge 1910-1997. Second Edition. San Diego: Kensington-Talmadge Community Association .

California Office of Historic Preservation 1996 The California Register of Historic Resources: Regulations for Nomination of Historic Properties. State of California, The Resources Agency, Department of Parks and Recreation

Cowan, Robert G. 1977 Ranchos of California, Historical Society of Southern California.

The First Los Angeles City and County Directory, 1872. Facsimile, Ward Ritchie Press, 1963

McAlester, Virginia and Lee 1979 A Field Guide to American Homes. New York: Little, Brown and Company

National Park Service 1985 Historic American Building Survey Guidelines for Preparing Written and Historical Descriptive Data. Division of National Register Programs, Western Regional Office, San Francisco, California.

Rancho Cahuenga Expediente, 1842. State Archives

Valentine, Maggie 1996 The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theater, Starring S. Charles Lee. New Haven, Yale University Press. periodicals

Killory, Christine 1993 "Temporary Suburbs; The Lost Opportunity of San Diego's National Defense Housing Projects," Journal of San Diego History. 39 {Winter-Spring) 1-2

Ruocco, Lloyd 1958 "Ruocco's Garden City," San Diego Magazine (September 1958)

1960 "The Magnificent City Art of Europe," San Diego Magazine (April1960)

Ruocco, lise and Lloyd 1963 "Every Day Art" American Crayon Company (Spring 1963)

Vietor, John A. 1959 "Rosarito: Story of a Gamble," San Diego and Point Magazine 2(5):47

DPR 5238 (1/95) *Reauired infonnation State of California - The Resources Agency Primary# ------­ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page A... of ..JL *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrave-Ratner House

*Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date April9, 2003181 Continuation D Update

*812. References (continued):

Newspapers

San Diego Jewish Press Heritage, November 21 , 1986

The San Diego Union July 14, 1931; December 11, 1934; January 29, 1935; January 30, 1975; February 26, 1935; March 31 , 1935; April 23, 1935; April 25, 1935; September 25, 1936; August 3, 1936; November 11 , 1936; December 2, 1936; December 3, 1936; December 5, 1936; February 12, 1938; March 30, 1938; May 15, 1938; January 26, 1941 ; February 16, 1948; February 17, 1948; May 1, 1949; May 16, 1949; May 17, 1949; May 18, 1949; May 20, 1949; August 21 , 1949; August 28, 1949; September4, 1949; September 18, 1949; May 27, 1950; August 10, 1950; August 13, 1950; January 20, 1952; January 31, 1952; February 3, 1952; February 7, 1952; February 24, 1952; February 25, 1952; March 2, 1952; March 7, 1952; March 14, 1952; March 15, 1952; March 19, 1952; March 21 , 1952; March 23, 1952; April3, 1952; June 30, 1952; December 12, 1952; April28, 1953; March 6, 1953; February 24, 1954; February 25, 1954; June 1, 1955; July1 , 1955; November 6, 1957; July 1, 1959; November 23, 1960; March 7, 1961; June 20, 1970; June 28, 1972; June 13, 1973; September 6, 1973; January 17, 1975; May 28, 1985; March 10, 1991; April 25, 1991 ; December 21 , 1992; August 12, 1994; August 2, 1997; March 16, 2002; January 12, 2003

Clyde Smith 1952 "Valley View Dramatized In New House," The San Diego Union, March 2, 1952. This article shows Mr. and Mrs. W. Harold Sadleir's home at 4750 Panorama Drive, overlooking Mission Valley below. Albert Westover designed and built this ranch style house for $22,000, which exhibits an almost unbroken expanse of plate glass walls around the living, dining, and recreational rooms that are cantilevered over the steep bluffs to present a lofty open feeling. This is remarkably similar to 5310 Canterbury Drive, which cost $75,000 in 1949.

1952 "Outdoor Room Vital to California Living," The San Diego Union, Sunday, March 23, 1952. This article shows a rambling ranch house with glass walls surrounding a swimming pool and a fantastic view of the El Cajon and the Laguna Mountains from Mount Helix. Virgil Cash, builder member of the San Diego Building Contractors Association for Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Almgren, 4820 Helix Drive, designed this 4,400 square foot house. This article continues to promote high value on ranch house design with glass walls taking advantage of rim lots overlooking vast view sheds.

Gus Stevens . 1971 "Ratner Celebrates Independence; Menswear Firm Marks 50111 Year," Evening Tribune, March 10, 1971

Union Tribune, October 22, 1948; November 6, 1957; March 10, 1971 ; February 12, 1978; March 19, 2003

Manuscripts

Ruocco, Lloyd Anthony Ruocco Resume, San Diego Historical Society, Research Archives

Sedlock, Robert 1958 "A History of Kensington," San Diego Historical Society, Research Archives

Thomas, Ellen 1974 "Rosarito Beach Hotel: San Simeon South?"

DPR 5238 (1195) *Required infonnation State of California · The Resources Agency Primary# ------­ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page _5_ of _a_ *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrove-Ratner House

*Recorded by Ronald V . May, RPA *Date April 9, 2003 l:8l Continuation D Update

*812. References (continued):

Oral Hjstorjes

McCiammy, Fern Lee (Mrs. Richard) 1988 Oral History, San Diego Historical Society

Mclaughlin, James Oral history, San Diego Historical Society

Phelps, Elizabeth Margaret 1959 Oral History, San Diego Historical Society

Ratner, Abraham 1987 Oral History, San Diego Historical Society

Oral Interviews

Aladray, Mrs. Eddie Oral Interview concerning Chris A. Cosgrove, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Aladray, Eddie Oral Interview concerning Chris A. and Celia Cosgrove, March 10, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106 Inc.

Anderson, G. Scott Oral Interview concerning the Barbachano family in the Mexico City and Baja California movie industry, March 16, 2003, by Ronald V . May, RPA, Legacy 1061nc.

Berkun, Anita Oral Interview concerning Chris A. Cosgrove and the Ken Cinema, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA. Legacy 106, Inc.

Cano, Manuel "Manny" Oral Interview concerning his time as an employee of Chris A. Cosgrove,. March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Cosgrove, Mrs. Thomas Oral Interview concerning Chris A. Cosgrove, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Delawie, FAIA, Homer, general conversation at Keith York's house concerning Lloyd Ruocco, February 2, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, in a casual setting (did not discuss 5310 Canterbury Drive by name or project).

Dennstedt, Alberta Oral Interview concerning Kensington history, March 4, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 1061nc.

Fink, Gary Oral Interview concerning the Ratner family history in Kensington, March 6, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc. Fleet, Louarn Oral Interview concerning her life at 5310 Canterbury Drive, January 29, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 1061nc.

Hardin, Shirley Oral Interview concerning her recollections of 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 5, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Hardy, Jean Oral Interview concerning her recollections of 5310 Canterbury Drive, January 21 , and February 3, 2003, with Ronald V. May and Dale May, Legacy 106, Inc.

DPR 5238 (1/95) *ReQuired infonnation State of California ·The Resources Agency Primary# ------­ DEPARTMENTOFPARKSANDRECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page ..6_ of _a_ *Resource Name or# (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrave-Ratner House

*Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date April 9, 2003 181 Continuation D Update

*812. References (continued):

Kaiser, Kay Oral Interview concerning her recollections of Lloyd Ruocco and during an examination of 5310 Canterbury Drive to ascertain if Lloyd Ruocco could have been the architect, March 14 and 23, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Kenton, Bill Oral Interview concerning his recollections of Nathaniel Ratner and conversations concerning 5310 Canterbury Drive, Kensington, March 11 , 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 1061nc.

Kvaas, Harold Oral Interview concerning his memory of Chris A. Cosgrove, March 4, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Lake, J. Spencer Oral Interview concerning Lloyd Ruocco's architectural style during an examination of 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 23, 2003

May, Russell Personal communication to Ronald V. May, January 1959.

McHenry, Jerry Oral Interview concerning Melhom Construction Company, March 6, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Neely, Richard Oral Interview concerning Kensington history, March 6, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Neely, Eleanor Oral Interview concerning Celia C. Cosgrove and 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 10, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 1061nc.

Ratner, Woodrow Oral Interview concerning his memories of 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 4, 2003, by Ronald V . May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Ratner, Seymour Oral Interview concerning his memories of 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 4, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc. Shay, Scott Oral Interview concerning his knowledge of Kensington history, January 29, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106 Inc.

Stoops, Fred Oral Interview concerning his association with the Cosgroves at the La Mesan Mobile Lodge, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Tanzer, Joanne Oral Interview concerning Lloyd Ruocco, March 12, 2002, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 1061nc.

York, Keith Oral Interview concerning Mid Century Modem architecture, Lloyd Ruocco, and key identifiers for Ruocco-designed homes and the loan of his file on Ruocco, February 2, 2003; and his visit to 5310 Canterbury Drive on March 28, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Utt, Roger Oral Interview concerning Kensington history, flagstone/ledgestone and architectural investigation, March 4 and 5, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

DPR 5238 (1195) *ReQuired infonnation State of California -The Resources Agency Primary# ------'------­ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page L of _a_ *Resource Name or# (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrove-Ratner House

*Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date April 9, 2003 181 Continuation D Update

*812. References (continued):

Whitwer, Raymond Oral Interview concerning the construction industry in the late 1940s and early 1950s and his memories of Chris A. Cosgrove, February 17, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

San Diego Hjstorjcal Socia~ Research Archives photo Archives

C. 99. Lloyd Ruocco Photo Collection, 1935-1973.

C. 68. Gene Kazikowski Aerial, 1950-1967

Cjf¥ Directories

City Directories, 1915-1967

Title Search

Union Title Company

Goyemment Records

Book of Deeds, County of San Diego, Recorder's Office

Book of Liens, County of San Diego, Recorder's Office, Mechanic's Lien for $177.87, 1954

County Tax Assessor, Records

Water Department, Records

1954, Municipal Court Case No. 13436, June 1954, Credit Bureau Vs. Chris Cosgrove. Michael DeStout Plumbing and Heating sued Chris Cosgrove for plumbing, labor and materials. Cosgrove was listed as residing at 815 Bangor Street in Point Lorna.

Kevin Shelley, Secretary of State, State of California, Business Programs, Articles of Corporation of Chris A. Cosgrove, Builder, Hidden Valley Corporation, March 3, 1952

Residential Building Record, Sheets 1 & 2, County Recorders Office

United States Census, 1920, 1930

Internet Sources www Ancestry com

Bums, Leigh with Staci Catron-Sullivan, Jennifer Holcombe, Arnie Spinks, Scott Thompson, Amy Waite, Matt Watts-Edwards, and Diana Welling. 2001 "Atlanta Housing 1944 to 1965," www dnr state ga us/dnrlhistpres/pdf/atlhouse pdf

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission, Historical Essays www cmhpforg!essays/postwararch html

Eddy, Lucinda 1995 "Visions of Paradise: The Selling of San Diego," "Big City Blues Tum Bright 1950-1970," Journal of San Diego History, Summer 1995, Volume 41 , Number 3. www sandjegohjstor:y org~ounal/95summerkhapter18 htm

DPR 5238 (1/95) *Required infonnation State of California • The Resources Agency Primary# ------­ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page _a_ of __a_ *Resource Name or# (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrave-Ratner House

*Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date April 9, 2003 181 Continuation D Update

*812. References (continued):

Jarmusch, Ann 1998 "People Who Live In Glass Houses; Modernist World Has Elegant Indoors with Great Outdoor Appeal," www sjgnonsandjego com/news/features/design/glasshouses htm

Killory, Christine 1993 "Temporary Suburbs: The Lost Opportunity of San Diego's National Defense Housing Projects," Journal of San Diego History, Winter-Spring 1993, Volume 39, Number 1-2, www sandiegohistor:y org/joumal/93spring/suburbs htm

"Modem San Diego; The Guide to Post WW2 Design," www modemsandjego com/Self-Guided Tour Page html Search for Mission Hills 1, 2, 3, or4.

McDonald, James A. 1998 "Determination of Eligibility and Effect, Prepared For An Environmental Analysis of the Tucson Rod and Gun Club's Special Use Permit, Coronado National Forest, Santa Catalina Ranger District," Photograph of Federal Bureau of Prisons Camp No. 10, Mount Lemmon, Arizona in 1951 , www fs fed us/r3k oronado/nhpa htm

National Register Bulletin, Historic Residential Suburbs: Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. "House and Yard, The Design of the Suburban Home." www cr nps gov/nrlpublicatjons/bul!etjns{suburbs/text2 htm

New York Times on the Web, "What's Long and Low and Getting Lonelier?" December 16, 1999, by Tracie Rozhon, www bebeyond com/l earnEngljsh/BeAD/Readings/RanchHouse htm

Schoenherr, Steve, "WW2 Timeline: Reuben Fleet" http·//bjstor:y sandjego edulgen/WW2Tjme!jnelfleet html and "Consair-Vultee Deal Confired; Fleet to Stay: Consolidated Chief Will Have Advisory Position After Merger" from The San Diego Union, November 26, 1941, page 1, http·//bjstor:y sandjego edulgen/WW2Text/consajr-sold btml

Starr, Kevin, "Sunset Magazine and the Phenomenon of the Far West" http·/(sunset- magazine stanford edu/html/body influences 1 btml and bttp·/(sunset-magazjne stanford edu/htm!lj 3 btml

Taschner, Mary, "Boomerang Boom: San Diego 1941-1942," The Journal of San Diego History, Winter 1982, Volume 28, Number 1, www sandiegohjstor:y org[journal/82wjnterlboom btm

Volume 5, The Building Trades Directory, "An Interview with Albert Frey," {date unknown), www volume5 com/albertfrey!index html

DPR 5238 (1/95) *Reauired information List of Figures

1. U.S.G.S. La Mesa Quadrangle Map 2. DPRFormA 3. DPRFormB 4. Kensington Heights Map 330 5. San Diego County Assessor's Map 330 (348) for Kensington Heights Unit No. 3 6. Small Homes Guide and Sunset Magazine, July 1950 7. The Thomas Guide, Map 1269, Kensington 8. Obituary, Chris A. Cosgrove, The San Diego Union, May 28, 1985 9. Compilation of Partial List of Chris A. Cosgrove Construction Projects 10. "Six Building Industry Heads Collaborate in Creation ofNew 'Masterpiece' Home," The San Diego Union, Sunday, January 26, 1941 11. Electrical Permit issued to Ratner Electric for Chris Cosgrove for 5310 Canterbury Drive and Additional Utility Permits pulled for 5310 Canterbury Drive, The San Diego Union, August, 1949 12. Advertisements for Chris A. Cosgrove and C-B-M Co. in 1952 City Directory and Advertisement for new Chris A. Cosgrove homes in Fletcher Hills, September, 1949 13. "Many Big Projects Soon to Be Started: Tract Preparations Progress; F.H.A. Releases Full Allotment List," The San Diego Union, February 24, 1952 14. "Helix Area Gains Lead in Residential Building: Construction Activity Revives in Fletcher Hills This Summer," The San Diego Union, August 21, 1949 15. "New Home Construction: Cosgrove's Brand New Homes," The San Diego Union, April 2, 1949 16. "Homes for Sale: Chris A. Cosgrove's New Homes," The San Diego Union, September 20, 1949 17. Advertisement for Chris A. Cosgrove's El Rancho Model 833 2 Bedroom Model Home May 8, 1949 and Advertisement for Chris A. Cosgrove's Model810 Home, April24, 1949, The San Diego Union 18. Map of Point Lorna, Chris A. Cosgrove's Point Lorna Manor Subdivision, David G. Fleet's Fleetridge Subdivision, and the 815 Bangor Street Residence 19. Close Up Aerial Photograph of Kensington and vacant 5310 Canterbury Drive lot circa 1946-1947, San Diego Historical Society Research Archives Photographic Collection, 82:13673-892 20. "Aids See Start ofVeteran's Home," The San Diego Union, May 1, 1949 21. "Home Show Crowded: Model House Biggest Event at Balboa Park Exhibition," The San Diego Union, May 18, 1949 22. Lower portion of full page advertisement for "San Diego's First Annual National Home Show," May 15-22, 1949, The San Diego Union, May 15, 1949 23. Lower portion of full page advertisement for "San Diego's First Annual National Home Show: Chris A. Cosgrove Presents El Rancho Model 833 2 Bedroom Home," The San Diego Union, May 15, 1949 24. "Quitting- CBM Furniture Studio," Upper portion of full page advertisement, The San Diego Union, March 30, 1952 25. "Grand Jury Probe of G .1. Housing Here Adjourned" article and "CBM Studio- Closed All Day Thursday" advertisement in The San Diego Union, April3, 1953 26. Articles of Corporation of Chris A. Cosgrove, Builder, Hidden Valley Corporation, filed with the Secretary of State, California, March 3, 1952 27. "Barbachanos to Fete Fiftieth Wedding Year" and "Pioneers Mark Golden Wedding Anniversary," The San Diego Union, May 15, 1938 28. Obituary, Celia Barbachano Cosgrove, The San Diego Union, March 8, 1996

2 29. Obituary, Elvira Barbachano, The San Diego Union, December, 1997 30. Advertisement for Ratner Electric, The San Diego Union, August 21, 1949 31. Obituary, Nathaniel Ratner, The San Diego Union, March 7, 1996 32. Map showing location of Cosgrove Terrace in College Area (SDSU) and location of David and Louam Fleet's residence in College View Estates prior to purchasing the 5310 Canterbury Drive house 33. Letter from David G. Fleet on 5310 Canterbury Drive letterhead stationery to Philip M. Klauber, 21 September 1983 34. Obituary, David Girton Fleet, The San Diego Union, April25, 1991 35. Tax Assessor's Residential Building Record for 5310 Canterbury Drive 36. Back (west) side of 5310 Canterbury Drive residence showing pool and sliding glass doors 37. Back (north west) side of 5310 Canterbury Drive residence showing original flagstone barbeque 38. "Designer Ruoccos Mixed Local Form and Function" by Kay Kaiser, The San Diego Union, August 16, 1992 39. Program for the San Diego Home Show and Food Show Jubilee, May 16 through 24, 1953 40. Interior page of the Program for the San Diego Home Show and Food Show Jubilee, May 16 through 24, 1953 41. View of the Design Center built by Lloyd Ruocco 42. Interior view ofMa ster Architect Lloyd Ruocco's house at Alvarado Estates in San Diego 43. "Today's Home Buyers Seek Lots of House at Cheap Cost," The San Diego Union, August 28, 1949 44. Photograph oflarge bay window set in flagstone on front (east) side of the 5310 Canterbury Drive residence 45. Photograph of the canted-out window set in flagstone on the front (east) side of the 5310 Canterbury Drive residence

3 List of Attachments

1. State of California, DPR 523A

2. State of California, DPR 523 B

3. Water Service Order and Receipt for Chris Cosgrove, 5310 Canterbury Drive, 9/29/48 and Sewer Connection Order and Permit, 9/29/48.

4. Notice of Completion, August 29, 1949, to Chris A. Cosgrove and Celia C. Cosgrove for 5310 Canterbury Drive property. They are living at 5290 Canterbury Drive at this time.

5. Grant Deed, January 16, 1951, Chris A. Cosgrove and Celia C. Cosgrove to Nathaniel Ratner and Sally Ratner for 5310 Canterbury Drive property.

6. Grant Deed, February 23, 1976, Nathaniel Ratner and Sally Ratner to David G. Fleet and Louam J. Fleet for 5310 Canterbury Drive.

7. Grant Deed, June 15, 1989, Louam J. Fleet to Jeanne Hardy for 5310 Canterbury Drive.

8. Grant Deed, May 26, 1999, Jeanne Hardy to Dale A. Clegg and Elizabeth Clegg for 5310 Canterbury Drive.

4 IDSTORICAL NOMINATION OF THE COSGROVE-RATNER HOUSE 5310 CANTERBURY DRIVE- KENSINGTON

Ronald V. May, RPA Dale Ballou May Legacy 106 Inc. P.O. Box 503394 San Diego, CA 92150-3394 (619) 269-3924 Fax/Phone

Introduction

The Cosgrove-Ratner House at 5310 Canterbury Drive in Kensington, San Diego, California is recommended for historic site designation by the City of San Diego for the 1949-1953 time period because:

Criterion b. The Cosgrove-Ratner House is associated with persons significant to the post World War II San Diego real estate and clothing industries. Chris A. Cosgrove and David G. Fleet were leaders in the emerging post-war real estate industry throughout the City of San Diego. Ratner family scions of the electrical contracting and clothing industries helped shape San Diego's social and economic historv during the same period. The confluence of Chris A. and Celia Barbachano Cosgrove with the Ratner family and Fleet family real estate interests resulted in significant effects on the history of San Diego in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Chris A. Cosgrove was a significant land developer in San Diego County during the post World War II 1940s and 1950s eastern expansion of the City of San Diego. In his 65-year career, he was a pioneer builder of over 3,000 homes and commercial properties in Point Lorna, College Heights, Talmadge, Rolando, Cosgrove Heights, and Kensington in the City of San Diego. He also built in Coronado, La Mesa, Alpine, Rancho Santa Fe, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs. He was a recognized custom-home designer, who seized upon the fashionable architectural themes ofpost-war California modernism and favored his own version of ranch style houses that physically embraced backyard outdoor recreation. At the peak of his career, he and his wife Celia purchased and built homes on many of the last remaining vacant lots along Canterbury Drive and Kensington Heights. He also built the Ken Cinema and an associated building in the Kensington commercial district, which exhibit his distinctive flagstone masonry facades.

Cosgrove capitalized on the war-time defense housing industry which had been strongly influenced in San Diego by Rueben H. Fleet and his son David G. Fleet through the needs of their Consair company. Cosgrove and his CBM Company provided complete "one stop service" to implement Federal Housing Authority (FHA) programs to build and furnish homes for veterans and defense workers.

He accomplished this by hiring subcontractors, like Ratner Electric, to satisfy the electrical needs to his homes. The Ratner family specialized in two industries, Ratner Electric and Ratner Clothing. Cosgrove's business relationship with Ratner Electric led to family friendships that

5 included Nathaniel and Sally Ratner ofthe clothing industry, who purchased 5310 Canterbury Drive from the Cosgroves in 1951. Ratner Clothing became a major job provider in San Diego, National City, and Chula Vista. At its height, they employed 2,800 people and supplied every major clothing outlet in the region.

Although outside the historical 50-year period, the Cosgrove-Ratner House continued to be associated with important San Diego citizens. Nathaniel and Sally Ratner sold 5310 Canterbury Drive to David G. and Louam Fleet in 1976. David G. Fleet was the son ofRueben H. Fleet, who with his family has made significant contributions to San Diego's housing development and social history. As early as 1932, Rueben H. Fleet and son David G. Fleet relocated Consolidated Aircraft from Buffalo, New York to San Diego.

In conjunction with Ryan Aeronautics, these industries drew many thousands of skilled workers and executives to San Diego through the late 1930s and 1940s. In 1935, Consolidate Aircraft opened the first plant along Pacific Highway to build fifty P-30 pursuit planes for the United States Army Air Corps. The following year, the first PBY-1, a seaplane, launched from San Diego Bay. When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Congress provided monies through the 1935 War Preparedness Act to vastly expand the Naval Air Station on North Island, develop 423 acres of Camp Kearny for a Naval Auxiliary Air Station, and fund Consolidated Aircraft and Ryan to develop and build fighter aircraft and bombers. In 1949, David G. Fleet began building the exclusive Point Lorna Fleetridge housing development, adjacent to a subdivision Cosgrove was developing off Catalina Boulevard and Talbot Streets. The Fleet family became powerhouses in San Diego through World War II, Korea, and into the 1960s.

Criterion c. The 54-year old Cosgrove-Ratner House embodies the distinctive characteristics of a Chris A. Cosgrove Mid Century Modern-Ranch architectural style house during the late 1940s. Cosgrove's innovative housing designs captured elements of the post-war modernism and western ranch style architecture which embodied popular California recreational themes of the period. Extensive flagstone masonry wall facades, window fenestration, flagstone chimney and fireplace systems, and backyard flagstone barbeques are distinctive Cosgrove "signature" Ranch style construction motifs. The Cosgrove-Ratner House is an excellent example of the highly desirable post-war modem lifestyle ranch housing that was promoted vigorously by Sunset Magazine and other popular media following W odd War ll.

Although no architectural plans for the house survive, forensic analysis of the wood-framed, 8-foot square sliding glass doors, glass transom windows, cabinetry, and protruding roof with steel post support system suggests an architect may have guided Cosgrove in the design of the Cosgrove-Ratner House. He set the building pad at 5310 Canterbury Drive in a natural depression of the Kensington Heights canyon rim to site the house, swimming pool, and tennis court over a magnificent view ofMission Valley.

Cosgrove' s brand ofFHA-influenced non-Spanish style homes marks the final stage of primary real estate development in Kensington. The Great Depression and a Congressional building moratorium during World War ll terminated the Kensington Architectural Board, which also suffered the untimely death of master architect Richard Requa in 1941. Cosgrove, along with other builders in Kensington, took advantage of the regulatory vacuum of the late 1940s and he developed at least ten high-end custom homes along Canterbury Drive at the height of his designing and building skills. The house at 5310 Canterbury is an excellent example ofthis recognized post war building style.

6 Kensington and East San Diego

From the end of the 19th century, the elevated eastern limits ofthe City of San Diego attracted powerful families to the rural residential suburbs. Trolley lines enabled swift access to downtown commercial areas and by 1909 a line extended east of 40th Street. First Craftsman style and later Spanish style homes characterized the emerging Kensington Community by the 1920s. However, the 1929 stock market crash and subsequent Great Depression hammered the real estate industry born in the heady post World War I era in San Diego. Time seemed to stand still and money virtually stopped flowing, as realtors and builders scrambled to survive. Out of hardship came opportunity for those people driven with ambition, know-how, and means. Back then, "San Diego" comprised the commercial district surrounding Broadway and west ofBalboa Park. Empty lots, dirt roads, and the occasional Craftsman or Spanish style stucco home formed the eastern boundary of the city limits. The old San Diego Electric Railway extended out Adams A venue to 40th Street and every weekend carloads of kids rode the trolley to hop off and filter through Kensington to access Mission Valley and Adobe Falls.

Along the trolley route, land speculators invested in subdivisions that extended residential areas ever eastward. The end of the trolley line at 40th Street attracted executives of the Santa Fe Railway and in 1909 they sent G. Aubrey Davidson to purchase land and create a luxury community for investment and retirement (Sedlock 1958:1-2; Bauman 1997). Davidson created the Southern Trust and Commerce Company in an office at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego and transferred money from the Santa Fe Railway. He then bought a tract of land east of 40th Street from the former San Diego Mission Rancho and formed the Kensington Land Company. With this infrastructure in place, Davidson subdivided the land and commenced selling lots. He centered a small park with a fishpond as a recreational attraction. The earliest homes were Craftsman style and concentrated along Edgeware Street. All those streets were given English names to appeal to the envisioned clientele. The Kensington Land Company installed curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and lighting. For a time, the trolley passed over the 40th Street Bridge and terminated at Adams and Marlborough. Earlier, a silent movie company leased the land to film western movies. An entire "ghost town, complete with fake front buildings, a saloon, hotel and blacksmith shop" provided children endless fun (Sedlock 1958:3). This land remained on the knolls and ridges further north and east of Davidson's subdivision.

Another land speculator of note arrived in San Diego in 1922 flush with family oil money to invest. George Thomas Forbes arrived at age 33 during the real estate boom that created the City of East San Diego (Forbes 1973; Bauman 1997). He found a boomtown hopping with carpenters, plaster workers, cement layers, brick and tile factories, and almost indescribable industry. Among the available real estate hucksters, he hired Ed Rossom to play straw man and purchase 110 acres from under the movie set for $800. He continued the movie studio lease for a number of years, but recruited Davis-Baker Real Estate of Pasadena to set up a local office and then became its president. Forbes subdivided his new community and named it "Kensington Heights" (Figures 4 and 5), which he extended further north of Davidson's Kensington Manor. Forbes lots were larger and many included valley rim view lots. He then hired Master Architect Richard Requa (Ibid) and commissioned six model homes to be built, furnished, and shown for several years to potential lot buyers. He sold the lots for either $700 or $800 each.

Lacking a central commercial district, Forbes built a Spanish style office building at the intersection ofHilldale and Marlborough (Sedlock 1958:2). He co-invested with J.C. Thompson, Louis Sutton, Fred V. Young, GeorgeS. Hartley, and James F. Forward to create Kensington Manor in 1925. These silent partners created universal deed restrictions to be enforced by an "Architectural Review Board" headed by Requa. To those without an understanding of this

7 Figure 4. Kensington Heights Map 330 showing location of 5310 Canterbury Drive lot. 440-04 } 1" •200 \ ~ (-:.\ 9 '-'./ \ \ . .. ~ \ .. \ ~ t . ... 'l. __.,I, ... 0 • -~r~ ·· ~ <:, \ Q f - ---- , - \., I) • .,p ... ' ... l \ \ ! \ _ - =:._.,.~""~-~ ,~ ~- -~ .· ~ u_: ;{1 t ~~ \ -~If' _. _·.;;.. - ,, .. ~ .. ..~)1.. .:.. ... e~ ~ ...,. ' • 0 • • 't . 'l>..,.x,.•-!lf- • \ '(J iffl'• ~ 1 .-· "' . - ~ r' h -:')- ,., L} 1 ' - 1t~ · \ ... , · 'i •• • ol\ t .. ., "' ;!> ~\,. • ...;..,-'""' - • • • - __• .;.. • r...-.\1\.· r.'l .. o·· ~ jd \ "----"--<"" 0 ...... -~· .. o , · ~ ol.l' \ ~ ,..., • . . ,

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Figure 5. San Diego County Assessor's Map 330 (348) for Kensington Heights Unit No. 3 history, the small commercial and apartment district at Hilldale and Marlborough may now appear out of context with the surrounding residential community.

Forbes developed three subdivisions that were only partially sold out when the stock market crashed in 1929. The unsold lots remained that way until Congress passed the War Powers Act of 1935 and infused money into the aircraft industry. By then, the financially strapped County of San Diego adopted the Rural District Improvement Act in 1930 that hammered property owners with hefty taxes and forced many property owners to abandon their homes and land to avoid the debt. Only a few homeowners and Forbes were able to meet the taxes and hold onto their Kensington lots.

To stimulate sales in the exclusive Kensington community, Forbes furnished his model homes and showed them to prospective buyers as early as 1930. Federal infusion of funds and public interest in the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition attracted a wealthier class of clientele to San Diego in droves. Tourists and workers at the Expo bought or rented in Kensington and Talmadge.

The 1935 California Pacific International Exposition restimulated popularity in Spanish Eclectic architecture. Forbes attempted to enforce Spanish style as a standard by requiring all builders in Kensington to have their plans approved by his architectural review board, which Richard Requa chaired. Forbes and Requa were leading advocates of this style and Requa authored a column in The San Diego Union promoting the style. This board lost momentum when Requa died of a heart attack in June of 1941 . By that time, new residents sought refuge against troubled times in more traditional architectural styles of the eastern seaboard.

During the Great Depression and World War II, the United States Congress created the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to provide affordable housing for defense plant workers across America. Following the 1935 War Preparedness Act, FHA issued books with housing plans and offered thousands of dollars to real estate developers to build plan homes across America (Bums et. al2001).

San Diego firms like San Diego Building and Remodeling Service, Inc., B . F. Jenkins Construction Company, Inc. and custom home builders like O.D. Arnold, Charles Moran, H. S. and Ray Perrigo, R. S. Brock, and Chris A. Cosgrove began building FHA homes, which introduced Cape Cod, Colonial, and Ranch style homes in the late 1930s, war years, and post-war period. These three styles replaced Spanish style architecture during the late 1940s across America. Azure Vista in Point Lorna and Bay View Terrace in Pacific Beach were federal subdivisions totally built by federal employees for aircraft workers and military families. Private builders also obtained FHA loans and extended residential communities south and east of Talmadge, South Park, North Park, Lincoln Acres, Chollas and other parts of San Diego.

In this period of wartime activity, the aircraft workers eagerly sought local recreation opportunities and bowling alleys, movie theaters, and saloons, which dotted the landscape from Harbor Boulevard to Broadway. Bill Lane brought his Hollywood Stars baseball team to play as the Pacific Coast League Padres and was so popular he raised the funds to construct Lane Field at the foot of Broadway. Thousands of aircraft plant workers jammed hotels, apartments, and rented rooms. The City of San Diego passed an emergency ordinance allowing private landowners to build second homes in their backyards to accommodate rentals.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 terminated almost all new construction and triggered a building moratorium in the United States. Congress ordered

8 cessation ofprivate construction to redirect wood, metal, and other materials to the war effort. The only construction during this period was directly associated with military and defense worker housing. Real estate brokers had to knock on doors to fmd people willing to sell homes in order to make a go of it. Forbes rented or sold offhis model homes. Much ofKensington, Talmadge, and properties to the east remained in an undeveloped natural state during the war years. As the war ended, builders flush with FHA money to build federal model homes for returning members of the Armed Forces snapped up the empty lots and built more than 10,000 homes. San Diego's wealthy elite purchased some of those prime lots in Kensington and custom homes were designed and built to please their tastes.

People in San Diego joined millions of Americans to celebrate the end of World War II and a great many of those veterans returned to make this city their home. Magazines, newspapers and radio stations promoted the exuberant mood of the times. Both Sunset Magazine and San Diego Magazine widely promoted a new California recreational lifestyle for the late 1940s and 1950s. Vacation and party themes dominated home and landscaping design, always looking forward to a happier future. The popular psyche was reflected in the design of new housing, automobiles, home furnishings, art, and clothing. Spanish style houses gave way to western cowboy ranch style homes and futuristic science fiction motifs that commercial developers quickly built along highway and destination resort communities, such as Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm. People in the late 1940s were eager to experience change in their lives.

From Mexican Hacienda to California Ranch

The roots of post-war ranch style homes penetrate the very fabric of Spanish and Mexican style custom houses of the 1930s. Architect Cliff May is credited with designing and supervising the 1932 construction of a low-slung vernacular building that followed the contours of the land in the style of hundreds of 19th century California Mexican adobe homes. A good example of an early Ranch style would be 4669 East Talmadge in Kensington. The post-war Ranch style almost completely lost the Mexican adobe appearance in the 1940s.

In the late 1940s popular magazine surveys indicated the postwar family's preference for the informal Ranch house as well as a desire to have all their living space on one floor with a basement for laundry and other utilities and a multipurpose room for hobbies and recreation. Builders of middle and upper middle­ income homes mimicked the architect-designed homes of the Southwest, offering innovations such as sliding glass doors, picture windows, carports, screens of decorative blocks, and exposed timbers and beams, which derived as much from modernistic influences as those of traditional Southwestern design (U.S. Department of the Interior, Historic Residential Suburbs, House and Yard: The Design ofthe Suburban House).

The roots actually go deeper into pre-war federal programs to provide affordable housing for a broader spectrum of the American market. This is linked to the "Better Homes and the Small House Movement" that kicked-off in 1922 with Better Homes in America, Inc. (Ibid). This was an alliance of architects, real estate developers, builders, and federal officials who encouraged the construction of new homes or remodeling in New England Colonial or Monterey Revival style small and affordable houses. This group provided pre-made architectural plans for six-room or smaller houses in catalogs, such as Small Homes ofArchitectural Distinction in 1929. California Ranch style architectural plans appeared in those plan books by 1938 (Ibid).

9 The FHA published Principles ofPlanning Small Houses in 1940 to guide builders in efficient and economical ways to provide affordable housing for the nation. These plans and principles were adopted by federally funded defense housing during World War II, which included prefabricated modular housing. Low interest federal home loans enabled aircraft plant workers, civil servants, and veterans to acquire those houses.

These federal programs coincided with Cosgrove's departure from B.F. Jenkins Construction Company to develop his own housing projects in San Diego.

From 1944 to 1946, single family housing starts increased from 114,000 to 937,000. Spurred by builders' credits and liberalized terms for Veteran's Administration and FHA-approved mortgages by the end of the 1940s, home building proceeded on an unprecedented scale reaching a record high in 1950 with the construction of 1,692,000 new single-family houses (Ibid).

Cosgrove may have read about William Levitt in 1947, who created the first large-scale FHA suburb, Levittown on Long Island with 17,500 houses (Ibid). Levitt produced a vast subdivision of affordable Cape Cod and Ranch style houses. Another famous developer of the period, Harvey Kaiser of Panorama City, near Los Angeles, California joined the ranks of"merchant builders" of the period. Cosgrove learned the Cape Cod style from B.F. Jenkins, who built a number of homes in Talmadge in this style with distinctive storm shutters and wide asbestos shingle siding.

Between 1946 and 1958, Sunset Magazine promoted the "Suburban Ranch House" with low, horizontal silhouette and rambling floor plan as synonymous with vacation living West Coast style (Figure 6). In addition to May, H. Roy Kelley and William W. Wurster adapted modernist design concepts, such as sliding glass doors, glass walls, ventilation transoms, carports, exposed beams, interior gardens and multiple entrances facing backyard swimming pools, tennis courts and barbeques (Ibid). By the 1960s, Ranch style lost the custom designs in favor of mass produced tract homes.

These days, ranch houses are an endangered species. Once the revered symbol of postwar prosperity, these rectangular houses with their rec (sic) rooms and picture windows and skinny wrought-iron balustrades, are now as dated as Melmac (Rozhon 1999:4).

Ranch style has not been built since the late 1970s and many have been demolished. Kenneth T. Jackson, an urban historian at Columbia University concluded the public lost interest in Ranch style in favor of internal luxury (Jackson 1985). Ken Burnstein, director of preservation issues at the Los Angeles Conservancy, reported that few neighborhoods of ranch houses survive intact because the Ranch was designed to evolve with added rooms (Ibid).

But there is a growing recognition that we are losing the very best examples. It'll be like the neighborhood after neighborhood of Victorian houses that were tom down because they were viewed as overly ornamental and too dark. They came back into favor in the 1970s, but by then, cities all over the country had lost entire Victorian neighborhoods (Rozhon 1999:5).

10 Figure 6. Small Homes Guide: Presenting America's Vote on Your Postwar Home! and Sunset: The Magazine of Western Living, July 1950 The very best examples would be the custom homes, such as those Cosgrove built in Kensington Heights in the late 1940s.

Site Identification

The property is located on U.S.G.S. Quadrangle La Mesa (Figure 1). Figures 4 through 5 show the precise location of Lot 253 on Map 1948. The house at 5310 Canterbury Drive is located in Kensington Heights, Unit 3, Map 1948, Sheet 2, is a subdivision of Map 330 (348) Rancho Mission of San Diego-Portion of Lot No. 47 and was drawn by Watson Valle & Gough, Inc. for the County of San Diego and recorded by the County Board of Supervisors in 1926. Figure 4 and 5 show the location of Kensington Heights, Unit 3, Lot 253 in relation to the west-facing canyon overlooking Interstate 15, Camino del Rio, and Mission Valley to the north. Figure 7 shows the property on the Thomas Brothers Map, page 1269, G-2. This is Tax Assessor's Book 3303, page 302. APN# 440-041-09.

Property and Owner History

The current owners of this property are Dale and Elizabeth Clegg. The property history (chain of title and directories) is as follows:

1945, Union Title Insurance & Trust Company (grantor) transferred Lots 254, 255 to Ray A. and Virginia E. Vurgason (grantees) on April4, 1945 (actually recorded August 8, 1948), Document 82479. Ray Arthur Vurgason was a pharmacist who according to his obituary on March 7, 1961 was "credited with originating the drive-in system of dispensing pharmaceuticals in America." He owned and operated the Ray Drive-In Drug Co. located at 3900 Fifth Avenue in San Diego.

1945, Vance (grantor) to Cosgrove (grantee), transferred Lot 253, Recorded September 5, 1945, Document 73854, Book 888, Page 365.

1945, Vurgason, Ray A. and Virginia E. (grantors), transferred Lots 254 and 255 to Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove (grantees) on August 18, 1948, Document 82480

1944-1945, Chris A. and Celia Cosgrove, contractor, 4490 Monroe Avenue

1944-1945, Ratner Manufacturing Company, Abraham and Nathaniel Ratner, manufacturers of men's trousers and sportswear, U.S. Naval uniforms and caps, factory and office, Ratner Building, 730 13th Street, San Diego

1944-1945, Nathaniel N. and Sara D. Ratner, residence, 5049 Hastings Road, Kensington

1946, Chris A. Cosgrove obtained water hook-up and sewer permits from the City of San Diego for construction ofthe Ken Cinema on September 6, 1946. Water bills were sent to 5516 Longpre, Hollywood 28, California. The exterior fayade of the Ken and commercial building to the west exhibits Cosgrove's signature flagstone masonry fayade. The owner in 1946 is not known at this time, but Robert Berkun operated the theatre for many years before he purchased it in 1966. His daughter, Anita, reported Landmark Theaters own early records (Berkun 2003).

1946, no listing for Chris A. or Celia C. Cosgrove

11 Figure 7. Location of 5310 Canterbury Drive residence. The Thomas Guide, Map 1269. 1947-1 948, Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove, builder and general contractor, ad in City Directory "A Builder for More Than 20 Years," 3906 El Cajon Boulevard

1947-1948, Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove, residence 5290 Canterbury Drive, Kensington, which exhibits his signature flagstone masonry fayade.

1948-1950, notices in The San Diego Union lists Ratner Electric for installing electrical at homes on Point Street and Lorna Avenue in Point Lorna (east of Catalina, north of Talbot, and west of Canyon. This "Point Lorna Manor" subdivision was a two-minute drive from 815 Bangor Street, which became the 1951-1953 residence of Chris A. Cosgrove. Ratner Electric also installed electrical for homes in Fletcher Hills, Rolando (east of College A venue), and eight homes along Canterbury Drive.

September 29, 1948, Chris A. Cosgrove paid $100.00 for a water meter to be installed at 5310 Canterbury Drive, Lots 254-255, Kensington Heights, Map Book 1217, Page 4127, water bills to be mailed to 6150 University Avenue (address ofCBM Company, owned by Chris A. Cosgrove, Roy R. Brockbank, and Howard R. Mueller). The City of San Diego installed meter No. 4268927 59-feet from Lot 255 on October 1, 1948.

September 29, 1948, Chris A. Cosgrove paid $15.00 for a sewer connection, Order and Permit No. 59183, for 5310 Canterbury Drive at Lot 254.

1949, Notice of Completion for residence on Lots 254, 255, (5310 Canterbury Drive, Kensington) Recorded August 30, 1949, Book 3303, Page 302. Owners Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove lived at 5290 Canterbury Drive, Kensington.

1949, Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove (grantors) to Judge Clarence C. and Sarah F. Harden, the north east 80-feet of north west 10-feet of Lot 255, Recorded November 25, 1949, Book 3393, Page 185

May 15, 1949, San Diego' s First Annual National Home Show in Balboa Park at the Electric Building, which lasted for eight days until May 22, 1949. Tens of thousands of residents and prospective homebuyers attended. The San Diego Union reported Cosgrove and his CBM Company built a FHA El Rancho Model 833 home and showed an illustration. This same model is present today along Celia Vista, south of University Avenue in East San Diego. The full-page newspaper ad boasted "completely furnished two-bedroom, ranch-style 'dream home'," filled with luxury items" and priced as low as $6,790.00. He listed civil engineer Byrl D. Phelps, Ratner Electric, S.B. Millan plasterer, Worden Floor Company, San Diego Tile Company, Thos. H. Lowery Plumbing Company, Boulevard Carpet & Linoleum Company, and University Heating and Ventilation among the firms involved in building the model home. The model exhibited open beam ceilings, parquet floors, large picture windows, large closets, breakfast bars, tile drains, and a combination stucco and redwood exterior.

1949, 1950, 1951 Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove, residence at 5310 Canterbury Drive

1950, Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove, builder and contractor, office at 6196 University Avenue (CBM Co. Building had several offices for real estate, building, furnishing, appliances, upholstery)

1951, Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove (grantors), transferred Lots 254 and 255 to Nathaniel and Sally Ratner (grantees), Recorded title and deed on January 16, 1951, Book 3934, Page 386

12 1952, Buyer's Guide, page 106 Chris A. Cosgrove, President ofCBM Company (California Building Material Company), contractor, builder, real estate, advertisement, "One Stop Service," 6197 University A venue

1952, Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove, real estate and investment company, resided 9000 El Cajon Boulevard, La Mesa

1952, Buyer's Guide, page 34: CBM Co (Chris A. Cosgrove), Builders' Supplies, Appliances, Upholstering, "One Stop Service," 6197 University Avenue

1952, Nathaniel (secretary/treasurer) and Sara Ratner, Ratner Manufacturing Company, resided at 5310 Canterbury Drive, Kensington

1951-1953, Municipal Court Case No. 13436, "Credit Bureau of San Diego vs. Chris Cosgrove, filed in June 1954, for $5,000 in unpaid bills by Michael DeStout ofDeStout Plumbing and Heating against Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove for failure to pay a $177.87 balance owed. The judgment directed Cosgrove to pay $1500.00 in legal fees to Nat Rosin, who represented the Credit Bureau that represented DeStout Plumbing and Heating. The case file includes an undated Release ofLien in the amount of$11,500, signed by Michael DeStout, for Lots 7, 8, and 9 in Block 58 of the Roseville Addition. As part of the supporting evidence, Standard Universal Form of Plumbing Bid & Contract for Block 58, Roseville Tract, included a August 13, 1952 invoice for Cosgrove at 815 Bangor Street, Point Lorna. A field trip to 815 Bangor Street demonstrated this is a very high end custom Mid Century Modem - Ranch with extensive flagstone fas;ade and porch entry, front door with a central doorknob with star door plate, and a glass wall facing a spectacular view of the Coronado Islands on the south, Mexico, City of Coronado and North Island, all of downtown San Diego, and Balboa Park on the north. The garage door is decorated in a criss-cross motif that is similar to other garage doors on Canterbury Drive, but unlike anything on Bangor in Point Lorna. This house is similar to 5310 Canterbury, but even nicer. The title to this house is not within the scope of this project and the exact relationship between Cosgrove and this property is unclear.

February 27, 1952, Chris A. Cosgrove wrote a letter to creditors stating that he was developing 49 homes in Escondido in the $9,500 to $10,200 class, and 56 houses in Cosgrove Estates (60th Street cul-de-sac north ofEl Cajon Boulevard) in the $17,500 class and has drafting board plans for 105 houses at an undisclosed location. He also reported he was building 585 houses in Allied Gardens in conjunction with Allied Contractors, Inc., headed by Martin Bollenbacher of Los Angeles.

1952-1953, there is no City Directory listing for Chris A. or Celia C. Cosgrove.

1953, Frank Carey, Manager, California Building Materials Company, Inc., 6197 University A venue, San Diego

1953-1954, Chris A. Cosgrove, Mount Lemmon, Arizona

1953, La Mesan Mobile Lodge (east of 70th Street, on 7407 Alvarado Road, La Mesa) is constructed by CBM Company and the title lists Chris A. Cosgrove and Celia A. Cosgrove as the owners. 1954-1996, Chris A. Cosgrove (deceased in 1985) and Celia C. Cosgrove (deceased 1996) are listed as residing at the La Mesan Mobile Lodge, 7407 Alvarado Road, La Mesa.

13 1955, 5310 Canterbury Drive, plumbing and gas permits, City of San Diego, Development Services

1971, Nathaniel Ratner, 5310 Canterbury Drive, heating and air conditioning permits

1974, A.O. Reed, electrical permit, 5310 Canterbury Drive, City of San Diego, Development Services

1975, Ratner, Nathaniel N. & Sara D, Ratner California Clothes, r. 5310 Canterbury Drive and Ratner Clothes, 541 Silvergate Avenue

1975, Fleet David G (Louarn) Real Estate, office 3659 Voltaire Street, home 5416 Redding Road

1976, Nathaniel and Sally Ratner (grantors) transferred Lots 254 and 255 to David G. and Louarn Fleet (grantees), Recorded May 10, 1976, File/Page 76-1389-11

1977, David G. Fleet, 5310 Canterbury Drive, gas and plumbing permit, City of San Diego, Development Services

1977, Fleet, David and Louarn J. Retired, 5310 Canterbury Drive

1977, Ratner, Nathaniel N. and Sally D, V. Chairman ofBd, Ratner Corp, 666 Upas St, Apt. 805

1982, David G. Fleet, 5310 Canterbury Drive, water heater permit, City of San Diego, Development Services

1985, Chris A. Cosgrove died on May 28, 1985. Cosgrove planned to move to a custom home in his Alpine subdivision, but died at the La Mesan Mobile Lodge. His estate named Len Fogassey, his bookkeeper and accountant, as executor (San Diego County Recorder's Office, Document Number 1997-0614199) for the estate. Elinor T. Meredith, Esq., of Seltzer, Caplan, Wilkins & McMahon recorded the letters testamentary for Albert Cosgrove, Jr. (Chris A. Cosgrove's brother), Richard Cosgrove (nephew), Thomas Cosgrove (nephew), Freddie Dixon, Manual T. Cano (worked for Chris A. Cosgrove for 45 years), Len Fogassey, Lula M. Martino, Fred Stoops (friend and worker), Preston Chew, Celia C. Cosgrove (wife), Raul Lacarra, Carmen Llanes, Therese Llanes, and Eva Llanes (San Diego County Recorder's Office, Document Number 1986- 0518412, Reel9808), recorded November 12, 1986, image 125, fifteen pages). These documents were not recovered, but they probably would explain Chris A. Cosgrove's real estate development activities following sale of 5310 Canterbury Drive to Nathaniel Ratner.

1989, Louarn J. Fleet (grantor) transferred Lots 254 and 255 to Jeanne Hardy, Recorded August 17, 1989, File/Page 89-44-596

1996, Nathaniel Ratner died on March 5, 1996

1999, Jeanne Hardy (grantor) transferred Lots 254 and 255 to Dale A. and Elizabeth Clegg (present owners), Recorded June 30, 1999, Document 1999-0455815

14 Chris A. Cosgrove

Chris A. Cosgrove was born on December 10, 1899 in Rhode Island, but came to live with relatives in Coronado at age 16. Shortly thereafter, he enlisted in the United States Navy and worked in aviation. His date of service entry is not clear, but the 1930 United States Federal Census and his obituary list him as a Navy veteran ofWorld War I (Figure 8). The exact period of his service is also not known, but there are no City Directory entries for 1916-1922.

In 1922, he married Ruby D. Cosgrove (1930 United States

J\1 '11.JJER Federal Census). They are listed in the 1923 Coronado Directory as a couple residing with Susan W.F. Taylor at 1072 22nd Street. He continued to serve in the aviation wing of the United States Navy until he received a discharge in 1924. It may have been while in military service that Cosgrove learned his carpentry skills. The record is incomplete on this point, but later advertisements indicate he began contracting in the early 1920s.

The 1924 City Directory also lists Ruby D. Cosgrove as a steno for R.C. Wood, a real estate company located at 1009 Orange Avenue in Coronado. She remained in this capacity in 1925, but promoted to clerk. They are listed in the Coronado City Directories for 1925 and 1926 as residing at 852 "C" Street. There are no entries in the 1927 Coronado or San Diego City Directories, but he returned to Coronado to be listed in 1928 as an "architect" residing at 520 "B" Street. He and Ruby are listed in the 1929, 1930, and 1931 City Directories as residing at 420 9th A venue in Coronado.

The 1930 United States Federal Census provides good biographical information on the Cosgroves. He was described as white, head ofhouse, age 30, homeowner of a house valued at $17,500 and owning a radio set. He reported being married at age 22, did not attend any school after 1929, but was able to read and write. His father was of English descent, born in Canada. His mother was born in New Jersey and he came from Rhode Island. He listed his occupation as a contractor in the building industry and as a veteran of the United States Navy with service in World War I. Ruby D. Cosgrove was listed as female, married at age 22, no school since 1929, born in Texas, her father came from Alabama, her mother came from Tennessee and Ruby listed no occupation.

Their marriage seems to have faltered in the 1932-1933 period, as she is listed along with Mrs. Winifred M. Ridgway as co-owner of Ruby-Wyn Shoppe (clothing) at 967 Orange A venue in Coronado. The following year, Chris A. Cosgrove was listed as living alone at 739 "J'' Street and Ruby was at the Monterey Apartments at 858 "D" Street. There was no listing for him in 1935, but he returned in 1936 with a listing as "architect" and residing at 711 "G" Avenue in Coronado. Presumably, his military service prepared him for packing light and ready to relocate often. He was not listed in 1937, but came back in 1938 with a major change in his location.

Chris A. Cosgrove departed the City of Coronado in 1938 and relocated to a small Craftsman style house in a blue-collar neighborhood at 3773 Marlborough Avenue. This area south of University Avenue still retains much of that working class character. He is listed as working at San Diego Building and Remodel Service, Inc. at 2920 El Cajon Boulevard in the City Directory, with T.J. Lourds, President and E.J. Doughty, Vice President advertised as "Builders of Homes."

15 Chris A .. Cosgrove

Chri! A. Caagrove., 85, a piooeer bullder and developer ia the county, who C'UlTeDtly •~ invO'Jved m his third Alpile dert~-di«< ~ - terday in hi! bome at tbe La Mean Mobite-l..ndge. He bad ~nnetJ to live .in ODe of tbe. ~ bomes in the ~ Alpme deve)cpmml ~~_.llec..J O. Jm. in.Nelf_Hamp-- _ ~hire , be came w San Diego in 1916. He !ened in tbe aviatioo wing of tbe U.S. Navy WltH he was 24. While stfU in Naval ~~ . he ha.tr~n ... -" ''" .ia~-- - .lET .,. • Mr. Cosgrove foanded tbe CBM CorpofaUoo. 5e!YiJl& u president of lbe board. He developed much of Ute area east and aoat.b of Umvmity and ;·:COIIifei-jiifDP.i.~ - -- -·-·· ...... Ia 1153 he ~t:loped the La Mesan Mobile Lodge, -east ol 7oth Street oo Highway 3 in the La Mesa area. He made bil own ~ iD !lie pad and UvNI thfre tmttt td8 deiUl. · Darirtl hi! care«. he' tu.Ut more tbaa :S,GOO e111Uxn homes iD Palm ~ RaDc:ao SIDta Fe, Cotoaado, La Jolla, Del Cerro, El Cajon. La ~- MMa-adlllimt l!l!ttx; -- · "l!e !• ~a remarbble; won-- ·-~4erful;'b~Dcw~Uft. . py;_ Sdcllrila- dray of 'Ranc'hq SQta Fe 'IIIDl!Ded up bls dlaracleriz:ltloo Of b1s ~ ftlend. Mr. Cilagrove was a member- G{ St. MarUn's Citbolic Cbun:h. He wa ac· ~ --Ufe~ ·--IIJU •.• ..,,r ,.-,... , iQ. • - -~{A ... ~-« Cum· me.rce and Westa:n Mobile Home Part~U... He is Sllrrived by Ilia wife, Celia Cosgrove.. of La Meta. .

Figure 8. Obituary, Chris A. Cosgrove who died May 28, 1985. The San Diego Union, Wednesday, May 29, 1985. The obituary is incorrect in stating he was born in New Hampshire, as other official documents clearly identify Rhode Island as his place of birth. Compilation of Partial List of Chris A. Cosgrove Construction Prqjects

June 28, 1945 5290 Canterbury Drive (lot 252- owned by Cosgrove- built as a modern ranch style (building permit)) June 28, 1945 5302/06 Canterbury Drive (lot 253- owned by Nathaniel Ratner - Cosgrove pul led building permit - built as a modern ranch style with a brick facade (building permit) (per oral history, Nathaniel Ratner had trouble getting water to this lot and did not occupy the house that was ultimately built there.)

Sept. 6, 1946 Cosgove listed as Contractor who pulled the water permit for the Ken Cinema at 4051 -61 Adams Avenue Sept. 6, 1946 5266 Canterbury Drive (lot 251 -owned by Cosgrove- built as a Colonial style with flagstone facing (building permit)

July 2, 1947 5260 Canterbury Drive (lot 250- owned by Cosgrove- bui lt as a Colonial style (building permit) July 11 , 1947 5250 Canterbury Drive (lot 249 - owned by Cosgrove - built as a modern ranch style (building permit)

March 8, 1948 5269 Canterbury Drive (lot 332 - owned by Cosgrove - built as a modern ranch style with flagstone facade (building permit) March 8, 1948 5275 Canterbury Drive (lot 331 - owned by Showalter - Cosgrove pulled the building permit and built a modern ranch style with flagstone facade (building permit) Sept. 29, 1948 5310 Canterbury Drive (lots 254 & 255) Cosgrove pulled building permit and built mid-century modern ranch with flagstone facade April 1, 1949 * 3361-3-5-7 Strand Way (electrical permit) April 2, 1949 4256 Cartagena Drive, Rolando - Model Home open; 6020 Adams Avenue Cosgrove's Terrace Model Home 810; 933 Catalina Blvd, Point Lorna Manor, Model home Open; Talmadge property 3 bedroom home available April 8, 1949 985 Manor Way (plumbing permit) April 23. 1949 987 Catalina (electrical permit) May 1, 1949 Mt. Helix Rancho, Louise Drive ($20,000 house especially designed under program with government for paraplegic war veterans per SD Union article) May 14, 1949 4245 College Avenue, Rolando (Famous Model 833 Rancho-style) May 14, 1949 933 Catalina, Point Lorna (22 New 2 & 3 bedroom homes, Point Lama Manor Sub­ division (has a Model Home) Aug. 21, 1949 Fletcher Hills, Chris Cosgrove - and R. M . Lieberman, leading race in residential building filling entire blocks with new homes being built for veterans Aug. 30, 1949 Notice of Completion 5310 Canterbury Drive (lots 254 & 255) Sept. 1, 1949 6666 Springfield (electrical permit) Sept. 2, 1949 3636 Loma Way. Point Loma Sept. 10, 1949 * 3237-57 Y2 First; 3625 Loma Way; 3604 Lorna Way (electrical permit) Sept. 14, 1949 3620 Loma Way; 4754 60th (electrical permit) Sept. 20, 1949 Point Loma Manor, Catalina Blvd. & Talbot St.; 2 homes left in Fletcher Hills; 2 bedroom, 2 bath in exclusive College Ave. Tract No 1, corner Cartagena Ave. & Madrid Avenue; 973 Catalina; 4787 Sixtieth (electrical permit) Sept. 21, 1949 1001 Manor Way; 977 Manor Way Sept. 27, 1949 717 Santa Isabel (electrical permit)

Feb. 24,1 952 (FHA) 585 sales units in Lomita Village Feb. 24, 1952 (FHA) 49 sales units in Escondido Feb. 24, 1952 (FHA) 116 rental units for minority groups, at Forty-third St. and Ocean View Blvd.

June 1954 815 Bangor Street. Point Lorna (luxury custom) - referenced in court case

Figure 9. This list of Cosgrove-built properties provides historical context for his activities while he built 5310 Canterbury Drive. It is complied from electrical and plumbing permit notices, newspaper articles, and legal sources and is not an exhaustive list. © 2003 Legacy 106, Inc. The 1939 City Directory lists Cosgrove as a salesman for B.F. Jenkins (Bernard F. Jenkins) at their display house and office at 3540 El Cajon Boulevard. His home was a slightly larger modified bungalow (larger than 3773 Marlborough) at 4180 Cherokee in San Diego. The following year, the City Directory lists Cosgrove as an employee of Jenkins Construction Company and his residence at 4353 51 st Street.

Cosgrove achieved a major turning point in 1941, when the Building and Real Estate section of the January 26, 1941 The San Diego Union announced "Six Building Industry Heads Collaborate In Creation ofNew 'Masterpiece' Home" at 4701 Madison in Talmadge. While the 1941 City Directory listed Cosgrove as a draftsman, the news article listed him as an equal with realtor Guy Lichty, builder B.F. Jenkins, painter and wallpaper hangerS. Robert Frazee, Venetian blind and shade contractor F.C. Gutshall, and Harry Whittemore of Benson Lumber Company. Together, these six men built a showcase Cape Cod style model home, complete with a two car garage, kitchen with all the latest appliances, walls covered in Louisiana cypress planks, sliding glass door to the backyard, and fully furnished rooms that demonstrated how the average person could afford a quality home for only $4,000. The 1941 City Directory listed Cosgrove living at this model home at 4701 Madison (comer of 48th Street & Madison) with his new wife, 'Cath.' At that time, Cosgrove still worked for Jenkins Construction Company. This house still exists today in Talmadge and has recently been renovated (Figure 10).

After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, the only contracting allowed by Federal law was defense contractor or military housing. How the war impacted Cosgrove is not clear, but he is not listed in the 1942 City Directory. He is listed again in 1943, residing at another Cape Cod style house at 4490 Monroe Avenue in San Diego (City Directory 1943). The City Directory reported Cosgrove lived with three different women between 1942 and 1943 at the Monroe address.

At some point during World War II, Cosgrove met Celia Barbachano (Byer), a divorcee who lived at 5289 Canterbury Drive. She came from a distinguished and elite Mexican family famous for many accomplishments, such as building the Hotel Rosarito and developing a radio station in Baja California.

The Barbachano family traveled in high society circles, mingling with Hollywood stars and people famous for their wealth and influence (Thomas 1974). Oral interviews relate a tale that Celia once went out on a date with Clark Gable, but had to be chaperoned to satisfy her parent's concerns (Aladray 2003). Celia's mother, Maria Barbachano, proudly boasted ancestral descent from Juan Ramirez, a Mexican California citizen who owned 5-acres on the famed Olvera Street in Los Angeles (Expediente 1842; Los Angeles Directories 1963; City Directory 1944: Thompson 1974; Cowan 1977; Aladray 2003). Celia's sister Elvira and brothers Manuel and Miguel owned the Barbachano Investment Company, which may have invested with Cosgrove.

By marrying into the Barbachano family, Cosgrove completely changed his economic and social status in San Diego. Celia no doubt introduced him to wealthy people of influence on both sides of the U.S. International Border, who may have opened doors for lucrative land development, co-investment, and custom house-building opportunities. The Cosgroves slipped into the fast lane of parties hosted by both the Mexican elite and the Hollywood movie industry personalities in Los Angeles (Aladray 2003).

Divorce records for each are not available, but it is apparent that by 1944 'celia and Chris Cosgrove had married. Cosgrove apparently quit his position with Jenkins Construction Company some time around 1945 and embarked on his own career in real estate development (City Directories 1945 and 1947). There is no City Directory listing for him in 1946, but collateral

16 BUILDING INDUSTRYHEADS COLLABORATE IN CREATION OF NEW 'MASTERPIECE' HOMf Ancient Cypress From Lowsiana Forms Wails of San Daego Home ...... ,. .

Figure 10. Article reporting six building industry leaders who collaborated to build a Masterpiece home at 4701 Madison Avenue (comer ofMadison and 47th Street) in Talmadge. The building industry leaders are Guy Lichty, Talmadge Park developer; Chris Cosgrove and B. F. Jenkins, Jenkins Construction Co, builders, S. Robert Frazee, Frazee's Sherwin-Williams paint and hnperial wallpaper headquarters; F. C. Gutshall, Venetian blinds and window shades, and Harry Whittemore, manager, Benson Lumber Co. Chris and Celia Cosgrove lived in this home in 1941. The San Diego Union, Sunday, January 26, 1941, Building, Real Estate, Automobiles Section F research shows that he was working in the Kensington area because he obtained water hook-up and sewer permits from the City of San Diego for construction of the Ken Cinema on September 6, 1946. The water bills were to be sent to 5516 Longpre, Hollywood 28, California.

The Ken Cinema on Adams Avenue was one of Cosgrove's most visible commercial construction jobs in post-war Kensington (Building Permits, City of San Diego). It was designed during the war years by Master ArchitectS. Charles Lee (Valentine 1996). He also built the commercial spaces connected to the Ken that run west on Adams A venue to the existing parking lot adjacent to Highway 15. The distinctive outward-pitched flagstone buttresses stand out in an otherwise Spanish Colonial commercial block. Modem remodeling of Ponce's Restaurant and a new three­ story building further east housing Starbucks have adopted flagstone facades to reflect Cosgrove's distinctive work at the Ken Cinema.

By 1947 Cosgrove advertises himself in the City Directory as a builder and general contractor "for more than 20 years." By then he had recorded and developed subdivisions around east San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Point Lorna, and La Mesa. The city directory lists that they had moved to a new house he constructed at 5290 Canterbury Drive and water and sewer permit notices indicate that he had commenced development of more than a dozen custom homes in Kensington Heights, many of which still exhibit flagstone facades on ranch style homes. Some of these homes with addresses on Canterbury Drive include the 5250, 5260, 5266, 5269, and 5275 residences.

A review of plumbing and electrical permits in the The San Diego Union from 1945 through 1950 shows Cosgrove subcontracted plumbing and electrical work for these homes. Ratner Electric wired many of these residences and also furnished lighting fixtures (Figure 11 ). No doubt through this connection Cosgrove met and befriended Nathaniel and Sara Ratner, who lived only a few blocks away at 5049 Hastings in Kensington. The Barbachano family may also have been friends with the Ratners, as Kensington was an intimate community back in those days, and in fact remains so today.

About this time Cosgrove also formed the California Building Material Company (CBM Co), which was located at 6150-6170 University Avenue (Figure 12). This was an impressive operation, which served as his office as well as a large retail furniture and appliance studio, and it too featured his "signature" flagstone which is still visible today. According to the City Directory, he also had small real estate office at 3906 El Cajon Boulevard.

Contemporary builder Raymond Whitwer remembered Cosgrove as 5 '7" tall, slim but average build, auburn hair and about 40 years old when they met in 1946 (Whitwer 2003). He recalled that Cosgrove drove a sports car and had the first radio-telephone (precursor to the 21st century cell phone) that he spoke into while driving. He also marveled at how Cosgrove wrangled lumber for building the Imig Hotel in 1945 when America still was in a wartime moratorium on construction.

Manuel "Manny" Cano, who worked for Cosgrove for 45 years said he was a "good boss and wonderful man, the kind you instantly liked" (Cano 2003). Cano recalled working for Cosgrove on house construction in Escondido, Rancho Santa Fe, National City, El Cajon, and an apartment complex near Rosecrans Street in Point Lorna. Eddie Aladray met Cosgrove in 1969, when the former arrived from Orange County to set up a discount appliance business (ANA Appliance). Aladray and Cosgrove became fast friends and invested in condominiums together. Aladray remembered Cosgrove as a man who enjoyed the company of women and a rounder in the various Mission Valley bars and restaurants during the 1970s and 1980s. In those years, Aladray

17 Figure 11. (Left) Electrical permit issued to Ratner Electric for Chris Cosgrove for 5310 Canterbury Drive, The San Diego Union, August 30, 1949.

(Right) Additional permit pulled for fixtures, an indirect cesspool and septic tank and utilities, The San Diego Union, August, 1949. CHRIS A. COSGROVE REJ\L ESTATE BUILDER LISTINGS COMMERCIAL ,,

INCOME PROPERTIES (I' '~'rt- • RESIDENTIAL

Sl97 University Ave. Talbot 1-S655 'I' ~ !

BUILDERS C- B-M-CO.

LUMBER -HARDWARE- APPLIANCES CUSTOM AND .NEW DRAPERIES- UPHOLSTERY-FURNITURE 6197 UNIVERSITY AVE. TALBOT 1-665S

.Att.ention NON-VETS CHillS A.. CO'S'G••• 'tlltli11lfti'<~ t homn ore tJfij!i'l •tt.••-1 to • ..,.v.._,.,, • cl~ , l" •''r ONLY 'SSO DOWN Balance Like Rent at Only 4ro Interest CAU:. NOW-T·l•SSSS

JCIILOU CHRIS A. COSGBOVE eHO t.lahenlcy A.Yeii~U

Figure 12. Advertisements for Chris A. Cosgrove's business, 1952 City Directory and Advertisement for new Chris A. Cosgrove homes in Fletcher Hills for Non Veterans. Note Cosgrove advertises himself as both a builder and a designer. The San Diego Union, Sunday, September 18, 1949 a-23 and Cosgrove frequented the Butcher Shop and Bocci's and had a grand time relaxing, telling jokes, and talking business.

While Cosgrove's highest achievements were his many custom homes, which included his own home at 5310 Canterbury Drive in Kensington, his "bread and butter" projects were FHA­ designed and funded houses for World War II veterans to occupy when they returned home from the war (Figures 13 and 14). The full extent of Cosgrove's building empire cannot be determined at this time (see Figure 9), but it is clear he built his flagstone fas;ade homes throughout San Diego City and County and beyond, in the communities of Alpine, Mount Helix, Point Lorna, Rancho Santa Fe, Escondido, Los Angeles, Borrego Springs and Palm Springs (Figures 15 and 16).

As fellow home builder Raymond Whitwer put it, in those days the process was much easier, as you could write a building design on a paper napkin, get a government stamp, and get a building permit on the same day and that the FHA funded any builder who would erect their model homes for the 11,000,000 returning service men and women from World War II. All you had to do was fill out two pages of paperwork (Whitwer 2003). Post war "urban planning," therefore, was lucrative and the domain of private builders with the full blessing ofthe City of San Diego.

Cosgrove's FHA houses are distinctive by his lavish use of flagstone masonry, canted-out front windows and wide almost Prairie-style roof eaves. He often preferred to build all of the homes on both sides of a long cul-de-sac. Although the FHA issued guide books with hundreds of home designs, Cosgrove prominently featured the "El Rancho" Model833 and his economy model810 homes (The San Diego Union, 1949) (Figure 17). A windshield survey of FHA neighborhoods built by Cosgrove during this time period reveals that some of these models survived to the present day better than others. His Model 833 houses up on Celia Vista (south of University A venue) have not withstood the test of time very well, but nicer FHA houses at Cosgrove Heights surrounding 60th Street off Adams Avenue north ofEl Cajon Boulevard are in far better condition. Also, a block of Cosgrove-built FHA houses on Malcolm Street and Cartagena in Rolando Uust behind his University Avenue office) are in very good condition. Four blocks of houses in Point Lorna Manor near Fleetridge located between Catalina, Talbot, and Canon on Point Lorna are in relatively good condition too (Figure 18).

An October 22, 1948 The San Diego Union article, "New Kensington Heights Homes Among First in City, Planning Commission Records Disclose," reported this post-war boom. From two building permits in 1944, records showed forty in 1945, fifty-five in 1946, and thirty-nine in 1947. The article went on to describe the new "rambling ranch style" as

... modem with wide roof overhang. Nearly all these homes have large view windows. Some of these houses have flagstone front trim and flagstone entry facings. (Tribune October 22, 1948).

The article identified the new builders as O.D. Arnold, H. S. and Ray Perrigo, R. S. Brock, and Cosgrove. Ofparticular interest:

Cosgrove who had built is home at 5290 Canterbury Drive, sold it to Sailor Main the car dealer, and has started the construction of a $75,000 residence on two lots in the 5300 block on Canterbury (Ibid)

18 Amf'rti'"An llnu tlnt \tu\lrl. nf Many Big Projects " .lin f)lrc "" -IZ ••111- unl1•. '"Park , \'IottA I nt\ 1. f l)tb)' •x1fn.,:o n · ~r "n • ... t I Ro)' t:. Font t~f s.w n .t' .; • I. 1 {,t .ll \ • ~ l nr t~.IIE,. 1 nc1 1.1UIIt\ rf'nlah:. 1111 • ·f'i ~ JUm,,u Slrrttl . •· .. , r .. r !"'=-n t ~, .. ,r•. '"'n "''"" Soon to Be Started 1 f!xpirr• Mnrrh M , •ltll! • . "II., I n ~~ \ l ttca a M l h~t 1 Ch:ttlt>" K Ftrtrhrr ( '\• nf :.;.,u Tract Preparations Progress· · ,,, h.. , m ~-' " p , ,.~.: o . ""\•t:a r "' [)lf"lltft, 4~ T~n tat• '" ;-,q, m.- • • ••u•o·•n .:1 .1Fll,..l F.H.A. Full Allotm;nt list lII PiCh l~ . r tJHrf"• M11rrh II l .t ,,.,,. •• ,,,,11 l l•'llt"• Tn1' nf ~"" • Releas~ i \\'UIIam t\urh,.r "nti t-: t\ramrr Pu·a· •• .1.\L ~:. lto• cu1 l••. ~~ l A ,nt S::.n Dl~eo. 8 rPn l ~lt .•, 721 \ f•·"~ , .. ,.foe I l r•mf" .. , I A ~~~~-l. tJil ':ts t: urJut Aw•. ,.xp1 r,.,., F,.h 27 'II<'\ "' ' """"1n11 £f~n1~ I Construction n•ar cn,h tllto, ~J~optrf'.• Itt und~r WAY nrxt mon h, or, •t 1 0 qtr lalt !l, parly In April. ~:~ ~.:~ld• ol Hlg v.·ay 3\'-1 : Frh 2J!. 64)-day uttnslon ,.-ant . 'SALF.!! AJ.l,OY,(F.)'.'T$ Thlt honma appar~nt lvl ('fillord 0. }loren. ol San 01· I J'.arl ~--~nn. nl Son n.-,n. G 'fHk at tilt nplratlon ot tile lirat •:n. 141 rf'ntal unit~ . At S ixty: j rnr · •~ l~ un i t~ ar 1.1'1A T,r_.nltttJ& M·daY Jl~tnf !'on Mll.'lt or bull4 rental unllo. •• M ano r, L& M•!WI : alrNdy, trom t h• Frdf"nl HouAing Ad· Fnrt \'. ~"'\' f' nlh '"tt M • r k tt I 5lartt'd. I rnln i~ tnulnn . hut to l'llln thf' Sl•.; 0 r 1 g 1n a 1 60·11•Y perl0<1 Sl..,.lr San D~•eo. fX ftn~lon~ . thf"Y wrre ff"<(Uir•d to !XI'IIf"~ Mart"h ~ . hut he hu •l I n ~a lP ! units. It Bay ~.uk VI_,,. 111 Auhrnlt ~~d~n('"f or p rotrrf"~ll nn re•rlY a ppllod lor txten•lon. • ~~~~~.~'n•~~- r~:~~td\ •£•: fill. trort prt'p.trotlonJ and tlnancine Roy W~r1helrner an~ A•;;, BrO()k~ide ln\-~!!>lrn~nt r, . of I TrAm:emf"nt !li. 1 f'iale-t. of Sant a Mon • oni Los AnR:~IH. ·'-' uh""J uniu. •' ThrPe h ullrirr• h~t l.'tt •lrw-sui ~· 1 rt-ntal unUI, In 1300 ~ode d• 1 Hrouk~ld~. th• old l-11 M.-sa 1 11.rtPd 125 unl.. . Olhero Iotti th• &>uth Forty-third St., eo- Yl Counlr)· C lub II[Oir coun:•~ 60-ftav' F .H.A. the•· wero nParlv rrartyJ pPriod txp\re• Marc:h I. txtf'n ~ ,.x 1rn ~ 1nn e:nntf"rt. hut F 11 A As tt14" fi ~adlin• fl:'~Yrl. only &lon appllod t or. ...,.II loan cummHmPnta a.ro.,~y ap- f i~o hutldeu aurr~ndf!' red t hrl r etnu A. c.. grove , ol S.n "" provt'CI aUotmenu . •nrludin& 50 rentaJ!!o •~ro. lUI mUll uniUI lor mlaotlb' .:.;;· ·. . . u o end 105 ..~units . eroupo. u k orty ·thlr~ St. an~ .,..u l• \'o.,a, liOI ul.. unit•. •• Tilts d • v e I o p m • n t woa ••·' ocean VJ•w Blvd.: 30-day extt-n·j · Hunllmrton P • r k All'wmarl,. Carded a,; ftiQ'ntrtr.lllnt by ot)-1 lion rranted. !s t. a nO St-anr,.,.,.. . Dr.; 60-da) aervtra who ,.,.,.uftd th@ na8t"n Burgener and Tavore~. ct l.al; iox••nsto n oront•JoprJ11l J o U.a. 864 rental units. m~t o t 1 \'tmn.2 • nti l .nfrt,c f'n n ~lr urtl nn ov e rsub-~r•bed a 6000-untt quol•. them for Clalrf'mont. but 179 at! r n . nt I.A ,._ ,."~ · 20-' ~lr-!111 unu~ but actually started only aeven Mo~a Blvd. •nd Fif!1d St.; 60- Itt J~mat'h" Rei. • nrt (".uti:U 51., hnu•es. day e xti!nsion ~ranted. r,l). tt;~ y ~ x tttnsmn .:nntM ALl, r&O.li:CT~ U STED BCATTBBED LOCATIONII 1 ;rh~ :~, ~~~:~.• ~ ~ "_:.:·~ ~';;.;. 7~ With tho 1>4'-''"K Ql tM lint 60 S. \'. Hun..,ktr and Son•. 011 C"huto \'lsta; !;('tween Cnrii'W and thf' numtlif'r o t units aHottf'd t o 011~ ~ts. ; 60-day e xt on sl o n. 1 War. H oalu unit• In Imperial! p rojert and the loc-at •on. The.IJI, Uta h Con.<~ ruction Co.. nl Son !S. • • h. 61\Jtoy "'t~n• l nn Rronl~ . 1 follows: I J'randsco. 853 nntal unit~ . a1 I ch n ~ A. c,:u ... ..: P n ~·- or :-;,.n 1"1, Scv•rln D•,·•loptn#nt •. lnr., or. Cl•iremont: original 60 · da Y, J ~ari . 5R.'\ !IA:n \ln11~ In l .nmlt,_ \' 1l· San D'ego. IM rental unata, to; Jll'l'lod "xptnos Morrh 1 I. ! Ia~@ onnal ('lty. third St.; l6l rent•l units ln ; I 61)..do:~y rxiPn ~ion guntl'ff \V•bb and Kn• pp, cf N.-w York ~ -~- =- · - ·· - --:...=..~==- Earl ~'-·~rin. oC ~a n Diftto. • 1 City, doing businf"!ll~ as C\alrf."·) ..:.•l~• uni t~. In ~\ "rl" Ma nor mont Gardt"n Ap~~rtm~nt1 , 11001 Chul11 VIsta, 11nd ll2 'rrn•al unll' L.a. M«-•a ~ alrrndr s l arl~ rrntal unlr•. 1ft M hullt In Clatl'f'·i (Awl~ !'olomou. f"! f San D t ~£n mont 111hdivislon t-ast of U-I Y lnr mlnot11y '"'"P"· anuth •I~• nl Pork VHiac•: 60 day oxtonsion Markf"t ~t . t-etwffn Rnuf'rtan· Ill ut.• SunnTJlope. F.1 rran1H1. 'and Forty·llr.l ~ l• : ,;o ~.,. u u~ll~~~~ CoJnn. alrnrty Jtortl'l\ j tttn~lona rrantl!"rt nn flnlt. twn Jrv 1n .T . 1-\ah,., ot S11 n Oiet~n <'lltlonl 0 . Boron. cl l;•n Dt 3l2 rt" nt ~l unh~. on Dr urkpr\~. :pro)fflJ, Or1«1nal lill.tf•y J>"rl<>rllt M. Morlln, ol San no lrtn. twn r ttn••h•. •I 71~ Bacor­ \tnlh in o.n,. ltt>irhta: ~ay ••·· S:tn f'H,.t:o A ~cn.t"taf "' · l n(' . ~"i2 tf'n.•lnn JrUniM . r-neal unlu . o.t t ' n lv~~lty Av,. . ISt : uplrrs Marrh a. an~ Fl l ty.f' i ~hll\ St.: 60-day u ­ I (. 'olh•lf• ..Ap•rlmpnt.s. l n.- . ~ I l Mt"h ln J . ~f'h r i"W' k . nf F.Jc:on·r : ,flrtll. : i U1lr• unit.. In F..ACOn ttnsrnn .zrantf'd. 'San OIPJ:f). 1ft r?niRI!I, ·•t t '"lliP£ t t1tdn , AA..tf•r f'X" ff'n• lon rnntfld. F'rilz an<1 llow•r•. of Nalional •nd Adrlatde A n•nu P~ . f'1pl rr t ("tt \'. 24 rental unit-. a r Eh:ht· lM"h ·hJoi. Hobort lml>t'rl•l C"n ' •lll0<1at~ N'nth anrl J ~! 1 . tn Na!lona 1 .r.rm nt HobArt Hom••· Chula (" 1 1 ~; thr1r nricmal 60-day period \"1-.1• 1. JOn t..11 1f't unlu In lmPfTlall f'\ p\rt>" Marrh A. _; __ _ fl.. • h . UJ.rlo y ..,~n•l on rrant~ .

Figure 13. Chris Cosgrove is listed having several major San Diego defense housing construction projects receiving 60-day FHA extensions. His properties include 116 rental units for minority groups at 43rd Street and Ocean View Blvd., 585 sales units in Lomita Village and 49 sales units in Escondido. The San Diego Union, February 24, 1952 a-20 HELIX AREA GAl NS LEAD I ~ IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ,'· Construction Activity Revives In Fletcher Hills This Summer

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Figure 14. This article highlights current construction in August, 1949 San Diego Union, August 21, 1949, showing that Chris Cosgrove is in a home-building race in Fletcher Hills, filling entire blocks with new homes. His chief competitor in this area is R. M. Lieberman. Fletcher Hills is listed as the most popular residential choice, along with Mt. Helix. • Qela-111t.,. ... Dt... u .. O&lll.. Sal. AJrU t. 180 " T " " New •••• t)e••&.. edoa 170 COSGROVE'S. B.rand New Homes $6490 On Your Level Lot· . 42H CAaTAG!HA DR., ROLANDO . MODEL home OD611 dlll7 and , eveninl. 1Q &.m. to 9 p.m. 110 ca. rt. floor s&'aee...t be•~t~~~ bome. 52 sold in ;s Dl' - B~l ~lWYJ.r~ALVBI Cosgrove~s Terrace 6020 ADAMS AVS. M'OD!!'L home open at.UY 1 to 8. oomer o1 bvtu and Anams. 40 brand new 3 and J·oee1r09m nomee. over :.to sold -at; present. ume... autrJ. .F.d.A., 0 .1. tl• n.anced. Cosgrove's Pt Lom·a Manor 993 CATALINA BLVD. MODKLt b\fmt OM.D. Cl&llY 1. r,o ~.. .. '' br•n. 4 ne,w JlomM " 1n tJua be&Utllw au.btilvi- aJon.. •lfYU to llo.uuo. ..ar .lf.A. ancl o. L 1manced. CHHlS A. COSGROVE A:._l·5_~ i)~ BUlL.D.Qt T ·l-112f 'fAL!AA.lX.iE sta.o "~ tt. a12laoo a&, • ~.-DOr,ullit7. ncr1f1dDI l·bedroom home. or ~~~orJot c;gua ruotiOD. Con• ~· ac ~,.o.r. T·l·o:.Ol• ._ .. _ ."!"'. _ _.._, -""="'!!~--::rro \ii);LL ~Uil4l•be4room hoUM ot 768 aq: it •nd raran on _y_o\lr levef 1o1 for &5150. W~M. tTea .• W•'l•OSSS. .

Figure 15. Classified Advertisement announcing Cosgrove's New Home Construction with homes featured in Rolando, Cosgrove's Terrace on Adams Avenue, Point Lorna Manor, and Talmadge. The San Diego Union, Saturday, April2, 1949 b-7 Rome• ior Sale '70 Cl:D'UB A. COSGROVE'S NEW HOMES Beauttful Pt. Lorna .._v1anor Cata1ma Bivd. k Talbot 6 2 & J BEDROOM HOM.ES 7 mln~ \H~s from dou.-nto";lo·n noll" und•r cor.structJnn . Starltnll at $10 995 0 r. & ;'-;tln~G . t rtnanced OPEN DAILY. l0-5. SA tten ion Non .... '!e!s Onlv 2 1e(t; In Heaithf':l Countn •.a.tmo!ph+>:-e o: SDac::.ou~ Fletrhrr Hllls. ExclU,.lVrJv !or :-on·n··~ Oni•· $A50 down Pavmr-nr~ : JKI' r~"r.t >4 ·, :Pl:'JA~ClNO Tllesl" a:-e · :-t~l bnr· ~ainsl Call ~m.llH?d1ately tor aovoHH• men~. I;'l col'!le Frooert.,r 2-BEDROOM DUPLF.X btHB and d ecouued U'l ("'QSc- R OV'E'S o : ~· t~~"' . Uve tr.anner Can b!' 0 I f:n&nttd fnr onlv ~Z200 do,..·n. l:-.come ;o-1.1 pay o!f balance. Real Living J·b· drcom 2~1-HHh ~:rh rt•~.:n hPa tni' ar.r.t l.anor:.caoer. CI'Jr.\ ~r.- ten to eve:-·.-thln5r and !n Crr.­ Jil ~ ove·s exc iush~t Cotl!"2e .\Yt' T rAt' l.f'l l. cor:· er or Ca:· a;;:r:--.a Aq~ & :O.!adrid Dr. Chris A. Cosg:-ove Builder For DAILY T-1-5555

-

Figure 16. Classified Advertisement announcing Chris A. Cosgrove's New Homes for Sale with featured homes in Point Lorna Manor, Fletcher Hills, a 2-Bedroom Duplex available as income property in an unspecified location, and a 3-Bedroom Home in Cosgrove's Exclusive College Avenue Tract No.1, The San Diego Union, September 20, 1949 C:lthiA a. C.oMJ MlJ~ ! ;I ~ld . JI AU (IUS I ' I Moi~ OUNC U ! FINAl EL R.\ '-'Cn o \tn n EL .~ n ' .j ,• POPI.Il -'R.- 2 Bedroom Ho•e :J I

Jkultl • " r" NO U4 5: COUIGE AVE. .... o , ••c:Eo s&· OW '1~1.1 4 · ~~:..;':"~ DOWN ._O ----...:>-' I U O IIILT 79 uv t~ lot PAYMENT AND t'IHCU! AT ONL.'I' • • ' h i •~ tr•t >o·' ~ •-llin O~I H UHI CI I L' ~ a , ~ i~ 1 100 C-OMPl- t T£ of t lll ~ tl l>t '1-~ITE PHf ·~ t f '! ~ ·s · · ON tTOI.IIt .0 .,.,., r•a , ln4ur rttOftl t •n Oia ~nll" ~: 'f 4· 9. 0 U V'L l.01" PACKAGE DE ALS 1t !Jl H .:rr. t r'11'1U. Oii iCH~ 1l:1o " "'" Modo I I ll Hl!m• I J I a~ I r ! llo ~t Wll:lnfl ' U~ll C l~nn tHRJS A. COSGROVE I l e i •~ of l'lunlPq * o u "'t • u l ~ ~ u ,ru Ul ~~ ...a lU A•!tla>tq l • u«NIII'IP It I t:-•I!'IDHif• lu1'3lj111tq"; dr.tph , ,.., ~'••tom ~; ow~ ~<~h>r -..,j,~ 1i b.u!lt nil el yolif tr'- r.,.... S: 1" Cf). tiJP ~ tU!Il" ~ YI 1 Ll~l~ m ~op~tr ll• r,.;• lfllld Horrj• J\4lri11J.•r·nt•• fc111 $ ~ .. oo· , by c.tlot c:IJ. f•t '-• eompl•f.- CJ, ----- I I flETCHER IIILLS Cbri~ A. Cosgron ·Build-er , • " "' ...... ' .. .. ~ lo 4 t., 149' 1. ' ·' ttl, ,..,. .. u a ' ••• t" I JU1 1, •., ,

Figure 17. (Left) Advertisement for Chris A. Cosgrove's El Rancho Model 833 2-Bedroom Home, The San Diego Union, May 8, 1949 and (Right) the Model810 2-Bedroom Home, The San Diego Union, April24, 1949 Figure 18. 1-Location of Cosgrove's Point Lorna Manor subdivision with 44 New Homes from $9650.00 to $15,000, FHA and G.l. Financed and a Model Home at 993 Catalina Boulevard 2 - Location of David G. Fleet's exclusive Fleetridge development 3-Location of815 Bangor Street residence which Cosgrove referenced in 1953 as his address for the purposes of litigation related to a plumbing law suit. An aerial photograph of Kensington Heights in 1946-1947 shows a completed house surrounded by piles of used and new lumber (Figure 19). Whitwer noted Cosgrove found used lumber for the "Imig Hotel," which suggests the old lumber stockpiled along Canterbury Drive in this photo may have been reused in construction of at least nine flagstone-faced houses in Kensington (Whitwer 2003). Cano recalled Cosgrove bought the flagstone from La Mesa Stone (Cano 2003).

Another article on May 1, 1949, the same year he built the 5310 Canterbury house, features Chris A. Cosgrove as the contractor for a special $20,000 home on Louise Drive in Mt. Helix Rancho (Figure 20). This home was designed specially for a paraplegic war veteran through a VA program where the government paid half of the cost of the house and a G .I. loan paid the other half. Andrerson Borthwick, who was vice president of the First National Trust & Savings Bank is featured as a co-sponsor of this program, along with representatives of the U.S. Marine Cotps, Veterans' Administration, and V.A. loan guarantee office (The San Diego Union, May 1, 1949).

Cosgrove also advertised his homes at the First Annual National Home Show held from May 15- 22, 1949 (Figure 21). The "San Diego National Home Show" was held in the Electric Building in Balboa Park with much fanfare (The San Diego Union May 15, 1949). Co-sponsored and promoted by The San Diego Union, thousands of people flocked to the exciting event, advertised as having "hundreds of new ideas for your home" and lines were long to tour the completely furnished model home. A full page advertisement in the May 15, 1949 issue of the The San Diego Union invited people to visit the model home loaded with new building materials, new electrical gadgets, labor-saving devices, ideas for outdoor living, and lots of other modern conveniences (Figures 22 and 23). The day earlier, an article promoted "Exposition To Last 8 Days; Thousands Expected to Attend National Home Show's Opening" (The San Diego Union May 14, 1949):

Occupying the center space in the auditorium as one of the featured exhibits is the Cosgrove-built two-bedroom ranch-style home. This dramatic low-cost home will be completely furnished, and the area immediately about the home will be handsomely landscaped.

Even Mayor Harley E. Knox got on board with a city proclamation that designated May 15-22, 1949 as "Home Show Week" in San Diego. He also urged the public to attend "the most lavish display in San Diego's history" (The San Diego Union, May 17, 1949). And they did come. A review in the Union on May 17 said "Thousands Visit Park to See Building, Home Improvement" and:

although large crowds have gathered at every booth, the completely furnished Cosgrove model home has been singled out for particular attention.

Given that the average FHA post-war home built by Cosgrove and other builders in 1949 sold for $5,000, the relative cost of $75,000 to build 5310 Canterbury is enormous for the times. These figures reflect architectural design, engineering, precision concrete work, custom-built cabinetry and masonry work, installation of the pool and tennis court, and perhaps architect's fees. Since he intended to live in the home, he clearly built this house with quality materials to produce one of the best examples ofhis custom work at the time.

The Cosgrove-Ratner House became a center for Cosgrove's family, friends, and business associates to meet and socialize in those early post-war years of 1949 and 1950 (County of San Diego Recorder's Office, Deed Books, Ratner 2003a, b). With its pool, tennis court, rumpus

19 room, and built in movie theatre, the Cos groves' ranch house was the perfect setting for recreation, business meetings, and social interaction. In both formal parties and informal gatherings, guests were able to mingle throughout the house, play pool or sit at the bar, or if they preferred, step through the wide sliding glass doors outside to the pool, tennis courts, or barbeque. The design presented by this home was relaxed and recreation oriented and totally in keeping with ideals promoted by Sunset Magazine for post-war socializing and the highly desirable modem 'California' lifestyle.

Cosgrove apparently spared little expense in construction of his house at 5310 Canterbury Drive. The walls are steel-reinforced cast concrete (Clegg 2003) tied into a steel post and beam roof system that juts out over the western glass wall toward the swimming pool. Current owners Elizabeth and Dale Clegg noted that the ceiling of the roof is oriented perfectly to capture the late afternoon sunlight as it reflects off the pool to form a dazzling display· of shimmering highlights on the living room ceiling on sunny afternoons. (Ibid). Huge 8-foot square glass doors set in wooden frames roll along brass tracks to either side of the back of the house, opening the center wall to afternoon sunlight and Mission Valley breezes (Figure 36).

Tax Assessor records rated the house "above standard" and noted a see-through fireplace and marble tile entry. There are no known photographs of 5310 Canterbury Drive from the Cosgrove era, but Woodrow Ratner recalled installing electrical lights in a mirror above the indoor pool table in the livingroom to the left of the fireplace (Ratner 2003a). Former Cosgrove employee Manny Cano said the "rumpus room" also included the bar (Cano 2003). Seymour Ratner remembered a Catholic chapel and projection room in the livingroom, as well as the reflecting pool-fishpond to the left of the doorway (Ratner 2003b). The projection window still exists in a utility room near the bar. Bill Kenton recalled the fishpond as a fountain that he repaired for the Ratners, but has forgotten the details (Kenton 2003). Seymour Ratner also said Cosgrove had a live-in carpenter who custom-made all the doors, cabinets, and other woodwork in the house (Ratner 2003b) . Cano identified the carpenter as Vernon "Smitty" Smith, who had a long history of working on Cosgrove's housing projects (Cano 2003). Seymour Ratner also noted the swimming pool, tennis court, and cabana were all built by Cosgrove, which the Tax Assessor records confirm with 1949 notation for all these features, as well as describing the "carport" and two-sided fireplace. The carport shifted to a garage when Jean Hardy installed the garage door in the 1980s (Clegg 2003).

During Cosgrove's second year at 5310 Canterbury Drive legal troubles began to plague his company. Both the Federal Housing Administration and Internal Revenue Service captured Cosgrove as part of a larger sweep of FHA investigations across the United States (newspaper accounts). Evidence of his troubles can be found in correspondence to his creditors concerning settlement of the 1954 mechanic's lien filed by De Stout Plumbing.

Cosgrove, along with others in San Diego, was caught up in a massive nationwide Congressional FHA investigation of the building industry and it's association with housing being sold to veterans through the G .I. Bill. These investigations were ongoing in many states in response to a variety of consumer complaints such as overcharging of veterans, faulty construction, and sweetheart arrangements with savings and loan and Veterans Affairs officials and investigators were working their way to San Diego.

In this period, Cosgrove sold 5310 Canterbury Drive and a year later his CBM Company. Friends Nathaniel and Sally Ratner purchased the 5310 Canterbury Drive property, apparently for cash, and moved from their Hastings Drive house to Canterbury Diive in 1951 (Ratner 2004b). Early in 1952, Cosgrove liquidated all ofhis inventory at his CBM Furniture Studio on University Avenue

20 Figure 19. 1- Close up aerial photograph showing site of5310 Canterbury Drive as an empty lot in 1946-1947. 2- On the right is the location of Celia Barbachano Cosgrove's parent's home on the comer of Canterbury Drive and Ridgeway. San Diego Historical Society Research Archives Photographic Collection, Kensington-Talmadge Aerial Looking Northeast. 82:13673-892. . ~IDS SEE START Of VETERAN'S HOME Georgt' rb. Krueger. paralyzed war \'Nrran. 1ttrrt<; f t r<;~ .llfl~rl(> or -\~u·l h ror 111-. fWW hnme on Lpnise Dr.• m Mt. Helix P.,jtncho. Th(> $'2"0,! hn\J."~' , ~·.t:p{· r,;tlly dr>,n;nNi for an ~"'CCtt pa!H ron(mcd r.; a wh!?('l chair. i:-. 1h ~ first :srar:l"i'i undt!r 11. firOCfhlil 111 ':·hich th~ ~o"•cro m~nt pays .hn.lf 1hr. cost of a hnus~ !or nnraplfl~k ''aJ· n• tr>rnn ~ ·~nrl rwanet'S ~h · other ~o percent through t\ G .I. loan. At 1hf' t~rrmon y f'l r" ~" ~Tr.1j f,(•n Leo D. H'-' mle. USMC, Jt'fr; Wllllam E. J3,.t>ra. \'Mt>ran~ · Admlnl~!ra11on rel.iln nl m.ana~r ; Ohar[('S n. Dodge, V ~o\ . loan ~ra.nth officer; And .r

Figure 20. 1 - Chris Cosgrove is featured with Anderson Borthwick, Vice President of the First National Trust & Savings Bank and others who have joined together with the military for a special program to finance homes for paraplegic war veterans. This unique home was located on Louise Drive in Mt. Helix Rancho. The San Diego Union, Sunday, May 1, 1949 a-27. This is the same year that Cosgrove completed his home at 5310 Canterbury Drive. 'J).rptcal 'iew of cronlis streaming lmo Co1:1gro\• model t\0!1'\P 11 the San "Dl go :National Home Shov.. Visitors have throllged the ElectriC' Bullding, &lhoa Par!c, sinec Stthdny•s opening. Show eo11tlnu{$ throua=h ,\fay 2~ . T){)Ors are open ~rom :.! to lO 311 p.m. dtuly.

Figure 21. Chris A. Cosgrove received a great deal of publicity during May, 1949 in the San Diego Union, which prominently featured his Cosgrove-built Model Home. The public lined up eagerly to see the exhibit, and the Home Show was a great success. The San Diego Union, Wednesday, May 18, 1949 a-8 in a massive Blowout Sale, evidenced by a full page advertisement in the The San Diego Union. A second advertisement shows that the store would be closed for a day to replenish the CBM floor inventory to liquidate his stock, and this ad was placed next to an article about the FHA proceedings in Los Angeles which were wrapping up by that time (Figure 25).

Cosgrove was not involved in any faulty construction, but he was eventually tried and convicted before Judge Jacob Weinberger for having a Veterans Administration officer as part of his company, apparently in an effort to expedite the G.l. loans on Cosgrove homes. He also was slapped with back taxes and his troubles with the IRS would not settle out until the early 1960s. The court-imposed a $10,000 fme and although he was convicted, the court was clearly lenient with him, giving him time to set his affairs in order and then drive by himself to Flagstaff, Arizona to turn himself in to serve a one-year sentence in the Mount Lemmon federal prison camp. (The San Diego Union April28, 1953 a-6 and).

Although the conviction and liquidation of his CBM company was clearly a setback in 1952, Cosgrove seems to have been busy reinventing himself for while he was getting his affairs in order and closing out his CBM assets, he and Celia may have resided at one of his most luxurious homes located at 815 Bangor Street in Point Lorna (Credit Bureau of San Diego vs. Chris Cosgrove, Case No. 191780, August 13, 1952 Invoice). He was also channeling his energies into two new ventures, the La Mesan Lodge Mobile Home Park at 7407 Alvarado Road, La Mesa, California where he would live in later years, and a new corporation with three Los Angeles investors through the newly formed "Chris A. Cosgrove, Builder, Hidden Valley Estates" corporate entity (Figure 26).

Cosgrove's connection to the elegant 815 Bangor Street house is a mystery in this time of his life. A drive-by windshield inspection revealed many similarities with the 5310 Canterbury property. It is also a ranch style design, with the front door handle centered with the same hardware as found on several interior doors found at 5310 Canterbury Drive. The entire fa9ade is a spectacular flagstone masonry display and the garage door is identical to two-car garage doors observed on Cosgrove-built homes in Kensington. A review of the City of San Diego water and sewer permits lists Arnie K. and Anna M. Strom as the owners, who transferred title to Beverly Barrett Rosenberg in 1952. It is possible that Cosgrove built the house for the Stroms and then rented it from Rosenberg some time after he left 5310 Canterbury Drive. Cosgrove's association with this Point Lorna property is beyond the scope of this study, and it remains a tantalizing mystery for possible future investigation as to how it relates to his portfolio of high-end home construction in San Diego.

After his release from Mount Lemmon in 1954, Chris and Celia Cosgrove seem to have relocated all their belongings to an apartment in the La Mesan Lodge Mobile Home Park (City Directory 1954; Aladray 2003; Stoops 2003). By 1964 Cosgrove lists himself as a draftsman and building contractor with the Alvarado Drafting Service at the La Mesan Lodge Mobile Home Park address. Luis M. Orranta and George T. Felix also seem to be associated with this venture, picking up where he left off before his Mt. Lemmon experience. (San Diego Union-Tribune March 16, 2002; La Mesa City Directory 1954). Tax troubles haunted both Cosgroves for another decade, until lawyers reached a settlement with the IRS for $30,000.00 (The San Diego Union October 26, 1961).

By all accounts, the Cosgroves found a gold mine in the La Mesan Lodge Mobile Home Park (Fogassey 2003; Cano 2003; Stoops 2003). This lucrative operation may have been duplicated at the Salton Sea and Palm Springs, as Cano implied that there might be more Cosgrove mobile home parks in those areas. (Cano 2003; Aladray 2003) During the 1970s-1990s, a phenomenon

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Figure 24. In 1952 Chris A. Cosgrove was involved with Congressional investigators regarding the entire FHANeterans G.l. home loan program and process in San Diego. The specifics of the investigation into his company are not known, but in 1952 he took out full page advertisement for a complete liquidation sale for all of his CBM Furniture Studio inventory to close his business on University A venue. This is one of several advertisements that appeared in this time period. The San Diego Union, Sunday, March 30, 1952 a-28 ~~;,~=~ ~~.w THE SAl Ol~tO UlfiOII ,...- ..--· . "___ .,.. ... __ Hundreds Panic :In Subway Mishap '.;. -. 'rru· .-.J·f"1 : r r "' ~ or1 ""t"'."' r...... ,.,..rM ;f-"d 1~ • I hj;o II Tli4l"'l Jtt".f" v~rat.. ,..,. r.ur l""!··~J"''f'\..'"1, ,. •q J l'~~· Ll' r r-.tr-; ""\ f'!'l"'h -t't I~ lt..tl"' "'\\l· ..n t:":tl trd:n l M.tt. r""· ' ~~~n:~' ~'::~:··t~~a) ~'; '!;,:-t~~~:~~:· ~t. '"•'rr '•~ 1 rr;a~h •• H •-.ct 1!r 1 • .1' J.'lth'"~' J:-ut!llf't f '1 mt:Hrr tnt. tu~l• ~-- It"' tt( tn L" 1•' tt1,., r•t.. r1M r.r ,t .,...l\> tttn.:lk!i .'\! ~t.i'l' -fl;"!Jrtia::-'-l,.,t It• .. I",_. l l lf"1 ~tot•tl'-1 .... n Mdl"'t'llt jtsrt1J!" • • J.4""' tl&!l'IU l.h¢ tf'lt ,., .., n-!·J•• .., ..;t- ,...... ,.. ~ '1'1" r... ,.ftl ,:bt .. r ~ 1,. ;r ~!., ,.,.,., n,,.,.r It ' n-•~ -.Pu~rrr·•""' I ., ·' # ~ 1:')1~ "'f\ • !)JI~ -~ H. ·• " ' ._ ,,.. '·t~r'!,-.TPL~ ~.... -r,. 1..1-"t t r tttl r • nt Tl,. '\U..ll "TA'!Jl£D' •t "'-'-. fu 7':r.~ •a"' ~·~• ._. ... !~ l t-rol(4" • y.; i:t1 '"' a n11 1.~ , ...... v•t•rrt tn .. ,,. l.~~ 'o~.ot • f ,,.,,.., f"' 1N

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Figure 25. Chris A. Cosgrove advertised a one-day closure for his CBM Studio liquidation sale to replenish the inventory on his showroom floor. The advertisement is positioned next to an article update on the G.l. Housing probe, where a federal grand jury in Los Angeles received testimony from 12 witnesses. The San Diego Union, April3, 1952 FlLEO .. ,...... , ...... ,,.t..... --~"'*~lr.---

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Figure 26. Articles of Corporation of Chris A. Cosgrove, Builder, Hidden Valley Corporation filed with the Secretary of State, California, March 3, 1952. Subsequent pages list 3 directors, Perry Bertram, Constance Swatsley and Marie Byrer all of 215 West 7 th Street, Los Angeles. ' ' known as "Snow Birds" descended upon warm weather places in California, as thousands of motor homes sought overnight hookups to escape brutal winter weather across America. National trailer park chains like Thousand Trails Campgrounds and Outdoor Adventures even sold time­ shares to accommodate the crowds. The Cosgroves were positioned to receive a great deal of business during that period.

Toward the end ofhis life, Cosgrove developed three subdivisions in Alpine (obituary, Figure 8). A Notice of Completion recorded Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove for home construction along Victoria Park Terrace in Alpine on August 21, 1984 (County of San Diego Recorder's Office, Document Number 1984-0318540, Reel8719, Image 1214). These lots are located north of Interstate 8 and off Tavern Road at the base ofViejas Mountain. The unsold lots and houses were held by the Cosgroves and ultimately distributed as items in their estate.

By the 1970s, all the original members of the Barbachano family associated with the Rosarito Hotel had passed away and their investment company passed into unknown hands. The Cosgroves slowed down to life in the mobile home park and subsequent real estate investments. Eddie Aladray recalled many a good party down by the pool with catered food and alcohol, but the social circle shifted from the City of San Diego to the City of La Mesa (The San Diego Union March 26, 2002; Aladray 2003).

By the 1980s, the fate of Cosgrove's earlier building corporations and operations is vague. He may have turned more of the building operations over to architects George Felix and Howard Mueller. Mueller's brother, Albert, also an architect, may have become involved in their projects. Locally in La Mesa, Felix is credited with designing and building the multi-story Allied Plaza on Alvarado Road. It is not clear to what extent or for how long Cosgrove was associated with Felix's business, but the La Mesa City Directory provides clues for future research. Cosgrove died on May 28, 1985 in his home at the La Mesan Mobile Lodge, leaving the bulk of his estate to Celia and the rest divided between his brother Albert, nephews Richard and Thomas Cosgrove, and eleven friends and relatives.

Celia Barbachano Cosgrove

Celia and Chris Cosgrove proved to be a formidable pioneer couple in mid 20th century post war urban land development. Their merged resources and his knowledge of FHA subdivision and custom home building enabled them to acquire hundreds of lots and parcels of land to develop thousands of ranch style homes from San Diego to Los Angeles and Palm Springs. To this date, there is no single accounting of their accomplishments and until now their contributions to San Diego's development have been relatively unknown.

Manuel A. and Maria A. Barbachano gave birth to Celia Barbachano in Baja California, Mexico on February 17, 1909 (Ancestry.com). They were married on May 16, 1888 at San Pedro Palominas, Sonora, Mexico and Maria gave birth to ten children (The San Diego Union May 15, 1938). Manuel A. Barbachano was born in 1808, educated in Mexico, and served as collector of customs for thirty-five years, including twelve years in Tijuana. His father, Miguel Barbachano Tarrazo, served Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana as governor of Yucatan and later as cabinet member. Maria A. Ramirez Barbachano inherited Juan R. Ramirez' Mexican Land grant to a small part of downtown Los Angeles on Olvera Street, before marrying Manuel Barbachano. Celia's siblings included Rubens, Manuel P., Aria, Carmen, Guadalupe, Elvira, Lucia, Miguel and Enrique Barbachano (Figure 27).

22 Figure 27. Two articles in the society column featuring the 50th wedding anniversary of Celia Barbachano Cosgrove's parents, giving details of the family and their contributions to the community. The San Diego Union, May 15, 1938 The Barbachano family focused their fmancial empire south in Mexico in 1928, but had moved to San Diego in 1903 to be near Celia's mother's family in Los Angeles (The San Diego Union May 15, 1938; Thompson 1974). Celia's brothers Manuel P. Barbachano served as president and Rubin as Vice President of Border Electric and Telephone Company from his Tijuana office (Thompson; Evening Tribune May 15, 1938; Figure 29).

He built the Tijuana-Ensenada Highway, a large radio station at the Rosarito Beach Country Club, and the Rosarito Beach Hotel. Manuel P. Barbachano and their sister Elvira developed Rosarito Beach in 1933 and promoted American tourism in this city during American Prohibition, which attracted famous Hollywood actors and producers. The hotel sported the Beachcomber Bar, Long Bar, Aztec Bar and an Olympic-sized swimming pool in 1940 (Thompson 1974). Aztec and Mayan-influenced art decorations accent the hotel. They commissioned Matias Santoya in 1937 to paint the lobby murals and imported special lamps from Spain.

They also created the Barbachano Investment Company, which Elvira's daughter Marirose and son-in-law, Howard Mueller, managed in San Diego. When Manuel P. Barbachano died in 1954, his wife, Maria Luisa Chavert de Barbachano and Elvira assumed control of the fmancial empire (Thompson 1974:3). If Celia had a direct role in these enterprises it is not documented at this time and can only be inferred.

The Rosarito Hotel became the center for much of the Barbachano family investments and social activities through the World War II era. Mexican Presidents Aleman and Lopez Mateos, General Trujillo of the Dominican Republic, and most of the governors of Mexico stayed at the hotel and partied with Hollywood celebrities. These included Rita Hayworth, Clark Gable, Orson Wells, Peter Lorre, Myrna Loy, Lana Turner, Gene Tierney, and Vincent Price (Thompson 1974:7; Aladray 2003).

The parties at the Rosarito Hotel swung into full gear from 1937 to 1944, which coincides with Cosgrove's transformation from a small contractor to major land developer and designer of high quality custom homes. The marriage ofBurgess Meredith and Paulette Goddard is one of the Rosarito Hotel events that made the wire services and captured the imagination of the public. Another big splash was the visit of Ali Kahn, who brought an entire retinue of cooks and servants to prepare food in the manner prescribed by Moslem religion. King Farouk and the sister of the Shaw of Iran also guested at the hotel during those halcyon days. The Barbachano family itself continues to be involved in underwriting Mexican movie productions in Mexico City and Baja California, even to this day (Anderson 2003). Manuel Barbachano, grandson ofManuel P. Barbachano, is a well-known actor. Miguel Barbachano Ponce, Manuel Barbachano Ponce, Carlos J. Barbachano, Pablo Barbachano, and Francisco Barbachano are directors, writers, and producers in this modem industry. According to Aladray, Errol Flynn counted Cosgrove among his drinking buddies (Aladray 2003).

Celia Barbachano grew up around the Rosarito Hotel with her sisters, brothers, aunts, and uncles and was by all accounts a beautiful woman, even in later years (Aladray 2003). In 1932, she attracted the notice of C.L. Byers, City Attorney for the City of San Diego, who had previously divorced his wife, leaving his two children in her care. It is not known how they met, but soon thereafter he and Celia Barbachano married. These must have been difficult years for the couple, for three years later the Superior Court convicted Byers of misusing city travel money for personal purposes and he lost his job after an unsuccessful appeal (The San Diego Union August 3, 1936). Not long thereafter, Celia divorced Byers and returned to live at 5289 Canterbury Drive with her parents. Her newfound freedom coincided with the truly exciting period when

23 Hollywood actors, directors, and producers drove south from Los Angeles to relax and party at Rosarito Beach.

Celia's parents, Manuel and Maria Barbachano, lived at the family home on the southeast corner of Ridgeway and Canterbury since 1929 and remained there until their deaths (City Directories; Neely 2003). Family friend Eddie Aladray reminisced that Celia was "descended from Mexican Royalty," a social air Celia projected to those around her (Aladray 2003). However, the young Barbachano girls had a wild reputation that raised the eyebrows of the other elite and conservative Mexican American families of their class, and their children were advised not to associate with girls of this notorious family (Neely 2003). Cosgrove, on the other hand, apparently found Celia's beauty and the lively Barbachanos to his liking and he married Celia and they moved into his Monroe Street rental in 1944. Almost immediately thereafter Cosgrove began building projects in Kensington such as the home at 5290 Canterbury Drive, very near Celia's family home on the corner at Ridgeway and Canterbury (City Directory 1944; 1945).

Although gambling has been illegal in Baja California since the 1930s (The San Diego Union July 1, 1959), a group of Chicago racketeers called the "Pan American Club" leased the Rosarito Hotel and an adjacent house from Maria Barbachano under false pretenses. These people hired Clover Club manager Eddie Neilus away from his lucrative Sunset Strip operation in Los Angeles to staff and run the gaming tables for the Pan American Club in the house next to the Rosarito Hotel (Vietor 1959:47). None of the Barbachano employees worked at the "Rosarito Beach Sporting Club," which connected to the hotel through a corridor. Access could only be made if a person bought a membership card. Craps tables were the only game, but patrons could drink and party at the hotel and drop into the game rooms at will. However, on January 25, 1959, Interior Ministry Chief Gustavo Diaz Ordaz directed the Mexican Army to raid the Rosarito Hotel in what was certainly a spectacular show of torce by dozens of regular soldiers armed with machine guns and armored vehicles. The soldiers used axes to break down the doors and fired shots into the ceiling. Forty-three of the patrons and eight Mexicans were arrested and trucked off to the Tijuana jail, stripped to their underwear, and slapped with heavy bail for release (May 1959). Many who finally gained release never returned to the Rosarito Hotel, which the Interior Ministry closed with official seals across the doors.

Although Governor Esquivel of Baja California arranged for the Hotel Rosarito to reopen in 1960, none of the Hollywood celebrities returned to the intensity level of the 1940s (The San Diego Union May 29, 1960). The Barbachanos themselves invested in the Mexican movie industry in Mexico City and Baja California and still produce films shown in local theaters from Tijuana to La Paz (Anderson 2003; http://us.imdb.com/Find).

Celia Barbachano Cosgrove slipped into relative obscurity in the 1970s. She and Chris Cosgrove lived in an apartment they built at the La Mesan Mobile Home and Cosgrove continued to design subdivisions in various communities in apparent connection with builder George Felix. After Cosgrove passed away, Celia sold the lodge and most of their holdings were passed on to his fourteen heirs (County of San Diego, Grantor/Grantee Index). The La Mesan Mobile Lodge passed on to other hands and Celia relocated to Alpine until her death on March 6, 1996 at the age of 87 (The San Diego Union March 8, 1996) and interment at Holy Cross Mausoleum (Figures 28 and 29).

24 DEATH AND FUN E Figure 28. Obituary for Celia Barbachano Cosgrove who died March 6, 1996. COSGROVE The San Diego Union, March 8, 1996 Ctlio Sorbocnol'lO. 87. ot Ato lne. oleo Moren 6. 1996 Member of ororne.n v.onet>r •ornll't' ,rom 8010. CA MexiCO. SurvJvetl b·,. a saster Elvlro 6 . Solozor. 0 OOddr~¥et Jf' our l')eorr& VisHaUoo MOfldov l rom 5 to s p.m v;nn RO$orv ot 1 P.m. Q1< 0-oodbody M«tuorv Fun~ro l M(W T~Y ot ttoly Cr.o.s Muuw! ... l.lm ChctP41 a1 11 .noon fOHO\I./4!'0 bY Entombment. Oonotlont mo v w tl"l(J(}e •o Mr I'I.Ome to 1Jll! American t.unt Assoclo1loo OOOQIO Y MOR,TVA! Y 5!NZ~

BARBACHANO E I•Jt ro tong:un;; PH)n~N·rr::s Ot>~"~ ' ?1 T ii JOt'::J, Figure 29. Obituary for Elvira Barbachano, 5via Cali1onua. Wl'll)!.t:: It/~ toucrea sc rr:arw t:ln Celia Cosgrove's sister, who died December l" t1 lh !ltdt:s 01 fh- !Jur ou tli~Cl Sal wrdc•, C't>':t:"l1bi"f ')}, 1~7 •1'1 - ,l.CIH), Ol if'1FJ OO~; Ol -.;­ 27, 1997. This obituary gives an excellent ~.Jtrl o Mom;PI cnc::: ,V\m o Lu,sc 8o··occ1~nu 111 (t d"'uohvc. MtJ;.,JCO .:1 'lir lU"'"I 1 1 tile cen·u~•, account of the accomplishments of Celia's !)r,t- moved 10 fhrs or~o l.lS on wrnrtl , .,., r•~?o h~ immediate family. The San Diego Union, ·c·11 ,. was or-oo11H ec C1 !;' o~ lmmtqro•icn or.o December 1997 (~_·::;toms ct i uvono, wrucr. w::s ner home tar it·:; r~s: ot her lue ~~ on ec·fy oge, E v1ro o"'r'1or.s.troref.f on er.or~cc; ~ c~ noclty tor ·wen onLJ t:t •J'"'I~Jprmmt. She ·.va:: fn~trur'I'Hm t al in !!S1onlishmg ihe vtlit ' •e$ end rauris1 husme£ses n 5otil (clifcmin. ")urrr1g 1h!l 1920's, sMr JllO rh. r ola~r orolhcr •\1\anuel ·ormeo 111• core·" Elt:c:nc onct Tt:I'!P'iCP1e' Corn <.:ni:!i P~""'""a'ng 'ht< R£"J'cn ct 3c•c ~·. •th hose ~e,..••Ce;. ct•c es l r.:UirStl111ct me ·~ur·cor ur"' l::ir H•t.. tJr.:.:~:n , ;mpanil!:: anc th(' ~1lr '.;nl llt:cl ttl 91ov. ro mu. !:~Cil •11 ' IllS ar~c !:l.:rc Por~uCt'h.Jr1G- 'NOS cl~r; tn.l•.,..e m•n ht?r brOltlt'·s M0n1.w' em: :il'dSl ~;: • it1 It!!• ~or t>,· oevel.,;a;rn~nr o· 1oor ~m ana ..,.,.IJi ;; POW tNt? C , • .,. 01 Ro",n! i ·o ~-;,_ r orclh+!r !J\othJr:' !;J.uit on• o~·.·~loc:!?1.11n t: ;;:~ .. :-:n•o Sea:., H<.• ~ :• ~;~u" or.cnmc; :tw c•.ors 1 ·cur :;rr: tnto So1.:; 1_~11 Ji0l nic 7., •Jull ltl~ eortac:-~al"' '""e· ·m~ttl Cu. :. · .- n cortlc~ncno con 111"1"Je•j ·o :;c 01t clty '1"''-'' it! 1r1 o•her ur~or1 ' ' v~rc :n~nts m 3c,u !:I"' 'l ~ Jroo~t·c · .c ·:!:"' ~J1::llll~ b•, Gil CS D onrq OWi ;r!W!n'lr!.clfCd l)v ltt:r IOfntiV rc r ht?' ~rr..:n9111, Ntl. •;>>.?O€ruSI I "' C•,V(Ot;;l~ C:nd (fJr1'1PC~~~on !Q •' :: I 6t?lrv~CI M l') ll'h;r. •=-·arlt:rnomer JtiO nrr;o'.l· on:::ncmo rn~r . El\1·c _w·cr.r.:tr•nr J:, swr.1v••U I.Y IJr: " cCOJJgn•~;" l.'unnJS'? ,·/q;•..>'H:r' u:;t;f t ,;. r son·ln-l.:w. -c·.·.orc ~. M~;tdl~ cr Lo :"-::!:o; tr .:.• ~"o!'lc.h:nJior<>n, - Lrdic A, oa<'n o· c ' ' 'lr.!lC. :::~·. Diorm~ M. ·:.:u~ r.; tc1·•:sour, (.:.. 1-H''""L:r~: \'• ,ell.:-- t1 01 Scr r ·•-qu. cli1C E"'i~ 0 A\ ell~r P~r·. • r • M·nl1t!U,~o t s i\MJ rn:r nol g ~eat srondr.r'.lltlr··rL fnC!IJOinq r., ErtCl'l A rc~on or =~co n djc : o, one L!i Qreat·SJfi;:Ci grcnctCtHia·en ~so lol•o·.vec nv -=~ '"mt)r<) .r • a~ HolY Crc~.) Mo u ~oleum OortoH,nS nay De mode '0 s· v.n<:enf Ce PO'JI - !lthe,. .Jo.; C.orroll l •.• r 1h· />S:aOChl! lvfl ci Cu'"'

Chris and Celia Cosgrove were friends with both the electric and clothing branches of the Ratner family in San Diego. They subcontracted with Ratner Electric to wire and furnish hundreds of FHA houses through San Diego County and most likely invited them over for parties at 5310 Canterbury Drive (Ratner 2003b) (Figure 30). Through this connection, they may have met Nathaniel and Sally Ratner, who lived a few blocks southeast at 5049 Hastings Road. Seymour Ratner recalled that his aunt and uncle had been searching for a suitable house on Canterbury Drive and, when offered 5310 Canterbury Drive, they paid cash for the property (Ratner 2003b).

A San Diego Historical Society Oral History of Nathaniel Ratner's brother Abraham provides some of the best first hand history of this interesting family. Abraham and Nathaniel's father Isaac Ratner emigrated from Slonim, Russia to New York City, New York and received citizenship on May 17, 1897 (Ratner 1987:1 ). Their mother Milly Zimmerman emigrated from Moscow, Russia and the two met in New York. Together, they operated a small hat factory and lived in Greenwich Village. While there, Esther, Diane, Abraham, Nathaniel, and Marco Ratner were born and grew up working either in the family business and odd jobs. The whole family relocated to San Diego in 1915 to visit Milly's brother Marco Zimmerman who had changed his name to "Marco Zim." Zim was a sculptor who worked at the California-Panama Exposition and Isaac and Milly had planned to also fmd work in Los Angeles, but when they visited Samuel Fox of Lion Clothing Company, Fox helped them purchase the Selvitz Hat Factory at 524 "F" Street and open their own shop in 1921 (The San Diego Union March 10, 1971).

Marco Ratner learned the electrician trade and opened a store manufacturing electrical fixtures for retail sales. At times, he employed his brother, Abraham, who later worked for Southern Electric. In those early years, Ratner Electric wired and outfitted the Mission Beach Plunge and casino dance hall, Scripps Clinic, and the original Bank of America (Ratner 1987:6-7). Marco expanded this business from custom homes to FHA housing projects through the 1930s, wartime, and post-war era. Cosgrove was one ofhis frequent clients. Various Ratner family members worked for Ratner Electric as well as the clothing industry. Marco operated Ratner Electric for 52-years and then passed the company to his two sons, Woodrow and Seymour (The San Diego Union June 6, 1970; San Diego Tribune June 28, 1970). Both Woodrow and Seymour recall visiting 5310 Canterbury Drive when the Cosgroves owned it and acknowledged Nathaniel Ratner and Cosgrove were friends. Woodrow remembered installing electrical lights in or under a mirrored ceiling placed over the pool table in the sunken part of the Cosgrove's living room.

Seymour Ratner further recalled that Nathaniel Ratner did not like the reflecting pool-fishpond by the front door and hired laborers to remove the exterior portion. Engineer Bill Kenton recalled working on the fountain, which Ratner told him Lloyd Ruocco designed along with the house (Kenton 2003). Presumably, the now-dry indoor fountain is a remnant of the reflecting pool­ fishpond.

When hats fell out of favor, the Ratners began producing United States Navy uniforms and tailor made uniforms. During World War IT, they shifted to producing flannel and tweed pants and then sport coats. They relocated to two-story warehouse at 561 "F" Street, expanded staff, and Nathaniel became business manager and Abraham the chief executive officer. During the war years, they kept up increasing production during material shortages by purchasing remnants from New York factories. They developed an industry producing officer's caps with hand-woven insignia until they linked up with Balfour & Company ofMassachusetts and began producing stamped gold insignia (Ratner 1987:16).

25 RATNER ELECTRIC

itt~ Fill h Al 'li"., tw>t Wf"('n l': li f' TPif'phon«- 1-'ranklln S).fit~~

Figure 30. Advertisement for Ratner Electric in the Sunday, August 21 , 1949 edition of The San Diego Union

. 1 ~

RATNER Nott;onie-1 tfiect March S. 1996. Son 01 the tate lsoac ond Millie Rotner. Beloved liusDund of the lore ~o1 o B~ntsldn CSolly ) RoH~~r Loving fother of Dr. Lawrence Stanley Ro ner, Harry and N,orCio Ro1ner. Devoted grondfother to Rachel ClOd Willion1 Ra ner, Mimi Ratner l~~id· d1eton. MoroJisso Rorner Vossoug)1i, Morris. Down Millie CH'Id J ul 1e Romer. P(OUd greot grondfother of Emma Soro. He was a mon of thcrocter strength, d19ni1 v ond t1umility. Pr~­ ceded in oeath b · h1s five sis1ers cmo broThers Morea, Abraham~ Dione, Es1her ond Jul1a. Ser· vices Fri. 11 a.m. Greenwood Mortuary. En· fombmen1 Greenwood Sholom Mausoleum. GRE ENWOOD MORT'UARY 264-3131

Figure 31 . Obituary for Nathaniel Ratner who died March 5, 1996. The San Diego Union, March 7, 1996 After World War II, the Ratners shifted back to producing slacks for Lion Clothing, Worth's Clothing, Jacobsen's, and chain outlets. They began expanding markets outside San Diego in the 1930s, when Abraham drove in a small Ford to reach stores in El Centro, Brawley, and Calexico, California and Yuma and Phoenix, Arizona. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Ratners began making clothing for Sears and Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, Penny's, Robinson's, Broadway and simply added the labels. When Abraham's son-in-law Stan Foster joined the firm, he added the "Hang 10" label as well. They hired representatives to handle their overseas sales during that period and sold clothing in Japan and Canada.

Essentially, Abraham and Nathaniel Ratner built Ratner Corporation to an enormously successful enterprise in San Diego and expanded nation-wide (Evening Tribune March 10, 1971; San Diego Jewish Heritage, Friday, November 21, 1986). At their height, the company employed 2,800 people and operated plants in San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City. To celebrate their 50th year in the clothing industry, the Evening Tribune wrote, "Ratner Celebrates Independence; Menswear Firm Marks 50th Year" (Evening Tribune March 10, 1971; In 197 5, San Diego Magazine named Abraham Ratner, "Industrialist of theYear" (San Diego Union Tribune December 21, 1992) as a gauge of the importance Ratner Corporation held in San Diego. Abraham died in 1992 and Nathaniel followed in 1996 (Social Security Death Index, March 5, 1996). By 1971, Ratner Corporation ranked 7th largest clothing manufacturer in the United States (Evening Tribune 1971 ).

The Ratners entertained guests at barbeques and receptions at 5310 Canterbury Drive during their tenure from 1951 to 1976. Abraham's daughter Pauline married Stanley Foster, a furniture store manager from Portland, Oregon. He swiftly rose in the corporate ranks and by 1971 served as president with Abraham and Nathaniel Ratner as co-chairs of the board of directors (Evening Tribune 197 1).

Shortly after moving into 5310 Canterbury Drive, Nathaniel hired contractors to remove the outdoor portion of the reflecting pooVfish pond (Ratner 2003b) . Seymour Ratner recalled the indoor portion remained. This would be the fountain that Bill Kenton recalled working on in the house (Kenton 2003). There is no evidence the Ratner family made substantial changes to the house during their twenty-five year tenure (Figure 31 ).

David Girton and Louarn Fleet

The Ratner family sold 5310 Canterbury Drive to David G. and Louam Fleet on May 10, 1976. The Fleets relocated from their 1960s Alvarado Estates home to Canterbury Drive in Kensington Heights after retiring from multiple careers in aviation, real estate development, and property management (The San Diego Union April25, 1991; San Diego Tribune April5, 1991).

Reuben Hollis and Elizabeth Girton Fleet bore David Girton Fleet in 1911 at Montesano, Washington (Ibid). Reuben was born in that city on March 6, 1887 and developed an interest in aviation that would help propel his family to the highest social standing in the City of San Diego by the 1940s. David grew up in his father's shadow and rose to become a leader in his own right.

Reuben H. Fleet entered Culver Military Academy in 1906 and then joined the National Guard (http://www.aeroflles.com/bio f.html). After flying in a sea plane in 1914, the National Guard sent him to North Island, San Diego to become Military Aviator #74. During the Mexican Insurrection of 1911, Captain Fleet served Brigadier General Tasker H. Bliss of the 29th and 30th Infantry patrolling along the border across from Tijuana (The San Diego Union November 11, 1975). He then promoted to major and served as executive officer for flight training, Signal Corps

26 in Washington, D.C. during World War I. Colonel Hemy H. Arnold assigned Major Reuben H. Fleet to supervise the Air Mail Service of the Postal Office Department in May 1918 and then to overseas war duty (The San Diego Union November 11, 1975). President Woodrow Wilson honored him at a May 14, 1918 ceremony to dedicate airmail service (San Diego Tribune May 11, 1968). Back in the states, Major Fleet assumed command of McCook Field, Engineering Division, where he remained until he resigned in November 1922.

As a civilian, Major Fleet accepted a position as genera] manager of Gallaudet Aircraft Company and then moved on to form his own company, Consolidated Aircraft Corporation on May 29, 1923 (Ibid). In order to complete an order for fifty PT-1 aircraft for the Air Service in 1924, he moved to Buffalo, New York to a former Curtiss plant. By 1928, he had orders for 800 aircraft and the first Model16 Commodore Flying Boat in 1929. This led to the famous PBY Catalina. By then, David G. Fleet held a seat on his board. They leased 157 railroad cars and moved the entire aircraft plant over the 1935 Labor Day weekend, including all the employee's household goods and opened their operation the following Monday in San Diego (Ibid).

Reuben served as president and David as executive vice president of their new Consolidated Vultee in San Diego. Shortly after Congress passed the War Preparedness Act of 1935, substantial federal money flowed into the various aircraft plants in San Diego. Reuben sold their company in 1941, but David remained as assistant to the president through World War II when they produced thousands ofB-24 "Liberator" bomber and Catalina "flying boats" (San Diego Tribune April25, 1991).

During the war, David acquired real estate on Point Lorna. He and his father Major Fleet revolutionized the rea] estate development industry by designing lot grading and street layout to conform to the land, introduced mass grading, and instalJed the very best in lighting and street infrastructure.

David created Fleetridge Realty in 1949 and built several model homes and a shopping center at Catalina and Talbot on Point Lorna along with the enormous Fleetwood subdivision east of Catalina Boulevard. These excJusive homes were located on ridges and terraces overlooking the Pacific Ocean, San Diego Bay, all of downtown San Diego, and much of Balboa Park (Ibid). David also opened the Artists Showroom to encourage new residents to furnish their homes in fine arts. That same year, Major Fleet accepted appointment to the State Highway Commission and honored with two keys at the dedication of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences Building at 3380 Harbor Drive (San Diego Tribune January 1, 1949; July 25, 1949). Interestingly, the Fleetridge development is adjacent to the Point Lorna Manor subdivision that Chris A. Cosgrove also developed in 1949 (Figure 18).

Reuben and David Fleet ascended to the highest levels of society. Mayor Frank Curran declared Reuben "Mr. San Diego" in 1957 and presented him with a key to the city, tie cJip and cufflinks (The San Diego Union November 19, 1968). Five hundred civic leaders, legislators, members of the aerospace industry, former employees, friends and relatives honored Major Fleet to a testimonial dinner on his 80th birthday and Mayor Curran declared it "Reuben H. Fleet Day" (San Diego Tribune March 6, 1967; The San Diego Union March 22, 1967). Reuben, David, Preston Mitchell Fleet and David Fulton Fleet formed the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation and developed the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center in Balboa Park. In these days, David G. and Louarn Fleet lived near San Diego State University (Figure 32).

By the time David and Louarn Fleet acquired 5310 Canterbury Drive, he served the San Diego community as president of the Fleet Foundation (Figure 33). The Fleets hosted parties for a

27 ____ _..

Figure 32. 1 - Location of Cosgrove Terrace in College Area (SDSU); 2-Location ofDavid and Louarn Fleet's residence at 5416 Redding in College View Estates pre-1976 before they moved to 5310 Canterbury Drive 1!'3 10 .C.l,NTE.FUHJR>' :PI'! LV£ •· I{... N DliH'10, \::;lc lt;!.IHI (W 'l • , i..Q ~ S •It t ., ''l -" S..l ""ll.5 71

Pn:tl1p 1-1 • .t-:laut>er Post. Ofl'ic:e J3Qx: :tf\,31 S~n D~, cg o , C'A ~L: l2

Th?.r.ks s~ l!!IJCt'! fo~ Ge.n.J!n~ m,;;· a eopy of the -v1gne o:.tes :'/'Ou wroti' et-ol.!':: "o~at l,. ead~:?.:-s o.f 8an .Viegol-s Past" . Reading them :last eve:n1ng. brought phra.sant ms.roo.-1~s a nd ment ol p1p tur~s 01~ a:onw .1)1,"

F·or ~iCl!!!o:le , 1~{' :skat1r.~t£ wi:t.h :Ge.C.r i!'; 185:!.; irupor"tun ine; Bt.:.l:t" s~w:hl ey O!J i! !?'II!?I'al oc~as lons i.;t! .a ut ogr-~ ph t:Oj.L1es o.t h()..r" bt;> ok f ~tt:' !' e l e"Lly~ r; :o!' fr1<'>: 01' ; 11stP-n11'U£ 'i:;o Pnil Swl:pg e:~trou nd Ott t he vaa: . pa:-t that llfl'{t'iH'" would play· i."l S<'S• Diego ' ~ f u ture; tryin~ t P fin•J Ed ?~·1ce at. t ~l'-: ~rid or tlu: maz~ · thn J~j ~ o hiS pf fio: :; t Solar~ a."'l<:t 1il O!'l-:1ng wi1:h hi:rr "'" .l.hi? J unit:•!' !tehi~ if.!!:tter.:.: ;oroe.:>a'lts; see!11,g the J.ook o;t. An..:t;;- :Sortiv"'i.~ k'n ~aee 'l>t-\e.-n l told hio ':.:;a~ t:h~y 'l'ere phyi n,s g ol!' :ir: Ho1.ltmd 200 ye.a ;-o a before' 1-~ wa;; 1:;~:-och;-cei in Scvtl a<'Jd , and that :t. h~re wa.s a pa 1ntine ~t the- .Nor-r.or. SL-r.cn {%. lJ~r'!l' i n ril.<;adt!!!'t£i. tc prp·.•e 1 t ; ·t ryi ng t o ~eep up ';Ill ~.h tl.ea Evi!:.:son, bot h. m;mt.:d Jy and Pl1:;siea ll'1.'. When Sihe wat; JJ!"O:r.;:IUng tho; Comrnl.ttee ot. lOI;t .and it's proJec t;ca ,; .Ood 1:uess her.

'?!!s, f'hi l 1 :vou J:Jave E;l.ven ;ne ru:1 houi' imd a hali' 6f. 'lt:H.':J in t er~ es.t 1r.g read ing~ · ana a n i n 11 1ght int o t he lives or ;;oms ot: t h<> o ld. -:.!.sers :Wh'.lrn l ;r:,e\'(H' m~t:. An:! th.u1k.S for you.r ni.e~ remark3 Jo,oout D:ad. lneident aJlY. in e om.c~tion w!th th<:l' first u.s. ;d.!' Na1J , Dad wa.t; the · O .t:f le~l" !n Cha;rge but he never ac t ua1J.v .Iie:B~;g air ma.:!.:. He f e rried 1n t o Was bing~;cm fr~m l'hlladel;;hia ~he plane tt.at. 1:0'01: lhe mall out-of \la ahl.rlg~~1 iln r-:as .l5.. J9l9,. but was m'..lieh t o o ·ousy to fly t he ma1.1. H(! !"'e-c ei ved a colr.mend­ . !! t~ and Wil.& ae~ltr· ated A~!!'"'l.'llot fio . l , 3S l!. Z'eSl.llt of the h~rc '.J luttasK h.e: ac~o!llplia h!!d !r. tfi'e l C aa:.·'i- ailot-ed .for ~&e:-t:t.L••J.B.-th~-c aone . l was t.ht?re whe:-. liT-w"ia~ns ';.(i ':~t--· f..::e3!d~W:llscn, and hav~ ·tn e go.:.~ !fa.rnllt.o1 • .,,,rLs t: l!<.ttch th..-. t i;:!!li! Fr"!!:> 1 d~cr g"iv ~ h im. You may 1 1k£; t o 'I:'!! ad t.he ~ne l o .:turl!! wt.ir:h D!!d pr-e par-e d .f ;:;r- :t.h'i: F:1f'U;;!.r, Ar.I\.lv;;.u·sa=:t o :!' l.he .:U. :- Y. a.H. I t .__111 gi·-re Jli'•U s·ome ~d€!a of -the pN bJe:rus h~ :taeed .,

t: 1:,~d r,~~~rd,i; .

c:V~.....- _p...,_ . --

Figure 33. Letter from David G. Fleet to Philip M. Klauber, 21 September 1983 on letterhead from his residence at 5310 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA. San Diego Historical Society Research Archives. 4 j $;o! ~t ·"' ~ i..o'.ip,t'J'i,¥ L: \-,1<-;'ll; ··---·--~---·~·------·------·------· ---Ohiwa ries ------~

David Girton ID:ect 80~ Realtor~ indu trialist. deYe)oper

Figure 34. Obituary for David Girton Fleet, who died on April22, 1991. The text documents that he created Fleetridge Realty in 1949, the same time that Chris Cosgrove was building his Point Lorna Manor subdivision off Catalina and Talbot Streets. The San Diego Union, April 25, 1991 number of philanthropic organizations and businesses at the home, including board members of the Timken Gallery, Safeco Corporation, Atlas Hotels, Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego Chamber of Commerce, and the San Diego Community Foundation (Ibid; Fleet 2003) (Figure 34). The Fleets hosted barbeques, luaus, and cocktail parties around the swimming pool and tennis court and even opened their home to non-profit organizations. Louam Fleet recalled inviting a school of blind children to swim in the pool one hot summer day (Fleet 2003). The Advocates for Classical Music held one of the larger events at the house. Two large family weddings occurred there as well.

Louam Fleet recalled "the house was in total disarray when we arrived" (Fleet 2003). She had all the carpets replaced, including outdoor carpet around the pool. She added three fountainheads to the existing fishpond inside the front window. To improve the dining room, she purchased a $15,000 Baccarat chandelier. She directed European style wallpaper, Rococo style applique to the walls, brought in large marble statues, and planted tall Eugenia hedges out by the driveway to give the house a European appearance. She placed planter boxes around the house to encourage ivy to grow up the walls, installed a gazebo on the side in "Oranjay" style with a Chinese moon gate entrance (Fleet 2003). To the pool, she added a "seat-housed electrical cover to keep dust and leave off'' (Ibid). She recalled the metal grating on the original flagstone barbeque had rusted out, but the stonework remained.

As to the interior of the house when she arrived, Louarn Fleet recalled the north end of the family room had a small projection room that pointed to a ten-foot screen. She said the builder secreted the screen up in the ceiling with a strap to pull it down. The bedroom off the laundry room housed her live-in maid. Other than adding the fountain heads, most of her changes were cosmetic. She recalled that all the rooms were open and no doors separated the game or dining room.

One interesting anecdote is that the neighborhood United Parcel Service man was making a delivery one day and after ringing the doorbell stood waiting at the two heavy glass front doors that were original to the house. Apparently Louam Fleet walked by wearing only a robe and this embarrassing incident doomed the original glass doors, which she ordered removed and donated to a youth organization (Clegg and Fleet 2003). These were replaced with the present custom wooden doors that she commissioned which were carved with the image of her grandson, Sheradon Smith with angel wings, kneeling in prayer. The present owners Elizabeth and Dale Clegg relate that their two young children love the doors, and they think that they are the two children carved on the doors.

Jean Hardy

Jean Hardy is a retired nurse, who moved to Kensington from Santa Monica, California (Hardy 2003). She purchased 5310 Canterbury Drive on August 17, 1979 and immediately removed the European style wallpaper, Rococo style applique, replaced the hardwood floors, plastered over the fireplace and installed stone facades, removed the projection room screen and sealed the projection room view port, and replaced the Baccarat chandelier with a blown glass chandelier that remains to this day. She repainted the interior in an off-white and decorated with fewer paintings in her own taste.

Hardy also reversed Fleet's exterior changes. While removing the ivy from the walls, a frre burned the moon gate on the side and she replaced it with a brick wall. Hardy removed the Eugenia hedge outside and installed a low brick wall near the front. She installed a garage door on the carport for security. She removed Louarn Fleet's lath patio shade over the barbeque, but did not change the flagstone feature. The biggest change to the exterior of the original house

28 involved removal of the concrete shuffleboard, which had been between the swimming pool and tennis court.

Although Hardy took advantage of the sliding glass doors to open the house to the backyard for parties, she did not like maintaining the swimming pool (Ibid). After clogging caused the pool to overflow inside the house in the late 1990s, Hardy decided to sell 5310 Canterbury and relocate to a smaller home at the east end of Ridgeway. To her credit, she kept a photographic album documenting changes from her tenure in the house.

Dale and Elizabeth Clegg

Dale and Elizabeth Clegg purchased 5310 Canterbury Drive on June 30, 1999. Elizabeth's father had also built ranch style homes and it was a style that she loved. They were immediately enchanted with the home's unusual architecture, especially after viewing a Home and Garden Television show about Mid Century Modem homes built after World War II. This show further encouraged them to carefully examine the unusually large, wood-framed, sliding glass doors, fountain under the front window, and other features of the house. As part of this discovery process, the Cleggs commissioned this research project to try to learn the history of the house, identity of the architect and builder if possible, uncover more information about the occupants of the home over the past fifty-three years, and to prepare a nomination for historical review.

Neighbor Paul Roberts grew up in the neighborhood and knew Nathaniel and Sally Ratner. He now recalls Nathaniel telling him the architect for 5310 Canterbury Drive was Lloyd Ruocco (Roberts 2003). While most of the older neighbors have either moved or passed on, the Cleggs met engineer Bill Kenton, who Nathaniel Ratner hired to work on the fishpond/fountain and he too recalled Ratner telling him that Ruocco designed the house (Kenton 2003). Try as they may, the Cleggs have not been able to fmd a copy of the original architectural plans or any other substantial evidence to confirm Ratner's statement.

Architecture

Since Chris and Celia Cosgrove built and lived for two years at 5310 Canterbury Drive and were then followed by the Ratners in the historical period, the designation should be the Cosgrove­ Ramer House. Examination of the Tax Assessor's files reveals the existing footprint matches the footprint in their files, which show no changes to the structure (Figure 35). Notes in the Tax Assessor's files document the barbeque, cabana, swimming pool, and tennis court as original 1949 construction. The Cosgrove-Ratner House is an early post-war, Mid Century Modem-Ranch style building that represents the fmal stage of infilling of empty lots in the Kensington Heights neighborhood.

The Cosgrove-Ratner House exhibits the original flagstone fayade, marble entry, outward-canted front window, wood-framed casement windows, huge wood-framed sliding glass doors, glass transom windows, steel pole supported west side roof extension, and flagstone chimney, which are all intact (Figure 36). On the west side, the cabana, swimming pool, tennis court, and flagstone barbeque still exist (Figure 37). Original landscaping between the pool and tennis court grow in the planter (Fleet 2003; Hardy 2003). Hardy capped the deck surrounding the pool with epoxy-pebble.

A persistent question throughout this study has been whether or not Cosgrove designed this home himself or with the help of an architect. The design of the reflecting pool/fishpond, heavy front glass double-doors and west over-hanging roof supported by steel poles to capture morning

29 Figure 35 . Tax Assessor's Residential Building Record for 5310 Canterbury Drive. Note the building footprint, which remains the same today. Figure 36. West side back of the residence at 5310 Canterbury Drive. Note the large, wood-framed sliding glass doors and wide roof overhang. The wide chimney is flagstone. Figure 37. This original flagstone barbeque is located in the back of the house along the North property wall of the residence at 5310 Canterbury Drive near the swimming pool. The structure remains intact, except for the metal parts that have been replaced by a steel fire grate. sunlight on the east and reflect afternoon sunlight off the pool are some of the details that suggest that Cosgrove may have used an architect to assist with the design of the house. Oral history in the Kensington community names one architect in particular. For this study more than 100 of his homes were examined and except for one house on Point Lorna, none exhibited this level of artistic design. In addition, three outside consultants were brought in to examine the property and render independent opinions and an intensive search of historical resources and literature was conducted.

The architectural plans have not survived for the house, but both neighbor Paul Roberts and civil engineer Bill Kenton recall Nathaniel Ratner telling them Master Architect Lloyd Ruocco, F AlA designed the house and that Cosgrove contracted out the construction (Roberts 2003; Kenton 2003). Neither Harry nor Lawrence Ratner, sons of Nathaniel and Sally Ratner, has been available to provide testimony to help resolve this question.

At the suggestion of members of Allied Craftsmen and former Save Our Heritage Organisation officer, Erik Hanson, Legacy 106, Inc. contacted Kay Kaiser and J. Spencer Lake, AlA as Ruocco experts, to visit 5310 Canterbury Drive. Kaiser had rented space in The Design Center from Ruocco and has been keeper of his memorabilia since he died (Kaiser 2003). Lake studied under Master Architect Frank Lloyd Wright, F AlA, and worked for Master Architect Sim Bruce Richards (York 2003).

On March 23 , 2003 Kaiser and Lake visited the house, examined the sliding glass doors, glass transom windows and cabinets in the bathrooms, and recessed curtain pockets in the living room. Each expressed the opinion that it was unlikely Ruocco's design, but if he was involved, the predominantly Ranch style house is totally unlike The Design Center or Ruocco's I1 Cueva, which they associate with his known style. Lake concluded that Cosgrove may have worked with an architect to achieve the structurally stable building that exists today (Lake 2003). Kaiser found the glass transom windows and interior cabinetry were similar to Ruocco designs, but also found the Cosgrove-Ratner House alien to her understanding of Ruocco's work (Kaiser 2003). They could not definitively resolve the matter (Kaiser 2003; Lake 2003).

Architect Homer Delawie, F AlA, was consulted in general about Ruocco's use of glass doors, as he once worked with Ruocco as a partner. He expressed the opinion that large, wood-framed, glass doors were custom-made and typical of Ruocco design. Although Delawie has not yet seen or discussed this house, he noted that Ruocco designed large, wood-framed, custom sliding glass doors that were unavailable to builders in the 1940s. To preserve his impartiality regarding this nomination, Delawie was not consulted or informed about this house in particular (Delawie 2003).

Keith York, a researcher ofMid Century Modem housing who is co-authoring a book on the subject also visited the house. He has had extensive discussions with Homer Delawie on Ruocco architecture. York inspected the large sliding doors, but felt the 8-inch wide wood frames and were much larger than he had seen on Ruocco houses and the lock hardware was unknown. After completing his inspection, York also rendered the opinion that while some features may hint towards Ruocco's hand in the project, many features he typically used were not present and there was no definitive Ruocco fingerprint on the house. He found the architectural style to be totally unlike other known Ruocco-designed homes and commercial buildings he had previously examined, thus he could not confrrm a relationship. He also thought it was possible that an unspecified architect may have been involved with the house. In addition, he admired the Cosgrove-Ratner House and suggested that Cosgrove may have been masterful enough of a builder to do it himself. (York 2003).

30 Research at various archival resources were also consulted as well as oral interviews with neighbors and former residents and family of the owners. The consensus seems to be that an architect with knowledge of Mid Century Modern design concepts probably designed the house, but precisely who this architect was remains a mystery unresolved by either historic research or outside consultation (Lake 2003). Since Ratner informed guests that Ruocco designed the house, a discussion of this architect is appropriate to the context of this study.

Lloyd Anthony Ruocco

Lloyd Pietranthony Ruocco, FAlA (pronounced Rue-ah-kho) was a Master Architect and pioneer in post-war "Mid Century Modernism" in San Diego (Figure 38). He distinguished himself with the College of Fellows, American Institute ofArchitects , Washington, D.C. for his fresh approach with glass, wood, native stone, and steel to bring the "outside in" by siting residences within landscapes. He achieved this effect with extensive use of glass walls and reflecting pools, landscaping, and indoor plants.

Ruocco was born in Portland, Maine on December 1, 1902 (Ruocco 1974). His parents immigrated from across the Atlantic to North America to make their lives. The Ruoccos may have met and married in the United States, as his mother came from England and father from Italy. However, Samuel W. Hammill noted, that Lloyd "could hardly be more British" in speech or demeanor (Ruocco 1980:1; Hammill1983:2). The 1930 United States Census lists his father and mother, Raffaele and Estel as age 46, Lloyd age 22, sister Marea age 19, and Ralph age 15 (Sheet 6b) . Both Marea and Ralph were born in Canada and became naturalized United States citizens. Lloyd had no children, but nieces and nephews still live in San Diego.

He graduated from San Diego High School in 1929 (Ruocco Resume). At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Marea worked for the Chamber of Commerce as an artist and Ralph worked at the family poultry ranch near La Mesa. Lloyd later dropped "Pietro" from his name for simplification. His early life is not well documented, but at some point after high school he went to work as a draftsman for $0.25 an hour at the architectural firm of Requa and Jackson. He met and drew for apprentice architects Samuel Hammill and Lillian Rice, who provided insightful professional guidance (Hammill1983:3). When Requa and Mead assigned Rice to design Spanish Eclectic style houses in Rancho Santa Fe, Ruocco went along to finish the drawings. Through these working relationships, Hammill and Rice recommended that Ruocco apply to the University of California, Berkeley to obtain a degree in architecture. By then, Ruocco devoted time studying Ebenezer Howard's Garden City Movement and developed a passion for immersing residents in landscaping.

One day in the 1920s, Raffaele T. Ruocco walked into Requa and Jackson to demand their support ofhis son if his family were to send him to architectural school. Requa, Jackson, Hammill, Rice, and Lloyd Ruocco discussed the opportunity with him. Hammill and Rice strongly recommended their alma mater at the University of California, Berkeley and Requa and Jackson offered a letter of recommendation based on his drafting experience. Ruocco went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts at Berkeley with honors in 1933 and then returned to work with Requa and Jackson. During World War II, he took a job with the United States Navy and worked at a National City shipyard as a draftsman assisting marine architects in designing piers and ship design (Hammill and Britton 1980:1; Ruocco Resume). Among the more innovative projects was the design of cast concrete ships that were actually built on North Island and used in the war.

Ruocco differed dramatically in style from Requa, Jackson, Rice and Hammill. He favored the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, Miles Vander Robe, Walter Grobius, and Le Corbusier. These

31 Urban dre a mers~ Desigm:rs Llo.rd Ruouo atzd lise Hamann Ruocco Jot.•td dries ami flleir i11finitc variety. Designer Ruoccos mLxecl local form and fu11cti.o11 L10>'d .Ruocco ·was ~ passion:a.te p t:!iy :m active .rQJe lt. Siiu Dit:l!'la lov'er of cities and a t remen-dous· pl:anmag And e.nvitoitltlt:ntal is- ~Y :Jbft d¢Slgner nf modern ardti· 1'uer.. k.-clure .. Even the arrhitects wim Lloyd's wife. Il se Hamantl have survived .-.him :agree· thar be ..Ruocco , was the tnunder o.i the was San Pi(:go'~ ,No. 1 designer ·Envi.mrtmenta! attd Interior De­ ;ua a•d Planetary ize that de.sign and life were .·h­ Ph ;•:.i<:s on the Scripps I.nstltutjon r e.t: tly rel;ned, ponlon of UCSP; the ·C:ivit: The· In the '50s . J' m •sure his 1dc:ts .nate for Century 3 in 1 9tH. Ttl!:r would h•we ·~voived r.s the dw ~rass·root~ if,roup ~;ontinues to ev, oI ..,~,...,··'_ , " - Kuy Kaise.r

Figure 38. Article by Kay Kaiser about Lloyd Ruocco and Ilse Hamann Ruocco. The San Diego Union, Sunday, August 16, 1992 architects greatly influenced his ideology of stripping away "applique" fenestration (Ruocco 1980:1; Hammill1983:4). Another great influence, Rafael Soriano, advocated Ruocco embrace the "Modern Movement" of the 1940s, which adapted from the European Internationalism of the pre-war 1930s and 1940s. As though modernists advanced the best of the earlier Arts and Crafts Movement, Internationalists adapted nature to earthy homes comprised of artfully crafted woods, concrete, and native stone with airy open rooms and large glass doors oriented to capture light. During his education, Ruocco traveled to study architecture in Finland, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, England, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Russia, and Switzerland (Ruocco Resume).

Hammill remembered Ruocco as "a rebel at heart," who conceived visionary projects of the future (Hammilll983:5-6). One such Ruocco design captured attention in the September 17, 1944 issue of the The San Diego Union with the title, "La Mesa Studies Spectacular Post War Plan Which Would Make It America's Model City." Ruocco initiated designs for Grossmont Center at least a decade before Del Webb built it.

In the late 1940s while working for Hammill, Ruocco met Ilse Hammill. They shared mutual interests in bringing together a wide range of modern arts. She had a Master of Arts and taught pottery and sculpture at San Diego State College at the time. Through their conjoined forces, they changed the art scene. Both were greatly inspired by Grobius, who developed The Bauhaus in 1914 Germany to draw painters, sculptors, theater and dancers, jewelers, carpenters, furniture makers, metal smiths, glass blowers, engineers, and architects together to create an enriched quality of life. They married and acquired a parcel of land in La Mesa, not far from his father's poultry ranch (Ruocco 1950). With scrap lumber and plumbing parts from the ranch, Ruocco excavated into a hill and designed and built a redwood, concrete, and native granite home tucked into the earth with high ceilings and large windows (Ruocco 1950; 1980). Their spacious living room became a gathering point for artist like Belle Baranceanu, Thomas Burns Robertson, Fred Hocks, and Dan Dickey.

Traditional architects like Hammill strained to understand Ruocco and they soon split. The Ruoccos acquired a steep property off 5th A venue, where he designed The Design Center to serve as his office, her furniture and pottery studio, and the "nucleus for all arts in 1945" (Ruocco 1980: 1). The creative meeting group formed the "Allied Arts Council" and named Ruocco their speaker for his eloquence and public speaking skills (Robertson 1993:26). This evolved into the "Contemporary Arts Committee" and then "Allied Craftsmen" (Ruocco 1980:1). Robertson later commented it was "one of the most Utopian things to happen in San Diego" (Robertson 1993:40).

Ruocco continued to work with Hammill on projects, as they were family. He also designed three homes for Ilse's sister, Rita, and her District Attorney husband, Don Keller (Ruocco 1980:2). These homes were located in National City, Point Lorna, and La Jolla Farms. Ilse expanded her studio to interior design for Lloyd's clients. She provided an outlet for other Allied Craftsmen to produce modernist furniture, textiles, and jewelry for those homes.

Hammill recalled inviting Ruocco to join the design team for the Civic Center Concourse and Plaza. Although Ruocco supervised the project, he often fought with William Rosser and Sheldon Kennedy. Ruocco and Rosser especially aired their disagreements with Hammill (Hammill 1983:30). In spite of Ruocco's desire to design the theater devoid of applique, the City Council funded Judson and Ellamarie Woolsey to design and install applique copper lighting ornaments, but cut funding for other ornamentation (Hammill1983:8). Ruocco published his thoughts on this project in two issues ofSan Diego Magazine (Ruocco [April] 1964:79; [January] 1965:59-60).

32 Ruocco considered himself a ''Wrightian" architect and incorporated Frank Lloyd Wright's concepts for piping hot water through cast concrete slabs to heat interiors, install open circular fireplaces, and create large open rooms with step down amphitheaters for conversation (Ruocco 1980:2). He and Ilse built their home around natural granite boulders exposed when he dug out the hillside. Their staircase was a natural log with cast concrete steps secured with wrought iron bars. Built-in cupboards, bookshelves, cabinets, and conveniences served rooms at varied levels with interior plants to render an earthy living place. When Interstate 8 construction took out their La Mesa home, they accepted State Division of Highways mitigation for a free lot at 5481 Toyon Road in Alvarado Estates. Ruocco had previously designed a Wright-inspired modular home for a Home Show in Balboa Park that lay in pieces under The Design Center and they reconstructed it for their new house (Figures 39 and 40).

I know our house in La Mesa we called The Cave because Lloyd decided to dig out the side of a hill and to make a wall which was made of sand and adobe, sort of a mud wall mixed with cement, and they were twenty-four inches thick. It was really a very exciting house ... with glass following the contour of the granite ... some people thought Lloyd was just a little mad and you were a little mad, too, to put up with such a house, but everyone who knew you well and knew your mind knew it was a great experience (Ruocco 1980:3).

Hammill believed, "Ruocco was innovative and creative ... above all, he was a visionary" (Hammill1980:1). Ruocco designed The Children's Zoo in Balboa Park pursuant to his Garden City Movement ideals, where people could walk among plants and animals in a sense of natural experience as though they were in the country (Hammilll980:6-7). He published these ideas in the September 1958 issue of San Diego Magazine and January 1962 American Institute of Architects Omniart. Hammill reported Ruocco said:

A really important question is whether a city exists at all without its most important treasures being at its center. And to be treasures, they must do a lot more than be merely practical. They must be surprisingly good and easily loveable. One should feel thankful for being a citizen of such a city (Hammill 1980:7)

Ruocco inspired the Allied Craftsmen to collaboratively design community exhibits to bring their message to the public. Robertson recalled they designed "Art, Utility and You" in 1951, which brought together helpful appliances. Critics called it, "The Eggbeater Show," but it was a great success (Robertson 1993:34). They organized many art displays, instilled a sense of the Modernist Movement in public art, and encouraged educational programs in universities, colleges, and public schools.

Little is known of Ruocco's custom commissions during his early years, as all effort has gone into preserving those master works he presented to the College of Fellows, American Institute of Architects for jury review. As one of his many friends and aficionados, Kay Kaiser has taken on the task ofpulling together surviving information concerning Ruocco's life and career to be published in a future book (Kaiser 2003).

There seems to be no single list of all Ruocco's architectural creations. In a resume prepared for a client proposal, he listed the Civic Center Concourse and Plaza, the Pioneer Church in Claremont, the KOGO Station on Highway 94, and two homes as examples of his work. The latter included

33 Figure 39. This program from the 1953 San Diego Home Show illustrates a mid-century modem building designed by Master Architect Lloyd Ruocco. Note how the vertical steel poles support the house's extended flat roof. This brochure was examined as possible evidence ofRuocco's involvement in the 5310 Canterbury residence. Brochure provided by Keith York and included here with his permission. .r\rdlllf. t L P .r\. !{, .. l,co• A. L ,J'\ L:uu:hn1pe J\tq!J,tl .-r I f-hnwt \'i/m;U1t;'t t·~r~*~ r tc~1 ! 1tq, ~ttcl Lt~r... ~•ru( r,.-., nii! i'tl ~· n vm>t., ~ -tnd·"·"f'(. (A;,n;$~g·:~ cetHm untl Phm1s. • :i I' I :("ol~hiJ !'-il fl.~ l't'~ httt • 101 J).-~ 1 £11 J f t':'.lgll Ct m.,.; i t ftt•l•'P"nh ~ Ed Sit>H'rr.

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Figure 40. This interior page of the May 16-24, 1953 San Diego Home Show brochure illustrates another view of Master Architect Lloyd Anthony Ruocco's mid century modem house. Note the spatial arrangement of the house, yard, and pool. The collaborators were probably building material sources available at the time. Provided by Keith York. the Howard Chernoff House on Trias Street in Mission Hills and the Sheldon House on Oxford A venue. A photograph in his resume portfolio at the San Diego Historical Society shows a storeroom loaded with dozens of rolled up architectural designs.

Ruocco designed an unknown number of homes in San Diego, but the plans and records no longer exist. According to Homer Delawie, F AlA, lise Ruocco destroyed some of those documents after Lloyd developed Alzheimer's disease and became difficult (February 2, 2003). Kaiser believes it was the executor and Ruocco relatives, rather than Ilse, who destroyed the records and plans. Whoever is right, the fact remains that architectural detectives will have to sleuth-out all the buildings designed by Ruocco.

The best compilations of Ruocco records known to exist are those assembled by Delawie and Ruocco to substantiate his nomination to the College of Fellows, American Institute of Architects (AlA). Delawie and other colleagues advanced Ruocco's nomination. Thomas Robertson, writer and art critic for San Diego Magazine, donated all his files and the nomination photographs to the San Diego Historical Society. This material included an unpublished book, letters and cards written to Ruocco following a 1952 television interview promoting modular homes, copies of a resume, and publications. Ruocco designed Robertson's own home on Randolph Street in Mission Hills. Although late in his career, his peers at the AlA conferred upon him the title of Fellow, primarily for his inspired design of the Geophysics Building at University of California, San Diego and Scripps Campus (Hammil11980:12).

Another legacy that owes its existence to Ruocco is Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 (Hammill 1980: 11-12). Hammill reported he expressed grave concern for the future of American cities. Ruocco firmly supported urban planning and encouraged public participation. As time advanced and Ruocco suffered further from the effects of Alzheimer's Disease, he and lise created the Ruocco Foundation to fund the San Diego Community Foundation with an endowment trust, corpus intact, that would create at least one "indented retreat" or pocket-park with plants and shade in downtown San Diego and to create educational programs to encourage "thoughtful urbanism" (Robertson 1993:43). The primary recipient of this endowment has been development of the Ilse Memorial Design Library at San Diego State University.

In recent years, surviving friends of the Ruoccos and new aficionados ofMid Century Modern architecture have gathered together to study his legacy. A number of architects, collectors of modernist furnishings, artists, and authors have been meeting and sharing email on the life and architectural monuments known to exist. Information presented on various Internet sites has generated a following of people interested in purchasing and restoring pedigreed houses designed by Ruocco, Sim Bruce Richards, Rudolph Schindler, and others. According to York, these aficionados require some sort of legal document or first-hand evidence to document the architect's association with the house.

Forensic Analysis and Comparison with Ruocco Works

Lacking a set of Ruocco architectural plans for 5310 Canterbury Drive, a definitive list of Ruocco homes, or a legal document linking Ruocco to the Cosgrove-Ratner House, the sole remaining method of determining if Ruocco designed 5310 Canterbury Drive is forensic analysis of the structure and its landscape and comparison with known Ruocco houses. To render this analysis meaningful, Ruocco's key design motifs need to be identified.

Wood-framed, large sliding glass doors. Former Ruocco partner Homer Delawie stated his opinion at a February 2, 2003 reception at York's Mid Century Modern home that the best clue

34 Figure 41 . View of The Design Center, a City of San Diego Historic Landmark built by Lloyd Ruocco. Note the large sliding glass doors. Photograph provided by and included with permission of Keith York. for Ruocco's hand lay in the custom wood-framed sliding glass doors. He suggested comparison with known Ruocco sliding glass doors. Examples of those doors survive today at The Design Center on 5th A venue, listed on the City of San Diego Historic Landmark list as an example of Ruocco's work and his home at 5841 Toyon Road in Alvarado Estates (Figures 41 and 42). A photo of the Ruocco home doors is included in this report as Figure 42. Photos of other Ruocco designed houses archived at the San Diego Historical Society where examined for details of those wood-framed glass doors. All the wood-frames are relatively wide-cut to support the heavy weight of 8-foot square glass walls.

Glass Front Doors. One shining example of a Ruocco design is the Max Rabinowitz House in Los Angeles, which Ruocco included in his photo exhibition for the College of Fellows, AlA (San Diego Historical Society, Research Archives). Ruocco's photo of the Rabinowitz House shows large glass front doors in a house deeply set into the surrounding landscape. Comparison of photos of those glass doors at the Rabinowitz home with suspected Ruocco-designed homes is another important clue. The Rabinowitz House exemplifies Ruocco's relationship with the environment through the use of glass walls and doors, which enable an occupant to view landscaping from various vantage points.

Figure 42 of photographer Douglas M. Simmonds' image of the wood-framed sliding glass doors on Ruocco's home. The photo shows immense sliding doors that measure eight feet on a side and can be rolled away from the center to effectively open the living room to the outdoor patio. The 1953 "San Diego Home Show and Food Show Jubilee" program includes an idealized sketch of "Garden Villa" (Figures 39 and 40), which became the Toyon Drive home and lists ''Novoply Sliding Doors, Plankweld, and Formica by U.S. Plywood Corporation" as sources for those specialized doors in San Diego (Keith York 2003). El Cajon Roofmg built Ruocco's extended the roof out over the glass walls to reduce glare and heat and covered it in "Pabco Double Gravel." These glass walls were oriented away from the street toward canyon rims to take full advantage of vistas.

Landscape Pools and Roof Extensions. As with other Mid Century Modernist architects, Ruocco sited landscape pools near the houses to reflect landscape light inside. He cut glare and reduced weathering of the windows by designing the roof to extend out over the glass walls, both strategically sited to achieve maximum view. Many of the photographs ofRuocco-designed buildings show steel posts supporting patio roof extensions.

Glass Walls to Focus Landscape Views. The April 1950 issue of House Beautiful featured Ruocco's article, "The Rich Rewards ofKnowing What You Want," Ruocco used his 1946 home, "Il Cavo," in La Mesa to explain the "spirit and art and beauty and a sense of being close to nature" (Ruocco 1950: 111 ). He depressed the house into the earth, using native earth and rock as his retaining walls. The side facing the street focused on a glass entrance to orient views through view windows focused toward the rear windows set close to trees and boulders. Exterior patios extended living space outside and under specimen trees and interior gardens, "all art, all spirit, all beauty is singularly individual and you yourself must inject it into your house, or your home becomes the creation of alien hands" (Ruocco 1950:112). The glass walls then created a spatial dimension in nature that could be easily breached with sliding doors to allow residents to walk freely. This achieved the greatest sense of spaciousness possible. For II Cavo, he designed 300 square feet of openable doors and doors and the dining terrace opened a full 12-feet of doors that enabled "parties, play-readings, student groups and conferences" to fit smoothly.

Kay Kaiser later explained that Ruocco designed homes to take the pressure off people and provide a place to heal from their workdays (Kaiser 1985:F-1);

35 Figure 42. This photograph shows an interior view of Master Architect Lloyd Ruocco's house at Alvarado Estates in San Diego. Note the large sliding glass doors with wide wood frames. Photograph provided by and reproduced with permission of Keith York. Glass was his medium - with just enough wood and steel to hold the place up. Though his designs no longer comply with current glass wall to wall ratios, Ruocco houses were spectacular. Clever architects today could still create the essence of them. Glass ran from floor-to-ceiling, interrupted by simple wood beams (Ibid)

4351 Ridgeway, Kensington Heights. A final piece of evidence for analyzing suspected Ruocco-designed homes is a flyer distributed by "One Source Realty" to market a Mid Century Modem home at 4351 Ridgeway Drive (Keith York 2003). The original home owner reported knowing Ruocco and commissioned the design, which had to comply with Kensington "CC&Rs" (restrictions imposed by the realtors). Close examination of the photograph reveals a very wide Ranch-style home with an entire wall of wide glass panels facing extensive landscaping and a swimming pool. The roof is dark and may be shingle. The wide chimney has been painted white, as are the wood frames to the windows. This house is strikingly different than the redwood, glass, concrete, and stone houses Ruocco presented to the College of Fellows (San Diego Historical Society), but similar to 5301 Canterbury Drive. York reported that house exhibited a deep sunken living room benched with a round couch surrounding an interior fireplace. Although no plans exist for that property, York considers the original owner's word good enough to confirm it as a Ruocco design (York 2003).

Mid Century Modern and Ranch Styles

Throughout this entire analysis, the question as to why Cosgrove would marry Mid Century Modem and Ranch style architecture to create 5310 Canterbury Drive continued to surface. The answer probably lies in the psyche promoted by magazines of the times, such as the July 1950 issue of Sunset Magazine. The cover page illustrated the home ofMr. and Mrs. Maynard Beuhler of Orinda, California that promoted "the festivity of vacation time (Sunset Magazine 1950: 42). The scene shows a roof extending out to the pool and patio with colorful canvas panels on a bright and sunny day. In that particular issue, "Design for Cabin Living" shows a house with low gables, wide chimney, extensive glass walls that open to broad patio decks overlooking a lake. Clearly, this open and airy atmosphere characterized the post-war attitude (Figure 43). Another photograph of the W.H. Wendell home in San Bernardino, California shows a guesthouse totally open on the side facing the patio (Sunset Magazine 1950: 39). Modernist architect Albert Frey noted that "most people wanted traditional ranch style homes" in Palm Springs during the 1940s and to keep an office going you had to blend modem ideas with the popular styles (Frey 2003).

An article in the August 28, 1949 issue of the The San Diego Union featured a home in Laguna Beach with "all the particular comforts and facilities for gracious living in California's sub­ tropical climate." That article included a photograph of the backyard with a tennis court and flagstone barbeque, which is strikingly similar to the one at 5310 Canterbury Drive. The Homes and Gardens section of the The San Diego Union on February 24, 1952 featured a home at 5346 Marlborough in Kensington with an interior flagstone fireplace similar to stone facing on the front of the house in colors and sizes "chosen carefully, the greens and reds standing out in a field of tan hues" and "directly across from the fireplace is a huge window, rising almost from the floor to the ceiling ... from an effect standpoint, it serves to bring the outside border planting box inside the room."

The "father of the ranch house" during this post-war period was Cliff May, who shifted from Spanish Eclectic haciendas of the 1930s to American cowboy ranch-style buildings in the late

36 Today's Hom~ Buyers Seek Lots of House at· Cheap Cost Jt\ T. K Al"rl£ii \ T•: t'm"f"'ll1 ~> ;c j'\JI 1<1 '•l' :r<'n i~ inc "•»' nt 7\ ti'"" ~ <1Jbh• rCI€'t 0:'E\',. \'"{)flr.\ Pv..J; ,.,.... '~rfil \l 1 ' lt,.u .. >t , ...P Z'"f""'"FT• nt '*1-( fiW' ·~.-.,. "!Jof. tu-·,,o.r cqr.. t ~ l ... th .. thr Ju)' \\hH.,,P •'.}~S v.·trr of'l~\ ~~,~...... \ 11 '-'ll';~p , ... 'HI '(~l.n· fir' .,.jl: Jt nrm .. •ars t'\hl ttH 1t\:,1 nirl!i'" •han l:m; l>"·.,tn<>• h-· l rut:.m: wi1w1r:- ,l'f>l\'1 ~~ "'11>' 11•'!.\)t<' ,.,, l.tl hil!' n<> lllY r(•dt"r• t:t .r.r. ril't'fll'rl!l'•'" fttl• '!l H.t- !IX Ill• !l'IJ 'ttl\ r.a;J l!J>c\ II !.I ·n.! t h I f'!r fl~d••ru 'fh•l' l•n~ m>n 1t'IJ•' ·' "'~' !ill'>~ ' tnl•·•l lrt tl•r• l •'1i"l· !J .,.,, 1 'r •. <":Ill l bu• ~ a1•l.~l' .;Ill""' (n,..~tno ·f1< n ~J!it:l !nlll<'d ttl!' on:!. ~r '" Jtr"l\T ~· a .:J• · !ml'~ h:· :>,l,q p-:tP·war l'rin· " ~' ro ""' 11 tuu l •· 11. ,,~•• :~ l •ll 1-111 •'IU.!f" t .. ~~t· mr!t:'ln<,.. tn.- Tt'.\Ul ~ nt ' • t 1.\a' _.""'..: ·t <4l~ilr:1. n h,,., t ' FT'r<'111 Ill 1\ td t •;·. tl pi' f r hL" l'lH11 ~ht'h!'\< ~ · ~nrl "TTl'I ho'(ll! \ .'1 f ht- ((1-.f h 11• \d... .:l"·' 'lt l'" \ t• ~~~ hi.HU~ ~ ~ t~•l ... ,, pl'1'"r,. ilf\ t•n lif-<11l;t1V1 t ~ft "'tH run p · • ._ .., ,. 1• -:w1t1 !"" '* '• ,, , h 11 ...... • n tnt·•' .-.. ,1. rltu·j\ tn H·.. ,~•...-n l ~ . .- .1 r '# . , .a• t'"~f Jrr,flt1 11f, .. ~ -""''i(l t~ , ... n, .!'rtr rarti.Jnf t·rv· ··1>,...4[..>1 • ·•J.' ~ · tnH ·t t ~·r· o · ~ ..\\ '"'Y ..- \.'• r.1: ~,, IP•\ .. Ut'P ~·r :a';!:Jl!~Trr:,....r flrr.... ·ut•tt: t)f •n. lt.-ru;J·... 41 lttt 1*tf'U"W ~ tfU!t'" rtuOI:l!"' ~(~,.. :"ti•JP\ •.t in.... r ~•, ·vl-li JnJf • Jtil' In' '!I·• i'J<"•M'I1 _.aF_.I'Ul:-- ·nr rn .. l"~r,.tf'l tHtJ{'i•·,...,.·1 ··v · ~~ 1urh .,f t \ t' ·:r1 1t~ l~·"' :ur• lf!* I t t Jlff!"J'I~ HU t'' lt I tfl• t-:1'1-,ltr ~ ' f TJ $..'\ .HP. .. f r•r ~ f'

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Figure 43. Article about recent survey of home buyer' s preferences. Note that the survey concluded that 65% of those polled would like a ranch-type home in 1949. The San Diego Union, Sunday, August 28, 1949 A-24. 1940s that forms a kind ofu-shape around a pool and patio. His ranch-style houses often featured aluminum-framed sliding glass doors to merge indoors and out. These homes caught the attention of Sunset Magazine for about twenty years.

But as noted by Frey, architects adjusted to the wants of their customers and the late 1940s architectural styles blended Ranch with Postwar Modem to create combinations of post and beam construction, walls of glass, open plan interiors, indoor gardens, and space designed for social entertainment.

Cosgrove planned his home at 5310 Canterbury Drive in the exclusive Kensington Heights to reflect the highest standards of post-war Ranch and Mid Century Modem for gracious living. One can only imagine how this house impressed the Barbachano family across the street and the numerous parties and gatherings it engendered. And while those new homes may have grated the older generation, Cosgrove would have been proud of his achievements and upward social mobility at that point in his career.

Architectural Analysis of the Cosgrove-Ratner House

Changes to the 1949 Cosgrove-Ratner House are primarily interior, but Jean Hardy installed a garage door to the original carport and a cinder-brick wall across the south side of the house. Nathaniel Ratner ordered the reflecting pooVfish pond removed and Bill Kenton engineered the interior portion to create a fountain that Louam Fleet enhanced with three fountainheads. The Cleggs built a padded seat above the now dry fountain. Hardy also removed the shuffleboard, installed epoxy-pebble to the pool deck, and replaced the original white rock roof with cinder shingle. Comparison of the Tax Assessor's records with the existing footprint reveals no additions to the original building. This means that approximately 97% of the original Cosgrove-Ratner House remains intact.

The following is an analysis of how the Cosgrove-Ratner House meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring, and Reconstructing Historic Buildings (39 C.F.R. 67 and 68, July 12, 1995) and ten rehabilitation standards:

1. Use ofthe property as originally intended. The Cosgrove-Ratner House continues to be used as a residence by the Clegg family, who intend to retain the distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships.

2. The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The exterior of the Cosgrove-Ratner House has been 97% retained. Changes are replacement of the white rock roof with cinder shingle, addition of a garage door on the carport, replacement of the glass doors with wood, removal of the shuffleboard, and Ratner's 1951 removal of the exterior portion of the reflecting pooV:fishpond. The cinder brick wall added by Hardy to the south side of the house is removable and did not affect the fabric of the building. As far as can be determined, no change has occurred to the original paint colors and the flagstone fas;ade on the front and chimney are original. The rear side of the house retains the steel post and beam roof structure, 8-foot square wood-framed sliding glass doors, and glass transom windows. The swimming pool, tennis court, cabana, flagstone barbeque, and yard layout remain the same.

3. Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. The Cosgrove-Ratner House is a physical record of post-war Ranch blended with Mid

37 Figure 44. East side (front) of the residence at 5310 Canterbury Drive showing bowed-out bay window inset in flagstone fayade, facing Canterbury Drive. Figure 45. East side (front) of the residence at 5310 Canterbury Drive showing the canted-out top of the large front window which is set into the flagstone fayade. This east-facing window is where the reflecting pool I fish pond was located. The indoor fountain is located inside the house below this window. Century Modem architecture and landscape features typical of 1949. The flagstone fa~ade and chimney, outward-canted glass front window, steel post and beam roof system, large-scale sliding glass doors, and glass transom windows represent modem design concepts for the period and provide important information for future architectural research.

4. Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved. The Clegg family fully intends to retain the character­ defining features of the Cosgrave-Ratner House as it existed when they purchased the property in 1999. Although the carved wooden doors installed by Fleet in the 1970s do not match the historic character of the house, the Cleggs do not intend to restore the original glass doors. Should something break or deteriorate, they will replace with the same materials in the same shape as the missing element. Although interior change occurred during Hardy's tenure, the Clegg's do not intend to change the original doors, door hardware, room configuration or spatial relationships, or mechanical systems. Past owners have maintained the original fabric of the Cosgrave-Ratner House and no deterioration is present at this time.

5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved. The Cosgrave-Ratner House retains the original flagstone front fa~ade and chimney, wood-framed casement windows, outward-canted glass window, large-scale wood-framed sliding glass doors, and glass transom windows on the exterior of the building (Figure 44). Interior doors retain original doorknob, doorplate, and hinge hardware. On a number of interior doors, a distinctive door knob with starburst door plate is located high and center making door openings unusual. Interior cabinets retain original wood carpentry craftsmanship in the bathrooms. Even though the unusual doorknob hardware does not work on some of the doors, it will be retained and may someday be repaired. The Clegg family intends to preserve the original swimming pool, tennis court, cabana, ornamental plantings, and barbeque. The cabana is currently used as a home office.

6. The original condition of historic features will be evaluated to determine the appropriate level of intervention needed. The Clegg family intends to maintain the historic features of the house, but should any features break or require repair, the Cleggs intend to consult a specialist who will either repair the original feature or replace it in kind to match the old in composition, design, color, and texture. Should major damage occur, the Cleggs would consult the Design Review Committee, Historic Resources Board.

7. Chemical or physical treatment, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. At this time, no chemical or physical treatment is required for the Cosgrave-Ratner House. Should such treatments be required in the future, the Clegg family understands the need to consult with the Design Review Committee, Historic Resources Board.

8. Archaeology. Cosgrove graded the landform to install steel-reinforced cast concrete foundations, interior shear-walls, and level the lot for construction. No archaeology is anticipated as a result of that earthwork and the Clegg family plans no change for the landform.

38 9. New additions. No new additions have been added to the Cosgrove-Ratner House. A lattice arbor and cinder brick wall attaches to the southeast comer of the building, but could be removed without serious effects to the building fabric.

10. Non-conforming additions. There are no non-conforming additions to the Cosgrove­ Ramer House.

Architectural Significance. The 1949 Cosgrove-Ratner House is an excellent example of builder Chris Cosgrove's high-end Mid Century Modem-Ranch custom homes. The house exhibits post-war design motifs consistent with ideals promoted in popular literature such as Sunset Magazine and The San Diego Union at San Diego's First National Home Show in May of 1949. The east-facing front fayade exhibits fine flagstone masonry, a unique outward-canted front window, multi-paned bay window, and wood-framed casement windows (Figure 45). The west­ facing rear fa9ade is a wall oflarge sliding and fixed glass, wood-framed, windows that can open the living room, family room, and master bedroom to the patio, swimming pool, and tennis court overlooking Mission Valley to the northwest. The wide, flagstone masonry chimney and barbeque are classic Ranch style patio motifs of the post-war 1940s and are in excellent condition. The cabana, pool, tennis court, barbeque, and footprint of the house are all listed in the Tax Assessor's records as built in 1949. This analysis documents that 97% of the original house exists. Loss of the heavy, double-glass front doors and reflecting pool/fishpond are irreversible, but the garage door could at some future date be removed to restore the original carport.

Association with People Significant to the History of San Diego. The Cosgrove-Ratner House is associated with Chris A. Cosgrove and Nathaniel Ratner, who were significant in the development of real estate and industry in the City of San Diego between 1949 and 1953. Real estate developer, builder, and designer Chris A. Cosgrove built this high-end, Mid Century Modem-Ranch custom house at 5310 Canterbury Drive, Kensington Heights for $75,000.00 to live in with his wife, Celia Barbachano Cosgrove. The Cosgroves lived there from 1949 to 1951. Cosgrove is important in Kensington as the builder of the Ken Cinema and its distinctive flagstone masonry fa9ade that extends west to the end of the commercial building. He also built over 3,000 homes in the Cities of San Diego, Coronado, La Mesa, Alpine, Escondido, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and rural Rancho Santa Fe. The Cosgroves used the house to entertain family, friends, and business associates. Celia' s parents, Manuel and Maria Barbachano lived directly across Canterbury Drive and entertained colorful Hollywood guests at their Rosarito Beach Hotel in the 1930s and 1940s.

Cosgrove subcontracted electrical and appliance work to Marco Ratner of Ratner Electric, who arranged for the Cosgroves to sell 5310 Canterbury Drive to Nathaniel Ratner for cash. From 1951 through 197 6, the Ratners lived in the house during their most significant period of clothing industry expansion in the cities of San Diego, National City, and Chula Vista. At their peak, the Ratners had 2,800 employees and dominated the industry.

Although outside the 50-year historical period, David G. and Louam Fleet bought the Cosgrove­ Ramer House in 1976 and lived there through his important philanthropic period when the Fleet Foundation donated the Reuben Fleet Space and Science Center to Balboa Park. The Fleet family is famous in San Diego for bringing Consolidated Vultee and Convair Aircraft factories to San Diego during the Great Depression to bootstrap the economy and help defend America. David G. Fleet served Convair when they produced thousands ofB-24 Liberator bombers for the war effort. Both the Cosgroves and Fleet developed significant post-war real estate subdivisions in San Diego that influenced urban planning policies at the City of San Diego until zoning laws and

39 the Subdivision Map Act guided urban development. During the 1949 to 1953 historical period, Cosgrove, Ratner, and Fleet affected the social history of the City of San Diego.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Cosgrove-Ratner House is recommended for City of San Diego, Historic Landmark Designation. This nomination is based on the fact that it meets Criterion b (historic associations) for its direct association with Chris A. Cosgrove and Nathaniel Ratner between 1940 and 1953 and David G. Fleet in the 1970-1980s; and Criterion c (architecture) as an excellent example of post-war Mid Century Modem-Ranch in 1949. For these reasons, the Cosgrove-Ratner House is nominated for historic landmark status and a Mills Act contract.

40 References Consulted

Bauman, Thomas H., D.D.S. 1997 Kensington- Talmadge 1910-1997. Second Edition. San Diego: Kensington-Talmadge Community Association.

California Office of Historic Preservation 1996 The California Register ofHistoric Resources: Regulations for Nomination ofHistoric Properties. State of California, The Resources Agency, Department ofParks and Recreation

Cowan, Robert G. 1977 Ranchos ofCalifornia, Historical Society of Southern California.

The First Los Angeles City and County Directory, 1872. Facsimile, Ward Ritchie Press, 1963

McAlester, Virginia and Lee 1979 A Field Guide to American Homes. New York: Little, Brown and Company

National Park Service 1985 Historic American Building Survey Guidelines for Preparing Written and Historical Descriptive Data. Division of National Register Programs, Western Regional Office, San Francisco, California.

Rancho Cahuenga Expediente, 1842. State Archives

Valentine, Maggie 1996 The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History ofthe Movie Theater, Starring S. Charles Lee. New Haven, Yale University Press.

Periodicals

Killory, Christine 1993 "Temporary Suburbs; The Lost Opportunity of San Diego's National Defense Housing Projects," Journal ofSan Diego History. 39 (Winter-Spring) 1-2

Ruocco, Lloyd 1958 "Ruocco's Garden City," San Diego Magazine (September 1958)

1960 "The Magnificent City Art of Europe," San Diego Magazine (April 1960)

Ruocco, Ilse and Lloyd 1963 "Every Day Art" American Crayon Company (Spring 1963)

Vietor, John A. 1959 "Rosarito: Story of a Gamble," San Diego and Point Magazine 2(5):47

41 Newspapers

San Diego Jewish Press Heritage, November 21, 1986

The San Diego Union July 14, 1931; December 11, 1934; January 29, 1935; January 30, 1975; February 26, 1935; March 31, 1935; April23, 1935; April25, 1935; September 25, 1936; August 3, 1936; November 11, 1936; December 2, 1936; December 3, 1936; December 5, 1936; February 12, 1938; March 30, 1938; May 15, 1938; January 26, 1941 ; February 16, 1948; February 17, 1948; May 1, 1949; May 16, 1949; May 17, 1949; May 18, 1949; May 20, 1949; August 21, 1949; August 28, 1949; September 4, 1949; September 18, 1949; May 27, 1950; August 10, 1950; August 13, 1950; January 20, 1952; January 31, 1952; February 3, 1952; February 7, 1952; February 24, 1952; February 25, 1952; March 2, 1952; March 7, 1952; March 14, 1952; March 15, 1952; March 19, 1952; March 21, 1952; March 23, 1952; April3, 1952; June 30, 1952; December 12, 1952; Apri128, 1953; March 6, 1953; February 24, 1954; February 25, 1954; June 1, 1955; July1, 1955; November 6, 1957; July 1, 1959; November 23, 1960; March 7, 1961; June 20, 1970; June 28, 1972; June 13, 1973; September 6, 1973; January 17, 1975; May 28, 1985; March 10, 1991; April25, 1991; December 21, 1992; August 12, 1994; August 2, 1997; March 16, 2002; January 12,2003

Clyde Smith 1952 "Valley View Dramatized In New House," The San Diego Union, March 2, 1952. This article shows Mr. and Mrs. W. Harold Sadleir's home at 4750 Panorama Drive, overlooking Mission Valley below. Albert Westover designed and built this ranch style house for $22,000, which exhibits an almost unbroken expanse of plate glass walls around the living, dining, and recreational rooms that are cantilevered over the steep bluffs to present a lofty open feeling. This is remarkably similar to 5310 Canterbury Drive, which cost $75,000 in 1949.

1952 "Outdoor Room Vital to California Living," The San Diego Union, Sunday, March 23, 1952. This article shows a rambling ranch house with glass walls surrounding a swimming pool and a fantastic view of the El Cajon and the Laguna Mountains from Mount Helix. Virgil Cash, builder member of the San Diego Building Contractors Association for Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Almgren, 4820 Helix Drive, designed this 4,400 square foot house. This article continues to promote high value on ranch house design with glass walls taking advantage of rim lots overlooking vast view sheds.

Gus Stevens 1971 "Ratner Celebrates Independence; Menswear Firm Marks 50th Year," Evening Tribune, March 10, 1971

Union Tribune, October 22, 1948; November 6, 1957; March 10, 1971; February 12, 1978; March 19,2003

Manuscripts

Ruocco, Lloyd Anthony Ruocco Resume, San Diego Historical Society, Research Archives

Sedlock, Robert 1958 "A History ofKensington," San Diego Historical Society, Research Archives

Thomas, Ellen 1974 "Rosarito Beach Hotel: San Simeon South?"

42 Oral Histories

McClammy, Fern Lee (Mrs. Richard) 1988 Oral History, San Diego Historical Society

McLaughlin, James Oral history, San Diego Historical Society

Phelps, Elizabeth Margaret 1959 Oral History, San Diego Historical Society

Ftatner,l\brahana 1987 Oral History, San Diego Historical Society

Oral Interviews l\ladray, Mrs. Eddie Oral Interview concerning Chris ACosgrove, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPl\, Legacy 106, Inc. l\ladray, Eddie Oral Interview concerning Chris A and Celia Cosgrove, March 10, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106 Inc. l\nderson, G. Scott Oral Interview concerning the Barbachano family in the Mexico City and Baja California naovie industry, March 16, 2003, by Ronald V . May, RPA, Legacy 106 Inc.

Berkun, Anita Oral Interview concerning Chris A Cosgrove and the Ken Cinema, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPl\ , Legacy 106, Inc.

Cano, Manuel "Manny" Oral Interview concerning his time as an employee of Chris A Cosgrove,, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPl\, Legacy 106, Inc.

Cosgrove, Mrs. Thonaas Oral Interview concerning Chris A Cosgrove, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPl\, Legacy 106, Inc.

Delawie, FAil\, Homer, general conversation at Keith York' s house concerning Lloyd Ruocco, February 2, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPl\, in a casual setting (did not discuss 5310 Canterbury Drive by name or project).

Dennstedt, l\lberta Oral Interview concerning Kensington history, March 4, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPl\, Legacy 106 Inc.

Fink, Gary Oral Interview concerning the Ftatner family history in Kensington, March 6, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPl\ , Legacy 106, Inc.

43 Fleet, Louarn Oral Interview concerning her life at 5310 Canterbury Drive, January 29, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106 Inc.

Hardin, Shirley Oral Interview concerning her recollections of 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 5, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Hardy, Jean Oral Interview concerning her recollections of 5310 Canterbury Drive, January 21, and February 3, 2003, with Ronald V. May and Dale May, Legacy 106, Inc.

Kaiser, Kay Oral Interview concerning her recollections of Lloyd Ruocco and during an examination of 5310 Canterbury Drive to ascertain if Lloyd Ruocco could have been the architect, March 14 and 23, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Kenton, Bill Oral Interview concerning his recollections ofNathaniel Ratner and conversations concerning 5310 Canterbury Drive, Kensington, March 11, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RP A, Legacy 106 Inc.

K vaas, Harold Oral Interview concerning his memory of Chris A. Cosgrove, March 4, 2003, with Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Lake, J. Spencer Oral Interview concerning Lloyd Ruocco's architectural style during an examination of 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 23, 2003

May, Russell Personal communication to Ronald V. May, January 1959.

McHenry, Jerry Oral Interview concerning Melhorn Construction Company, March 6, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Neely, Richard Oral Interview concerning Kensington history, March 6, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Neely, Eleanor Oral Interview concerning Celia C. Cosgrove and 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 10, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106 Inc.

Ratner, Woodrow Oral Interview concerning his memories of 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 4, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA , Legacy 106, Inc.

Ratner, Seymour Oral Interview concerning his memories of 5310 Canterbury Drive, March 4, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

44 Shay, Scott Oral Interview concerning his knowledge of Kensington history, January 29, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106 Inc.

Stoops, Fred Oral Interview concerning his association with the Cosgroves at the La Mesan Mobile Lodge, March 7, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Tanzer, Joanne Oral Interview concerning Lloyd Ruocco, March 12, 2002, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106 Inc.

York, Keith Oral Interview concerning Mid Century Modern architecture, Lloyd Ruocco, and key identifiers for Ruocco-designed homes and the loan of his file on Ruocco, February 2, 2003; and his visit to 5310 Canterbury Drive on March 28,2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Utt, Roger Oral Interview concerning Kensington history, flagstone/ledgestone and architectural investigation, March 4 and 5, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

Whitwer, Raymond Oral Interview concerning the construction industry in the late 1940s and early 1950s and his memories of Chris A. Cosgrove, February 17, 2003, by Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc.

San Diego Historical Society, Research Archives, Photo Archives

C. 99. Lloyd Ruocco Photo Collection, 1935-1973.

C. 68. Gene Kazikowski Aerial, 1950-1967

City Directories

City Directories, 1915-1967

Title Search

Union Title Company

Government Records

Book ofDeeds, County of San Diego, Recorder's Office

Book ofLiens, County of San Diego, Recorder's Office, Mechanic's Lien for $177.87, 1954

County Tax Assessor, Records

Water Department, Records

45 1954, Municipal Court Case No. 13436, June 1954, Credit Bureau Vs. Chris Cosgrove. Michael DeStout Plumbing and Heating sued Chris Cosgrove for plumbing, labor and materials. Cosgrove was listed as residing at 815 Bangor Street in Point Lorna.

Kevin Shelley, Secretary of State, State of California, Business Programs, Articles of Corporation of Chris A. Cosgrove, Builder, Hidden Valley Corporation, March 3, 1952

Residential Building Record, Sheets 1 & 2, County Recorders Office

United States Census, 1920, 1930

Internet Sources www.Ancestry.com

Burns, Leigh with Staci Catron-Sullivan, Jennifer Holcombe, Arnie Spinks, Scott Thompson, Amy Waite, Matt Watts-Edwards, and Diana Welling. 2001 "Atlanta Housing 1944 to 1965," www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnrlhistpres/pdf/atlhouse.pdf

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission, Historical Essays www.cmhpf.org/essays/postwararch.html

Eddy, Lucinda 1995 "Visions of Paradise: The Selling of San Diego," "Big City Blues Turn Bright 1950-1970," Journal ofSan Diego History, Summer 1995, Volume 41, Number 3. www. sandiegohistory. org/jounal/95surnmer/chapter 18.htm

Jarmusch, Ann 1998 "People Who Live In Glass Houses; Modernist World Has Elegant Indoors with Great Outdoor Appeal,'' www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/design/glasshouses.htm

Killory, Christine 1993 "Temporary Suburbs: The Lost Opportunity of San Diego's National Defense Housing Projects," Journal ofSan Diego History, Winter-Spring 1993, Volume 39, Number 1-2, www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/93spring/suburbs.htm

"Modem San Diego; The Guide to Post WW2 Design," www.modemsandiego.com/Self­ Guided Tour Page.html Search for Mission Hills 1, 2, 3, or 4.

McDonald, James A. 1998 "Determination of Eligibility and Effect, Prepared For An Environmental Analysis of the Tucson Rod and Gun Club's Special Use Permit, Coronado National Forest, Santa Catalina Ranger District," Photograph of Federal Bureau of Prisons Camp No. 10, Mount Lemmon, Arizona in 1951, www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/nhpa.htm

National Register Bulletin, Historic Residential Suburbs: Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. ''House and Yard, The Design of the Suburban Home." www.cr.nps.gov /nr/publications/bulletins/suburbs/text2.htm

46 New York Times on the Web, "What's Long and Low and Getting Lonelier?" December 16, 1999, by Tracie Rozhon, www .bebeyond.com/LearnEnglish/BeAD/Readings/RanchHouse.htm

Schoenherr, Steve, "WW2 Timeline: Reuben Fleet" http:/ lhistory.sandiego.edu/gen!WW2Timeline/fleet.html and "Consair-Vultee Deal Confrred; Fleet to Stay: Consolidated Chief Will Have Advisory Position After Merger" from The San Diego Union, November 26, 1941, page 1, http://history.sandiego.edu/gen!WW2Text/consair­ sold.html

Starr, Kevin, "Sunset Magazine and the Phenomenon of the Far West" http://sunset­ magazine.stanford.edu/htmllbody influences l.html and http://sunset- magazine.stanford.edu/html/i 3.html

Taschner, Mary, "Boomerang Boom: San Diego 1941-1942," The Journal of San Diego History, Winter 1982, Volume 28, Number 1, www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/82winter/boom.htm

Volume 5, The Building Trades Directory, "An Interview with Albert Frey," (date unknown), www. volumeS .com/albertfrey/index.html

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Pene.i t l"c-~ of fl,50 _lJ l ndudcd .!n..:fot.d Cha~cc~ Authori••tiQ~ 14 htrebr •r•ntrd ta NOT A VALID (I'{IJER ~- . ~--- ,._9 ~- ~-;J~;:---'-;\·t·,:-!·. ~::---:-?i~l\o..l""~:a,a..;~--:-:-. ~ , C!R'W~ lt6 r-· . ·-· Attachment 3. Water Service Order and receipt for Chris Cosgrove, 5310 Canterbury Drive 9/29/48 and Sewer Connection Order and Pennit, 9/29/48. ~~~T itE a F CIIPL£T I Otl

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Attachment 4. Notice of Completion for Chris A. Cosgrove and Celia C. Cosgrove living at 5290 Canterbury Drive for newly built 5310 Canterbury Drive property, August 30, 1949 : GRAH T

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Attachment 5. Grant Deed, Chris A. and Celia C. Cosgrove (Gr3?tor) to Nathaniel Ratner and Sally Ratner, Lots 254 and 255 of Kensington Heights, Unit 3, Map 1948 and Lot 47 ofRancho Ex-Mission of San Diego, Recorded January 16, 1951 (5310 Canterbury Drive property) GRANT IJEED

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Attachment 6. Grant Deed transferring 5310 Canterbury Drive from Nathaniel Ratner and Sally Ratner to Mr. and Mrs. David G. Fleet, February 23, 1976 '"• / ----~· . ( i _,..r; / ~~· · :~"" -·-·--'11 >..... (. .-•4'_.1.. ~- 1._ ;:"', .... , ~ ·'' t 1...!£/ __ ...\. -(-'--~--

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Attachment 7. Grant Deed for 5310 Canterbury Drive transferring property from Luarn J. Fleet to Jeanne Hardy, June 15, 1989 m.'t:n.l1.1l~F' JU;J~~rw ~rt S.."NI'U COAST Trrl..E CO, DOC # 1999-0455815 JL~I Wllli:h ~"tJlWUJ "\11.11. 'ftl; .Jw·1 30.-~ 1.999 l... .:l:: 4 :l. f-W~ ru,u

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Attachment 8. Grant Deed for 5310 Canterbury Drive transferring property from Jeanne Hardy to present owners, Dale A. Clegg and Elizabeth Clegg, May 26, 1999