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As with any old home that has changed hands over a long period
of time, stories and gossip turn into legends, which become
their own truths. In an attempt to find out the most accurate
history of La Jolla Cove Cottage, my mother, Mary Ruth, and
I researched old Village News and La Jolla Light articles,
interviewed long-time neighbors, and combed the City Hall
archives for bills of sales, deeds of trust and the original
building permit. The following is a synopsis of what we have
uncovered.
Eden and Ada George bought the corner plot of land on the
cliff where the cottage now stands, later called Whale Watch
Point, and in December of 1923 they were issued a permit to
build. It was several years later before other homes joined
them on the little "island" of homes. Legend says
that Eden George was a Sea Captain and intentionally built
the home like a ship. What we do know is that he was a self-proclaimed
world traveler and successful Sydney builder and investor
born in Australia whose wife hailed from New Zealand. Together
they retired to La Jolla in the 1920's. |
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| Visitors who have come to the cottage from
the coastal areas of Australia and New Zealand have remarked
about the cottage's similarity to the beach cottages of their
homeland's. The octagonal rooms connected by a rectangular
body is a design from New Zealand. The high open-beamed ceilings
with the hardwood floors that mimic the ceiling pattern is
of Austrailian design. One thing for sure is that there is
an influence of the ocean throughout the house. Being up on
the cliff the eye naturally follows the horizon. As you walk
through the house it literally feels as if you are on a ship
and you have set sail. The design, the setting on the cliff,
the floor plan that maximizes the ocean views, and the height
of the sub-floor, all combine to give this home a unique feel
and experience. The builder may not have truly been a sea
captain, but there is no doubt that he must have had extensive
seafaring experience in order to create the feeling that being
in this house you are at one with the sea. |
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| The second owner, according
to the tax records, was Mary Ledyard, a postal worker and
philanthropist who wintered in Pasadena and summered in La
Jolla. With her long-time companion, Catherine Avery, Mary
divided her time between her two homes and traveled the globe
several times. She owned the cottage for the next twenty years
and named it "el Mirasol", meaning "where sun,
sand and sea meet." Eventually she sold the property
to a man who held on to it for the next ten years. His name
and personal history escapes us for now, but further study
will bring it to light. I do know that it was he who one day
in 1957 put a FOR SALE sign up in the yard as my grandparents
drove by. Before the end of that day a handshake and a check
for $10,000 secured the next forty-eight years of the Odell's
Dynasty. |
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| While looking for their summer
home, Jay and Ruth Odell had fallen in love with LaJolla.
My grandmother, Ruth Anicker Odell, was a seasoned artist
and the front yard was an endless landscape for her painting
sessions. After spending their entire lives in the midwest,
the sun was just what the doctor ordered and, too, Ruth was
determined to be closer to her baby boy who was stationed
at Edwards Air Force Base breaking sound barriers and with
SAC as a jet pilot. She provided a weekend retreat for David
and his buddies where they could get some great home-cooked
meals and much needed off-base R&R. |
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My grandfather, Jay Geddes Odell,
was a sports enthusiast and was a best-friend of Jack Murphy,
the famous San Diego Sports writer. They would spend hours
in the cottage playing bridge and talking about sports. He
even forced a black Labrador puppy on Jack, convincing him
that this puppy was just what he needed. No one could say
"no" to my grandfather when he was sure he was right.
After many kind refusals, "Abe of Spoon River" showed
up at Jack's door with an instructional note as to his care
and feeding needs. Soon their talks were centered around Labradors
and hunting. Jack Murphy fell in love with that little puppy,
Abe, so much so that he wrote a book about him titled Abe
and Me, and there is a statue of Abe next to Jack in
front of San Diego's Qualcom Stadium. |
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| Life was good for all involved with that wonderful cottage
full of love, buddies, dogs, friends, and a new crop of great-grandchildren
who learned how to crawl in the livingroom, walk in the sand,
run in the cliffs chasing birds, and swim in the waves. My
grandmother passed away in 1974. My Uncle David retired from
the Airforce after closing down the last American presence
in Vietnam as Commander of Tan San Nut in 1973. His next assignment
was to care for his father and numerous nieces and nephews
who adored him. He and my grandfather lived together in the
cottage for ten years. | 
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| When my grandfather died in 1984, Uncle
Dave directed his time and energies to saving La Jolla from
being over-developed. He fought developers to prevent the
razing of wonderful old historic cottages for the construction
of highrise condominiums. Through his work legislation was
enacted restricting construction height regulations in La
Jolla and he became a loud voice on the Coastal Commission,
demanding coastal access for all people and prohibiting privately
owned beaches. He was a real common-man's hero, a voice for
the masses, and a real pain-in-the-rear for commercial developers. |
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| Now the cottage has passed to my mother, Uncle Dave's sister, and mother of six. She has researched our family roots for the last sixty years and, at 88, she is the matriarch of our now many family branches. She has her own history of being politically active, most notable as having been Northern Illinois' Campaign Co-chairperson for Nixon's 1960's bid for President of the United States. That is a story in and of itself! Mary Ruth is an avid reader, with an eye for
beauty. Today, the cottage has this woman's touch of simple, comfortable elegance.
It is replete with restored treasures, great books, modern features and stunning
surroundings. I am the gardener and take great pride in keeping the plantings at
their peak and forever changing with the seasons. When you visit do not be
surprised to see me with my hands in the dirt creating a new vision or making
an even prettier path for passers-by to enjoy. After all, we feel blessed to own
this cottage, grateful to our ancestors who had the foresight to buy and hold on
to such a perfect slice of heaven, and we feel privileged to share it with you.
The income we collect from rentals directly supports the cottage's preservation for the enjoyment of all of La Jolla and its visitors. |
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We are currently in the process of compiling an anthology for publication
titled " Love Stories From the Cliff," a collection
of personal stories about the magic of the cliffs, how time somehow stops
here, and how lives are enriched by a little patch of grass on a beautiful
stretch of coastline in California. Click HERE
to read one couple's story, " That Evening in June,"
and learn more about this publication. |
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- Laura
Barton Williams  |
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