Doubly armed with inspiration from his travels abroad and a desire to bring the formal home into the countryside, celebrated architect Myron Hunt set out to create this charming Mission Revival home in the. Built over a century ago for a prominent businessman and telephone industry pioneer and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the dwelling is filled with eye-catching vestiges of yesteryear; and it’s now on the market, asking a speck under $5.7 million.
“This extraordinary property is a rare and pristine example of Hunt’s architectural brilliance, preserved in its authentic glory,” says Christian Stillmark, who shares the listing atwith Scott James, both of Douglas Elliman. “Custom-built for the esteemed Welles family, this historic home boasts an array of advanced features that were revolutionary for the early 1900s.
Seven original Bell telephones connected to intercoms were used by staff to let family members know when meals were served. in 1917 for the family of Francis R. Welles, an associate and employee of Alexander Graham Bell, the dwelling is known as Villa Carlotta and was last purchased almost 30 years ago by its current and only third owners, JP and Judie O’Neil.
Also one of the first homes in the city with electrical wiring incorporated into its original plans, the place still has a main panel at the entryway that controls 12 large gravity furnaces in the basement and operational push-button light switches.Found on a lushly landscaped parcel spanning over a half-acre in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the gray stucco, stone-accented and green tile-roof house is fronted by a circular driveway.