Outlands in the Eighty Acres

Outlands in the Eighty Acres, also known as Flanders Mansion is an 8,000-square-foot Tudor Revival house. It is significant as a work of architect Henry Higby Gutterson and for its innovative construction with light grey interlocking Precast concrete blocks. The mansion is preserved within the Mission Trail Nature Preserve in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 23, 1989.[2][3]

Outlands in the Eighty Acres
Flanders Mansion, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Outlands in the Eighty Acres is located in Monterey Peninsula
Outlands in the Eighty Acres
Location in the Monterey Peninsula
Location25800 Hatton Rd., Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Coordinates36°32′54″N 121°55′0″W
Built1924/1925
Built byFred Ruhl
ArchitectHenry Higby Gutterson
Architectural styleTudor Revival architecture
NRHP reference No.89000228[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 23, 1989

History
Front of the Flanders Mansion

Paul and Grace Flanders, married in 1920, came to Carmel in 1922, to build a home and start a business in real estate development. They purchased 80 acres of land from Dr. Daniel T. MacDougal, of the coastal botanical lab for the Carnegie Institution in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Flanders designed a two-story home, which they named the Outlands at 25800 Hatton Road, located on a hill overlooking the Carmel Mission, and Point Lobos.[2][4][5]

The Flander's were one of the first Carmelites to hire an outside architect, Henry Higby Gutterson, to design and contractor Fred Ruhl to build their residence. He had supervised the architect for the first subdivision in northern California, the St. Francis Wood, San Francisco. The Flanders Mansion lies at the end of a long driveway off Hatton Road surrounded by upper end of the Mission Trail Nature Preserve. The "Outlands" English cottage design was one of the first use of this style of residential architecture in Carmel By-the-Sea. The construction with light grey interlocking Precast concrete blocks was produced by the Carmel Thermotile Company. The material was advertised as "fireproof, waterproof and practically everlasting."[2]

In 1925, Flanders became the president of the Carmel Land Company and helped develop Hatton Fields, southeast of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The new company formed an office on Ocean Avenue between Louis S. Slevin's general merchandise store and the Carmel Bakery. Paul Flanders was president, Ernest Schweninger was secretary, and Peter Mawdsley was the treasurer.[6]

In 1976, the Carmel Art Institute was relocated to the Flanders Mansion, where the Institute continued to operate until owner John Cunningham's retirement in 1988.[7]

In 1972, Mayor Gunnar Norberg mounted the "Save the Flanders Estate' campaign. As vice-mayor, he persuaded the City of Carmel to purchase the Flanders mansion and adjoining 14.9 acres (6.0 ha) from the Flanders heirs for $275,000 (equivalent to $1,923,906 in 2022).[8] It has become part of the 34-acre Mission Trail Nature Preserve. Part of this property is now the Rowntree Native Plant Garden at 25800 Hatton Road.[2]

The non-profit organization Flanders Foundation was formed in 1998 to preserve, enhance, and maintain the city owned 34 acres (14 ha) the Flanders Mansion and Mission Trail Nature Preserve.[9] As of 2018, the City of Carmel is looking for a curator to donate their time, skills, and financial resources to restore the Flanders Mansion in exchange for rent-free use of the Mansion for 20 years.[10]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Seavey, Kent L. (August 1988). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Outlands in the Eighty Acres". National Park Service. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  3. "Federal Register 1989-03-07". archive.org. 7 March 1989. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  4. "Easter Brings Eastbay Folk to Art Colony". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. 12 Apr 1925. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  5. "Dr. Daniel T. MacDougal". carmelbytheseaca.blogspot.com. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. 9 Oct 2012. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  6. Neal Hotelling (July 2, 2021). "Baking bread and playing roles" (PDF). Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. pp. 23, 27. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  7. Connie Wright (2014). "Flanders Mansion & John Cunningham". Stories of Old Carmel: A Centennial Tribute From The Carmel Residents Association. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California: Carmel Residents Association. pp. 146–147.
  8. Connie Wright (2014). "Gunnar Norberg: The Abdominal No-Man or the Concience of Carmel". Stories of Old Carmel: A Centennial Tribute From The Carmel Residents Association. pp. 25–26. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. "Flanders Foundation receives grant trust". The Californian. Salinas, California. 17 Apr 2004. p. 35. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  10. "Request For Proposals Resident Curatorship Flanders Mansion" (PDF). ci.carmel.ca.us. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
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