In 1925, Walter and Adella Muckenthaler built a Spanish Colonial Revival mansion in Fullerton for $35,000. They managed to pack 18 rooms into an 8.5-acre plot, including a library and conservatory filled with family heirlooms.
The entry features a wrought iron staircase railing imported from Italy. The tiles that surround the fireplaces and cover the solarium floor were designed by the Ernest Batchelder Tile Company.
By 1965, Harold Muckenthaler donated the home and grounds to the city with the condition that it be developed into a cultural center. The city complied, and a nonprofit foundation was formed in 1966 to operate the center. A complete renovation took place between 1981 and 1984, followed by the construction of an outdoor amphitheatre between 1990 and 1993.
Today, the property is a mix of manicured history and landscaping. You can walk through an Italian Garden surrounded by palms or check out the Sunset Garden on the western edge, which uses drought-resistant wildflowers. There is also a stone gazebo sitting at the site of the original citrus grove reservoir.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Kyle McLonely
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