The Adamson House in Malibu, CA is a delightful Spanish-Colonial revival property built in 1930. It was founded by Merritt and Rhoda Rindge Adamson. This land was part of the Spanish land grant deed to Frederick and May Rindge that was established as a cattle ranch. Ranchof Topanga Malibu Sequit was 24,000 acres with 22 acres of beachfront vistas.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation operates the Adamson House and offers docent-led tours. Don’t forget to visit the gift shop for some one-of-a-kind gifts.
“In 1892, Henry Keller sold the 13,000-acre Rancho Malibu to Frederick H. Rindge, for a price variously reported as $10-$22 per acre. Keller, it is said, had acquired it for 10 cents an acre in 1872. Rindge, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, had recently inherited an estate of more than $2 million and moved to California.
After arrving in California, Rindge wrote a book called “Happy Days in Southern California.” Then he looked for “a farm near the ocean, and under the lee of the mountain, with a trout brook, wild trees, a lake, good soil, and excellent climate.”
The house was designed by architect Stiles O. Clements of Morgan, Walls & Clements. View the Malibu Adamson House Foundation PastPerfect collection to see rendering of the beach cottage.
The pool overlooks the ocean and has his mural of a Spanish expedition.
The house is adored in Malibu Potteries tiles, which were manufactured locally from 1926-1932. The magnificent color palette show below had designs with great detail and vibrancy to this day.
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 due to it’s prolific use of Malibu Potteries tile designs.