Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog number |
2015.8.121 |
Object Name |
Memoir |
Date |
1999 |
Description |
Bradford Wilson information _______________________ Bradford Wilson - aged 78 - Telephone Interview 8/20/99 (530)644-8521 Lived in the house for eight years 1926-1934 (aged 5 to 13). In 1934 moved to Ukiah. Grammar school - attended Hacienda School for 1 1/2 years and then went to Pioneer. When arrived property had been purchased by David Black including dump at quicksilver mines (Furnace site). Father was working with him in real estate. Envisioned development with summer homes. Father was in charge of operation. When they arrived, all furniture had been removed except the Grand Piano (shipped around the horn) in the parlor. Came in front door, to right was gold room, had gold carpet (room that is now partitioned, office space). On left two rooms each with inlaid fireplaces with divider sliding doors. Used Kitchen on main floor off hallway (where bathrooms are now) Next room dining room, on left was hallway and serving kitchen. Downstairs was main kitchen with huge woodburning stoves with 2 fireboxes. Dumbwaiter between old kitchen downstairs and hallway upstairs. In hallway was dumbwaiter. No bar in house before 1934. Dance floor came in during depression. Real Estate nil, plan to sell lots fell apart due to depression so they needed to do something. Dave Black had idea to use estate as weekend resort. Built dance floor in 1931. Accesses from Veranda (no doorways/opening cut from house walls). Expanded veranda out. Surrounded a sycamore (tree remained) which was growing right next to veranda. Good crowds. Hung Japanese lanterns around dance floor. Closed in dance floor around 1934. His father remained a year after 1934. Lee Bradford Wilson. house was in good condition when he arrived in 1926. Grounds still being kept up. Museum area. Old section built before new section. Found photo 11 X 14: taken 1925-1926 (will have photo restored and will send). Main house of Casa Grande was about 75 years old at the time he lived there but the old part was 25 years older. Has different style architecture. Little bathroom attached to outside of top floor now gone. That was his bathroom. Toilet, basin and tub. No hot water. No hot water in house at the time he recalls. Two large rooms (Opry House dressing room) were used as dining room. Mother father and Brad. Would cook in upstairs kitchen and roll in on tea cart to where opry house dressing rooms are today. This was the room they heated during the winter. Outside never had brick exposed. Ashlar block look. Brad worked at NASA Ames in 70s Came out to see the house in 70s. Place was in disrepair, inside dirty, dusty and filled with junk. Landscape in poor condition. He was sad to see it in such condition and was afraid it would be torn down. Has photo showing lake, rose gardens. Lakes altered in 1932 when Black opened as resort. County said he couldn't have lake as pool. Built pool across from lake and put in walls between the two. Had 8 foot deep pool across lake (one pool). Old part of lake remained. For revenue they used the dance floor to get folks to come out to New Almaden. Decided to have stuff to buy. Black built a fountain under veranda/dance floor and served ice cream, hot dogs (Brad was 12 at the time and worked the fountain). His school class put on an extravaganza/pageant at the big lawn about this time. There was a restaurant for a couple of years. French Chef Augie Laurens (Pinoche?) and waiter. In the house, in the gold room, served meals c1932. Business didn't do well, great chef, cooked for the family too. Winter restaurant closed, wrote message on wall. Had gone out to woods and committed suicide. Found his skeleton a couple of years later. Brad waited tables. Moonlight and Roses, Ben Black had orchestra in SF came down to casa once a month. Zizz Black other brother, had radio show, comedian in SF. Ben wrote the song before he bought the house, but became popular about the time he owned Casa Grande. Eight numbered bedrooms. Parents had #1, Brad across hall in #8. Down the end where the bathroom was. First room on left at top of stairs there was another restroom. Restroom old with fixtures. Dave Black later moved into the master bedroom and had bathroom tiled with new fixtures. There were no doors at the top of the stairs. Just led right into hallway. Black still there in 1935-36. Black ran mine and Brad's father operated mine in 1930s mining the furnace site. When Brad's family arrived the basement was in disrepair. About 1933 Black put in shower room and lockers for his resort/pools. Kitchen not used. Inside walls were plastered and wall papered. Doors were paneled, little trim around. Floors had wall to wall carpeting throughout. Must have been very expensive (carpet), showed no wear. Master bath had huge walk in closet. no door from master bedroom to the interior bathroom. As you walk up stairs would enter directly into hallway that ran length of building. On your left was one of two bathrooms. This was the interior bathroom that was in disrepair in the 20s-30s. Dave Black had it refurbished in 1934(?). To the left of the bathroom was Brad's parents room, Bedroom #1 (bedrooms were numbered). This was a large bedroom with a large walk in closet between the bathroom and bedroom. The room also had a filled in fireplace in which they had a plug in (?) wood stove. To the right of the stairs was Dave Black's bedroom which extended to the end of the building. This room also had a fireplace. On the front side of the building were bedrooms #3, #4, #5 (which was Ben Black's small bedroom directly across from the stairs), bedroom #6, #7 and #8 which was Brad's room. Brad's room was small and right next to the bathroom attached to the outside of the building. This was his bathroom. That's all for now. Brad's e mail # is bpw@directcon.net _________________ |
People |
Black, Ben Black, David Black, Zizz Laurens, Augie (Pinoche?) Wilson, Bradford Wilson, Lee Bradford |
Cataloged by |
Wicks, Susan |
Collection |
Individual Donors 8 |