Rispin Mansion Exterior

California History

Rispin Mansion - Exterior Old Photos
Capitola, CA

Most of these photos were taken during the 1940's and 1950's,
during the Poor Clare's Convent period.
Pink-linked photos are believed to be earlier photos.

Rispin Mansion Exterior Photographs
1- Aerial View	11- Upper Path around Pool
2- Entrance Gate	12- Statue near Pool
3- Garage Entrance	13-
4- Portico	14- Lawn Path - looking NW
5- Grand Stairs - wide	15- Pool and Lawn
6- Grand Stairs - zoom	16- Front Lawn - Sundial
7- Eastside - Early	17- Pool and Fountain
8- Eastside - Creek Stairs	18- Early Pool with Vase
9- Eastside - Terrace Stairs	19- Pool from Lawn
10- Eastside Terrace	20- Dove Aviary

Last updated 9-11-04

1. Aerial View
Looking SouthEast. Taken in 1940's? 1950's?
When did the 4 buildings on the left disappear?
Those must have been the "Poor Clares" additions, obviously NOT built out of concrete . . . gone!

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2. Entrance Gate
Looking SouthEast. Taken in 1940's? 1950's?
The iron gates are long gone.
Bring back the gates, and weld them open!
The right-hand pillar was removed, since it was in the middle of the current sidewalk.
Casually removed in the name of progress. I say, "Let's put it BACK!"
The left pillar REMAINS, and can be seen today, while driving down Wharf Road.
One could actually slam into it. Ahh, but the charm!
Of course, one could easily slam into anything.

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3. Garage Entrance
Looking North. Taken in the 1920's?
Henry Rispin's bedroom window can be seen upstairs, directly above the center of the garage door.
The ever-present dogs. Are they the same pair shown in Photo #14?
That would make #14 a lot older.

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4. Portico over the Front Door
Looking North. Taken in 1940's?
How well-kept it was. The showcase of Capitola.

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5. Grand Stairs descending from the Pool
Looking West. Taken in 1940's? 1950's?
Somewhat distorted.
These stairs are totally covered with ivy today, except right down the center, where only the intrepid walk now.

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6. Grand Stairs descending from the Pool
Looking West. Taken in 1940's? 1950's?
The same photo as above, cropped, but undistorted.

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7. Eastside of House
Looking West. Taken in the 1920's? 1930's?
This view no longer exists due to HUGE trees.

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8. Eastside - Soquel Creek stairs
Looking South. Taken in 1940's?
Former stairway down to Soquel Creek.

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9. Eastside - Terrace Stairs
Looking South. Taken in the 1920's? 1930's?
The servants entrance is the arched entry at the bottom of the staircase.
The extreme right shows the stairs along the nourished of the building.

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10. Eastside - Terrace
Facing North West. Taken in the 1920s?
Notice the 3 frogs all spitting water into the "Frog Pond".
The frogs are gone, but you can still see the pipes that went up into their bellies.
Rispin Mansion Photo

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11. Upper Path Around Pool
Looking East. Taken in 1940's?
The reflecting pool is just to the left of this old photo.
The upstairs corner bedroom shown empties out onto a second-story balcony,
directly over the downstairs entrance portico.

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12. Statue near Pool
Looking East. Taken in 1940's?

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14. Lawn Path
Looking North West toward Wharf Road. Taken in 1940's?
Notice the now nonexistent building in the background. What was that?
Collies?

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15. Pool and Lawn
Looking North. Taken in 1940's?
The rose arbor is in the background.

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16. Front Lawn - Sundial
Looking South. Taken in 1920's? 1930's?
Sundial or vase?
Notice the vase on the far side of the pool.
The stairway shown in #5 and #6 descends downward on the left of the photo.
The steps and gate to Wharf Road are on the right.

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17. Pool and Fountain
Looking East. Taken in 1940's?

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18. Early Pool with Vase
Looking South. Taken in the 1920's? 1930's?
Notice in photo #12 that the vase has been replaced by a Saint's Statue.

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19. Pool from Lawn
Looking South West. Taken in 1940's?
Good water pressure today - maybe the pump (background right) just shut off.
Notice the vase is totally covered in ivy in this photo.

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20. Dove Aviary
Looking North. Taken in 1940's?
Wharf Road is to the left, behind the aviary.
Notice the dogs, and the water pump house in the background.
And all the baby trees.

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Henry Allen Rispin - Robert Hayes Smith - Oblates of St. Joseph - Saint Joseph's Monastery -
Order of Poor Clares - Poor Clares convent - Poor Clairs retreat
California haunted house - Capitola Historic Mansion - Rispen Estate - Capitola prohibition

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This Henry Allen Rispin Mansion Exterior Photos web page was last updated on 2011-02-09.