Why is it called California Country Club Estates? There's a story here.

At first glance when you drive through Cheviot Hills, you see many large homes that were built in the late 1920's. Then you cross an invisible line into CCCE and you wonder why there are so may single story ranch homes in this area. There's a really great reason. It used to be a golf course. One family in the neighborhood was digging a pool and found a lot of sand...and golf balls. Turns out, the pool was being put where a sand trap was. Go figure.

From 1917 to 1951, this was the site of a very fancy country club founded by George Somerville, Harry Culver, H. W. McNutt and E. H. Allen. Before this it was the John D. Hawes Ranch, which was cultivating barley. Really? Barley? Okay. "It wasn’t ground particularly adapted to farming, but it was an ideal location for a country club. It was near to the city, near to the sea; near boulevards and crossroads, making it peculiarly accessible. Electric lines passed its threshold, the breeze from the ocean warned it when cool and cooled it when warm."

It was perfect for a country club, but it only lasted 34 years.

"Surviving the depression, the Club became a victim of World War II. Those on the first tee at 9 a.m. December 7, 1941, will never forget the hysterical voice of an announcer over the radio in the golf shop, “The Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor.” With the drastic loss of members to the Armed Services, the course could not be maintained, water bills could not be met. The land was purchased by a syndicate of film stars as an investment. Eventually bull dozers brutally leveled the course for the housing development sitting on its bones today. ​"

When the Big One ended, soldiers were coming home and needed housing. Sanford Adler, who has quite the story of his own, developed the area working with architects Dan Saxon Palmer and William Krisal, offering 20 different ranch-style models ready for postwar families.

We don't usually talk in-depth about the history of our neighborhoods, but there are some really great resources that have been put together by the city, nonprofits, and citizens. The Los Angeles Conservancy is a great resource and is pretty awesome, but if you want a seriously in-depth look into Cheviot Hills, you have to go to cheviothillshistory.org. The California Country Club Estates page is at https://www.cheviothillshistory.org/california-country-club-estates

The history is a fun read, but as with all neighborhoods, it is changing again. The 1950's Mid Century Modern homes being torn down and being replaced by more contemporary two story versions of farm houses. Adler's vision is being airlifted into the new century. We're just wondering how many golf balls are still being found upon excavation.