The Marston House with Gay and Joe

Fran’s  Gal-Pal Kathy is a docent at the Marston House in the north east corner of Balboa Park.

She was going to be leading tours on Sunday and we asked Gay and Joe if they’d like to join us.  A very enthusiastic Gay quickly replied YES!  (I bet Joe didn’t even get a vote :))

Our first outing with Gay and Joe was in Persidio Park, January 2017.  And they’ve become very good friends indeed!

The original Presidio land was purchased by George Marston.  The land became Presidio Park and the Sera Museum was built by Marston.  The park land and museum were donated to the city of San Diego.

My blog can be found HERE.
And Gay’s blog HERE.

Although we were acquainted with the Marston name, this would be our first time inside the Marston home.  We met Kathy in front of the Carriage House for the short walk to the main residence.

Kathy unlocked the front door and we were inside foyer with its long hallway lighted by windows.  The wainscotting and floorboards were all heart redwood.  Beautiful long planks of pure heart redwood.

The library was the first room we visited.

There are three Tiffany Lamps in the home.  This one on George Marston’s desk shines on the San Diego Union Newspaper headlining the donation by John Spreckles of the ‘Organ’ Pavilion donated for the 1915 Exposition.

The furnishings are mostly donated items from SOHO (Save Our Heritage Organization), which maintains the house.

The music room originally had a grand piano.  SOHO donations include an upright piano with lamps to assist in reading the music.  His wife was a classical pianist, but George liked to play Boogie Woogie.

George Marston was instrumental in acquiring land for the Anza Borrego State Park.  The picture next to this Tiffany Lamp is well know by many who have visited Borrego Springs.

In this dining room George Marston discussed plans for the 1915 Exposition.  His wife Martha hosted Sunday dinners with guests including President Theodore Roosevelt.

Meals were plated in the butlers pantry, then served in the dining room.

The countertops in the pantry are cut to curve around the sink, beveled to drain into the sink and hinged to allow easy access to items on the top shelf below.

The woodworker in Joe paid acute attention to the details.  May inspire a new project.

The everyday dishes

and the fancy ones

Meals were prepared in the butler's kitchen.

Our docent Kathy explaining to Fran and Gay the Marston Legacy.

of Progress and Preservation

… And if 500 years from now someone should wish to know of George Marston he'd only need to go to San Diego and look about … ~ Charles C. Haines

The third Tiffany lamp is upstairs in sitting room.

Family photos adorn one room on the second floor.

The photo in the bottom center is George Marston, at age 91, ice skating at Glacier Gardens when it opened.

Annually Marston would have Lilacs brought from Julian and placed in his department store and home.

So how did Marston come across his money?  He developed a department store into a dynasty that dominated San Diego for over 80 years.  The building still stands on the corner of F Street and 4th Ave.

Marston paid a ‘living wage’ to all his employees.  Women and men had equal pay for equal work.  Many stayed with the store for decades.

Marston commissioned this whimsical map of San Diego in 1928.  Only 2000 were made.

Gay commented it would make a great jigsaw puzzle.  Val is another of Fran’s Gal-Pals.  Val's bridge partner is Jimmy Carter … Not the president, but the owner of a Mexican Cafe a short walk from the Marston House.

I didn’t take any pictures inside, but Gay did!

You’ll find  them at: Good-Times-Rollin

and lots more good information.