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LOCATION:
1925 K Street, San Diego, CA 92102.
* 619-239-2211
DESCRIPTION:
It is described as a glorious example
of eclectic late 19th century Victorian / Queen Anne architecture, a crown
jewel of the era which earned it a historical site standing by the city
of San Diego in 1970, just in the nick of time, as it was in sad shape
on the outside, really in need of renovation! Today Villa Montezuma is
used as not only a historical house museum, but offers changing exhibits,
is used as a community cultural center and on occasion is the setting
for weddings and receptions.
Built upon a hill, it has two stories,
with a partial basement with an authentic, recreated turn of the century
kitchen, multipurpose room and storage areas. On the south side of the
mansion, one finds the tower room, complete with an Arabesque dome, which
can be found via a staircase on the 2nd floor. It was Shepard's study
as it had a magnificent, panoramic view from San Diego to Point Loma and
south to Mexico, a source of inspiration for Shepard's creative composing
and writing.
Floors throughout the mansion were
made of polished fir, which were covered with Turkish and Persian rugs
when Jesse lived there. The bottom half of the walls are made of polished
redwood and walnut, while wallpaper such as pink fleur-de-lis designs
enhance the top part of the walls. Ceilings have silvery gray to white
Lincrusta Walton . There are many art glass windows on the exterior walls
and some are hung over several interior doorways, used as transoms. There
are 5 tile-faced fireplaces throughout the mansion.
The main floor has an entry hall,
a reception room, a magnificent music room which takes up the entire east
side of the mansion, the red room, a drawing room, a library, a dressing
room, a blue room and a dining room.
The second floor was and is used as
an art gallery and museum.
(For details, visit: SanDiegoHistory.org/journal/villa/)
HISTORY:
The population of San Diego began
to boom after the railroad was built into San Diego in 1885, swelling
in population from 5,000 to 40,000! In an effort to loose its frontier
town image, a push was made to bring culture and learning institutions
to San Diego. Schools, universities and opera / concert halls were established.
Harr Wagner, the editor of the San Francisco literary magazine and his
circle of poets, painters and musicians were persuaded to leave cold,
rainy San Francisco and settle in the lovely town of San Diego.
One of his artistic friends was opera
singer, musician, composer and author Jesse Shepard moved into town and
built his Villa Montezuma in 1887, just the way he wanted it, as he was
also gifted in knowing Victorian art decorum and design. He gave his ideas
to an architectural firm,Comstock & Trotche,whose gifted designer
team put Shepard's ideas to work to create this crown jewel of Victorian
Architecture. Comstock & Trotche designed most of the notable homes,
commercial and civic buildings which were built in San Diego big growth
period in the 1880's.
After Jesse Shepard returned to live
in Europe, after being eventually shunned by San Diego's cultured community
due to his activities explained below, the Via Montezuma passed through
many owners throughout the years and was used as a boarding house during
World War 2. While the owners did their best to upkeep the interior, the
structure itself began looking kind of funky and a little rundown, in
need of major renovation.
It became the property of the city
of San Diego in 1970 when it was named a historic site. Since then, many
dedicated people, artesians, organizations have worked together to do
a variety of minor and major renovations, restoring as much as possible
Jesse Shepard's original decorum and design found in the original Villa
Montezuma. Even a fire in 1986, which swept through most of the 2nd floor,
and damaging the ceiling of the first floor music room, only strengthened
the collective resolve to meet and conquer the challenges presented in
the restoration effort.
(For more details, visit: SanDiegoHistory.org//Restoration.htm)
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS:
1) Jesse Shepard was
a spiritualist as well as a talented musician, singer and author. Jesse
held musical seances in a special room located in the very heart of
the mansion. His favorite past time was frowned upon by San Diego's
high society causing him to be ignored and shunned so much that he left
his beloved mansion and moved back to Europe. Imagine his joy when his
Villa Montezuma was renovated and restored to his original ideas!!!!!
2) One of Shepard's servants was
tormented by grief when his wife died, so he committed suicide by hanging
himself in the mansion's tower.
MANIFESTATIONS:
1) Jesse Shepard, by using his voice
to simulate an entire orchestra, summoned up entities to help him play
music on his piano. He called up spirits of Chopin and Mozart, having
one play his right hand while the other would play the other hand on
the piano.
a) A strong presence is felt today
by many in the room where Jesse Shepard called up musical entities.
Many think Jesse Shepard has returned to the place where he loved
to be while alive, communing with the masters.
b) Visitors have heard piano
music coming from the locked seance room.
2) A sad, mournful apparition is
seen peering through the window of the cupola.
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes Indeed!!
Two entities inhabit Via Montezuma.
Jesse Shepard is home again, and a tormented entity found that suicide
didn't solve anything, so he continues to stick around and peek at the
life he willingly gave up through an emotional action.
Sources: SanDiegoHistory.org/journal/villa * SanDiegoHistory.org
The National Directory
of Haunted Places, by William Dennis Huak, 1996, Penguin Books
Pictures taken by Tom Carr
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