Architecture

One requirement to homestead land was to establish residency on your claim by constructing a dwelling, most often a cabin. However, in his homestead patent testimony, Louis M. Richard states that he built a three room "substantial home" in 1922.

The site for the house had incredible views and seclusion at an elevation of about 600-800 feet elevation above Lake Hodges. In 1926, the expansion of the house made front page news in the local Daily-Times Advocate.

Architectural Details and Gladding McBean Tile Art

The Gladding McBean ceramics company is located in Lincoln, California where Charles Gladding, Peter McGill McBean and George Chambers established a clay pipe manufacturing plant in 1875. Today, the company celebrates over 140 years of leadership in the clay pipe, terra cotta and tile product manufacturing. They are considered a pioneer in ceramics technology, and owners of some of the richest clay deposits in the world. It is during one of its largest expansions, mergers and buyouts in Southern California in the early 1920s when Louis Richard was employed by GMB. Richard was well into developing his Vista del Lago ranch in June 1923, when the world famous GMB ceramics company acquired the controlling stock of Tropico Potteries, Inc. of Los Angeles. Not having given up his contacts in Los Angeles among the clay and ceramics manufacturers, Louis continued his employment with GMB affiliate, the Los Angeles Pressed Brick. After this merger, the GMB had plants in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Point Richmond, and Alberhill, California. Louis is credited for "greatly assisting GMB" in locating a major source for clay in Alberhill, Riverside, CA.

After the Great Depression, the demand for highly stylized building materials dwindled. The company began to look for new products, primarily tableware. In 1932, work in the production of dinnerware began at the Glendale plant in Los Angeles. It was in this early part of the 1930's that Louis ventured to New Mexico to launch a more simpler ceramic tile plant in La Luz that primarily produced building products such as roof tile, and garden pottery.

Gladding McBean's manufacturing of red roof tiles and architectural terra cotta details helped achieve the distinctive Spanish Colonial Revival style so common to what evolved into "Spanish type" residential architecture. It is this style that Louis Richard incorporated into his home above Lake Hodges. The Hidden Lake Ranch house had been remodeled many times, yet it retains many original decorative tiles on various walls still today. The trim around the fireplace gives the home the indelible mark of having been constructed in the popular "Spanish type" architecture of the time. In fact, the ideas and supplies of material would have been at Richard's fingertips and available to stylize his home well in advanced of the popularity of this mode.

A large and commodious living room filled with windows assures a guest to enjoy the view of Lake Hodges when trees had not yet matured. A step off the kitchen is a dining room, which had been remodeled. A home office that undoubtedly was Mr. Richard's headquarter highlights a welcoming corner fireplace with traceable black GMB tile. Because of the many remodels, it is not apparent if the Spanish Type home originally had an early Mexican California style expansive porch, or if this had been an addition in later times. The exposed hand hued wooden pole beams in the ceiling give the living room a rustic feel much like the architectural California style promoted in early Cliff May homes. Gladding McBean pieces from the 1920s are on display throughout the property today –the fountain, many vases, planters and decorative pieces.