Morey Mansion

Morey Mansion
General information
Architectural style	Victorian
Address	190 Terracina Blvd Redlands, California 92373
Coordinates	34°02′20″N 117°12′29″W / 34.038816°N 117.208012°W / 34.038816; -117.208012Coordinates: 34°02′20″N 117°12′29″W / 34.038816°N 117.208012°W / 34.038816; -117.208012
Completed	1890
Renovated	2000
Cost	$20,000
Client	David Morey
Technical details
Floor count	3
Floor area	4,800 square feet (450 m2)
Design and construction
Architect	Jerome Seymour[1]

Morey Mansion is an 1890 Victorian house in Redlands, California, United States.

History

The house was built in 1890 by early Redlands residents David and Sarah Morey for $20,000, profits from the sale of their citrus nursery. Following the Moreys' deaths in 1901, the house's second owners were Willard R. and Nancy Cheney, the brother and sister-in-law of Helen Cheney Kimberly, who was the wife of one of the founders of Kimberly-Clark Corporation.^[2] In the 1940s, it was reportedly owned by actress Carole Lombard's uncle and left to her in his will, but she died before she could take ownership. shortly later purchased by Willard M. and Florence Wiseman and then sold in the later 60's or 70's to the city of Redlands. The Allen's owned it during the 70s. Mr. Allen had seen the house as a young boy while in Redlands. He told someone that he was going to own that house one day. A friend told him it was for sale in the 70s and Mr. Allen purchased it immediately.

The house was featured in the film Talk About a Stranger (1952) as the house of the character Dr. Paul Mahler, alias Matlock.

The mansion opened as the first bed and breakfast in Redlands in 1985^[3] under then-owners Carl Ljungquist and Gary Conway.^[4] The house was purchased by Janet Cosgrove in 1998, who oversaw renovation work^[1] to the building before reopening it as a bed and breakfast in 2006. In 2010, Sara and Bill Taylor bought the mansion for sole use as their private residence.^[5] In 2012 the house went into foreclosure. Effective January 2014, ownership was returned to Janet Cosgrove.^[6][7]

Paranormal activity

Local tales hold that the bedroom where Sarah Morey died (her husband killed himself elsewhere a year later) in 1901, known as the Blue Room, is haunted.^[8] A 2009 episode of The Othersiders visited Morey Mansion and reported it as haunted. The team caught orbs, strange hot spots, and pictures of the initials S.M (Sarah Morey). The basement is also haunted as well as the Music Room, children's bedroom, grand staircase, library, and kitchen. The current residents of the house, however, have noticed no unusual activity.

The Moreys had lived in the house for 11 years when Sarah died of an illness, and David never stepped into the house again. Distraught at the loss of his wife, within a year he made his way to San Diego's Del Coronado Hotel, where he committed suicide by a gunshot to the head.

Gallery

• 

  Morey Mansion viewed from the Southeast.

• 

  Vestibule and front door.

• 

  Foyer.

• 

  Front porch and swing.

• 

  Carriage house.

• 

  Side angle of the house

References