Dateline>City of Angels

As they say, looks are often deceiving. Take for example the Crystal Springs Ranger Headquarters at Griffith Park, pictured above.

At first glance it appears to be just another of L.A.’s ubiquitous 1930s Spanish Colonial bungalows. Beneath the whitewash and plaster, however, hides a landmark with a much more storied past — and perhaps even a long-lost secret or two…

The Official Story

Southern California’s historical community has long referred to the structure as the Paco Feliz Adobe, presumably built by its namesake Francisco “Paco” Feliz circa 1853. Now used as a film office and meeting center, park historians note that the Crystal Springs adobe is “the only surviving structure from the Rancho Los Feliz Era,” although it was substantially altered in the 1920s-’30s. In fact, sources at the park’s archives indicate that it’s difficult to discern exactly how much of the old adobe was preserved within the newer walls, which adhere closely to the home’s original three-room floorplan, complete with fireplace.

Ironically, this little adobe has seen some major intrigue over the decades. People often confuse it with the Feliz hacienda, which supposedly dated to the 1830s, if not earlier. However, park historians say this house served not as the main family dwelling, but as one of several outbuildings for ranch hands. The actual Feliz manor comprised two stories and stood near the present zoo parking lot. It was demolished by park authorities in 1921 to make room for the Wilson Golf Course — a brazen desecration that sparked an uproar among that era’s preservationists…

Burying History

According to accounts from the period, park officials were caught red-handed trying to dismantle the larger hacienda on the QT. When the mayor, council and local branch of the Native Sons of the Golden West attempted to intervene, park commissioners arrogantly fired back that the house wasn’t worth saving. Only the “second story of the outer walls are built of adobe,” they declared in their letter to the council, adding that the first story consisted of masonry and stone, while “the roof was wooden, covered with tin, and as far as we have been able to learn there is no historical significance of any kind or character attached to the house.” [1]

Their deceptions were challenged by leading citizens who knew better, including Van Griffith, son of Col. Griffith J. Griffith, the park’s donor, and William Mulholland (pictured left), who had lived on the ranch during his early years as a zanjero in the city’s water company. [2]

In fact, the larger hacienda’s origins were apparent to anyone with even a passing familiarity with Rancho Los Feliz. Even Maj. Horace Bell had briefly touched on its background in his famous tale of the Feliz Curse, coincidentally explaining all the architectural embellishments that park commissioners advanced as “proof” of the house’s “non-historical” character:

“Leon Baldwin was the purchaser. He improved the ranch regardless of expense, stocked it with imported breeds of cattle, established a model dairy, fenced and cross-fenced the hitherto open land, [and] remodeled the old Feliz house until it was the perfection of elegant comfort.” [3]

Despite public outcry, park officials succeeded in demolishing the manor house, but thankfully failed in their efforts to deal the same fate to the Crystal Springs adobe, which was next on their demolition list of “insignificant” structures.

A House Haunted?

Of course, any adobe even remotely associated with the Feliz family is eventually going to somehow end up linked to The Curse. And indeed, unsubstantiated rumors have circulated from time to time that a ghostly senorita clad in a white dress and mantilla peers mournfully from the Crystal Springs adobe’s windows on dark and stormy nights. It’s assumed this is the spirit of Dona Petranilla Feliz, the 17-year-old orphan thought to have hexed the rancho in 1863. The ghostlore is no doubt based on the (false) notion that this was her childhood home.

But the Crystal Springs adobe may boast a more sinister connection to the curse story — a puzzling link yet again shrouded by years of mistaken identity.

While it’s commonly held that “Paco” Feliz built the Crystal Springs house, there’s evidence to suggest otherwise. First, no actual records of its construction were kept, leaving much of its “true history” open to speculation. More noteworthy, according to Marie Northrop’s genealogies of the Feliz family, Paco Feliz died at age 86 in 1847 — a full six years before the adobe was supposedly built. [4] Even allowing that the adobe’s construction date may be off by a few years, it seems far-fetched that a man of such advanced age would undertake the building of a three-room home in his waning days. Moreover, by the late 1840s, ownership of Rancho Los Feliz had passed to Maria Verdugo, the wife of Paco Feliz’ deceased cousin Juan Anastacio Feliz, along with her son, Jose Antonio. They — not Paco — would have likely overseen any new building projects on the rancho.

But if Paco didn’t build the adobe, how did it get the name?

Another Theory

When Don (Jose) Antonio Feliz died of smallpox in 1863, his suspicious “Last Will and Testament,” which placed the property into the hands of Antonio F. Coronel, was “witnessed” by several ranch workers. Their subsequent court testimony indicates they resided on the land a short distance from the main house. As it turns out, they also shared a rather surprising surname: Paco.

Could this small adobe actually bear the name of the nefarious servants who not only lived there but helped swindle the Feliz Family out of its land? I believe it’s a strong possibility. In fact, it’s just one of the many tantalizing questions I’ve been investigating for my upcoming book, The Feliz Curse: An Early Los Angeles Tale of Ghosts, Greed and Griffith Park.

My Official Announcement

Yes, that’s right: I’m also using this lengthy post to officially announce that (finally) all the major research is complete, and the drafting has begun. As the book progresses, I’ll be posting additional news, tidbits and teasers here. Stay tuned.

Source Notes

[1] “Storm Rages Over Adobes,” Los Angeles Times, Dec. 9, 1921, p. II3.
[2] Mike Eberts, Griffith Park: A Centennial History (Los Angeles: The Historical Society of Southern California, 2001), pp. 142-143.
[3] Maj. Horace Bell, On the Old West Coast (New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1930), pp. 90-91.
[4] Marie Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California, Vol. 3 (Burbank: Southern California Genealogical Society, 2004), p. 99.