Pasadena Magazine is the bi-monthly magazine of Pasadena and its surrounding areas – the diverse, historically rich and culturally vibrant region that includes Glendale, the Eastside of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley all the way to Claremont.
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Rockhaven Restoration Rockhaven Sanitarium is fi nally on the brink of a redevelopment plan intent on retaining its historic character. STORY BY // DONNA LUGO PHOTOS BY // PAUL MOWRY ∫ DRIVE DOWN HONOLULU AVENUE IN THE TRANQUIL, HILLY REGION THAT IS THE CRESCENTA VALLEY AND EVENTUALLY YOU WILL ENCOUNTER A DUSTY YET TRULY RARE AND HISTORIC NUGGET OF CALIFORNIA GOLD. THE ROCKHAVEN SANITARIUM MAY AT FIRST GLANCE LOOK LIKE THE QUINTESSENTIAL SETTING OF A LATE '70S HORROR FLICK, BUT ONCE YOU LOOK BEYOND THE COBWEBS AND CHIPPED PAINT, the landscape reveals itself to be nothing short of remarkable. With its quaint gardens, abun- dance of oak trees and distinct architecture, it feels more like a park rather than a former mental institution. Founded in 1923 by Agnes Richards, a former mental health nurse in Illinois and California. Richards created Rockhaven as a picturesque alternative to the barbaric treat- ment patients received in other facilities at the time. She wanted it to be a place for "dignifi ed, individualized care in a home-like setting"—a concept otherwise known as "cottage therapy" that was fi rst developed in Europe. The site has numerous distinctions that make it worthy of note. For instance, it was the fi rst sanitarium run by women exclusively for women who were there for various mental health issues or even for just a brief period of rest and relaxation for those, suffering from nervous exhaustion. It was known for treating scads of notable celebrity residents like silent fi lm star Billie A TRANQUIL SETTING. Rockhaven's peaceful grounds. SEPTEMBER 2017 151 L I V I N G B Y D E S I G N REAL ESTATE