PRESERVING CARMEL’S ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES

For such a young community,  founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1916, Carmel has a rich legacy of historic properties and works hard to preserve them. 

Much of the credit for this goes to the now deceased Enid Sales. 

Enid was already a legend when we moved to Carmel in 1997 . It was a prosperous time and many who had “struck gold” in the dot-com bubble were eager to build a second home in lovely Carmel, just down Highway One.  Homes were being torn down right and left and expanded and remodeled for the new owners. 

Enid settled in Carmel in 1988, but fought most of her battles to preserve the remnants of Carmel’s architectural beauties and historic past during the last ten years of her life-  from 1998 -2008. 

This quote from Roberta Miller sums it up ,“Enid was a woman of substance. An extraordinary woman. She cut a colorful swath. The first woman in the state to pass the test for a contractor’s license, a well-known preservationist and advocate, who helped characterize and shape the modern movement for historic preservation. Her career spanned more than 50 years. She was hard working, courageous, controversial, authentic, mysterious, independent, determined, resolute, tenacious, a cut above, a force to be reckoned with and never took her eye off the prize – the need to preserve the historic buildings of the past for future generations to enjoy and appreciate as part of their collective heritage.

The saying, ‘actions speak louder than words’, certainly applied to Enid Sales. In Carmel, Enid was known for her fierce advocacy for the preservation of arts and crafts cottages and her willingness to resort to lawsuits when all else failed. A warrior, ready to do battle and steadfast in her resolve.”

Sales was the first chairwoman of the city’s Historic Resources Board and undertook an analysis of what is historic in the city. 

I have no doubt that because of Enid’s battles, I am able to photograph many of the Comstock Cottages that I share with you.

And it is to the credit of the current owners of those Comstock treasures, that they are restoring the homes.

Abbey Baker Design Build helped the owners of The Comstock Home restore their home.

Curtain Call would surly have been demolished if its owner, Stephanie Kirz , had not asked that is be considered as a historical resource.

When it passed all the requirements, she painstakingly restored it with the help of Abbey Baker Design Build.

Dear little Hansel

was carefully restored by his owners with the help of Brian Congleton.

“Enid never had any problem telling people off if that’s what was needed to get it done. She told the city off; she told mayors off; she told me off,” said architect Brian Congleton , one of her friends. “She’d throw anyone necessary under the bus to get the job done.”

Roger and Kathy Sanger write “ We are the present owners of ‘Fables’. We bought it in 2010. It has had many owners over the years and was,regrettably, not well cared for.

We decided to renovate it without changing its historical character as a cottage”. One of Fables former  owners was Apple CEO,John Sculley.

And so Fables has restored,original windows, new roof, updated electrical , plumbing, and floors.

They continue, “ It is great to see so many Comstock owners restoring these treasures to their former glory. We appreciate the attention that people have paid to this part of Carmel history”.

Douglas Johnson writes of his Comstock home on Carmel Point, “Donna and I own this home and spent several years restoring it..”

I blogged about this home in June 2011 after I discovered it was indeed a Comstock. I find in The Pine Cone that it is again for sale. What a wonderful restoration the Johnson’s did while keeping the exterior look the same with all the charm of the 1930’s home.

For the last blog, I snuck around the house taking pictures. This is certainly a more restful way to show you the house.

Even though I was not sure, this charm spoke of Hugh Comstock.

Now there is a 2 car garage with guest house above.

Lets walk around the outside.

I love the patio.

Entering the house,

the living room is to the left.

The board and batten , beamed ceiling is lovely and look at the shape of the door openings.

Kitchen

Dining area

Then down the hall to the east wing

which has 2 bedrooms

And a bath.

The guest quarters also has 2 bedrooms

Bath

And kitchenette.

Walk around the corner to Carmel River State Beach 

And admire the view of Point Lobos.

Asking price: $3,295,000

Double lot.

Offered by

Carmel Realty Company | Real Estate Properties | Property Listings