81773 Avenue 58
DPR 523L (09/2013)
Identifier: CRM TECH 1885-133 Date Constructed: 1926; 1960; 1980s
UTM Zone: 11S, 570836 mE; 3720600 mN
Neighborhood: Not Associated with a Residential Neighborhood
Tract: Not Associated with a Residential Tract
Owner and Address: John K. Miller, James L. Blanton; 58300 Almonte Drive, La Quinta CA 92253
Updated Description: In 2006 CRM Tech recorded 81773 Avenue 58 (58200 Almonte Drive) and 58300 Almonte Drive in the same
record. The dwellings at these addresses appear to have once been grouped together in a larger ranching property.
The dwelling at 81773 Avenue 58, also listed as 58200 Almonte Drive, was constructed by 1960. The residence was formerly part of a
ranch property, previously identified as Casa el Fin del Camino. The 81773 Avenue 58 dwelling consisted of a wood-framed, L-shaped
building with a low-pitched side-gable roof clad in red clay tiles with an interior brick chimney. The roof has a moderate-width, open
eaves with exposed rafters above walls clad in stucco with with board-and-batten siding enclosed at the gable ends above the
ground floor. Fenestration consists of aluminum and vinyl framed sliding windows, and the entry is set within a full-width veranda
supported by square wood posts and enclosed by a low, stucco wall on the west and south façades.
The 58300 Almonte Drive dwelling was first constructed in 1926. The residence was formerly part of a ranch property, previously
identified as Rancho Tecolote (Owl Ranch). Property owners, John Miller and James Blanton, renamed the property the J&J Ranch in
2012. This southern residence consists of a wood-framed, irregular shaped building with a low-pitched cross-gable roof clay in red
clay times with two adjacent interior stucco clad chimneys. The roof has a moderate to slight overhang with open eaves and exposed
rafters. A full width vertanda supported by wood posts is located along the southwestern façade.The walls are clad in stucco. The
fenestration was not visible from the public right-of-way due to a high stucco clad masonry privacy wall. The exterior stucco wall is
painted red with "Quinta JL" painted on either side of the entrance gate.
Two additional secondary non-historic dwellings are located within the boundaries of the 58300 Almonte Drive property, located to
the northwest and northeast of the 1926 building. A detached garage is located southeast of the primary dwelling.
Updated Significance: The property at 58300 Almonte Drive was first improved in 1926 when the Rancho Tecolote building was
constructed on land that was previously used for growing dates and cotton as early as 1918. Over time, the surrounding area was
improved with additional residences and outbuildings. The dwelling at 81773 Avenue 58, or 58200 Almonte Drive, also named the
Casa el Fin del Camino, was constructed by 1960. Additional dwellings were added to the 58300 Almonte Drive property throughout
the 1980s. Rancho Tecolote was home to the painter and artist Frances Roberts Nugent. The actors, Brian Aherne and Joan
Fontaine, constructed the secondary residence northeast of the original dwelling for Prince Rainier of Monaco. Phyllis Harris,
daughter of jazz musician and singer Phil Harris and actress Alice Faye, also owned the house before John Miller and James Blanton.
According to available aerial imagery, a previous owner installed an addition to the east elevation of the Rancho Tecolote building
between 1984 and 1989, extending the original 1926 dwelling eastward. In 2012, Miller and Blanton added a rear covered patio to
the Rancho Tecolote building, a new concrete masonry block wall surrounding the property, and improved the existing landscaping.
A prior survey evaluated the property as status code 6Z - found ineligible for NRHP, CRHR, and Local Register designation. The
dwelling is one of the few remaining properties associated with agricultural activity in La Quinta and it possesses individual
documented significance in relation to the theme of Ranching and Agriculture (1900-1970s). The historic dwelling is also associated
with Frances Roberts Nugent, Brian Aherne, and Joan Fontaine, significant artists and local residents. Significant alterations over
time have negatively impacted the overall integrity of the property. As a result of additions, alterations, and secondary dwelling
units, the property does not meet the thresholds of integrity for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or the California
Register of Historical Resources. Therefore, the property is assigned a 5S2 status code: Individually eligible for local listing or
designation.
State of California — The Resources Agency
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
CONTINUATION SHEET
State of California — The Resources Agency
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
CONTINUATION SHEET
Primary#: P-33-015589
HRI #: None
Trinomial: N/A
CRHR Status Code: 5S2
Other Listings: Urbana Survey No. 262
ý Update
Resource Name: 81773 Avenue 58 (58200 Almonte Dr.); 58300
Almonte Dr.
Page 1 of 4
DPR 523L (09/2013)
The property was found individually eligible under Local Criterion B (events), it is associated with agricultural production in La Quinta
between 1900 and the 1970s. The property is also individually eligible under Criterion B (persons), as the 1926 dwelling is associated
life and work of Frances Roberts Nugent, an artist, teacher, and author who spent significant time in La Quinta. It is also significant
for its association with the actors, Brian Aherne and Joan Fontaine, who owned the ranch from 1939 to 1945. The property is not
individually eligible under Criterion C/3/C, as it does not appear to retain a sufficient level of integrity to convey its significance as
Spanish Colonial Revival / Spanish Eclectic style ranch. Recent rehabilitation to the 1926 dwelling have restored historic elements,
including period appropriate fenestration materials, but the overall design, setting, materials, and workmanship has been altered
significantly over time. The ranch is not individually eligible under Criterion D/4/D, as further study of the property would not appear
to yield information which could be considered important in local, regional, state, or national history. Additionally, the property was
not found to be individually eligible under Local Register Criterion A, as it was not found to exemplify a special element of the City of
La Quinta. Due to limited visibility during the current survey, the integrity of the 58300 Almonte Drive property could not be
determined from the public-right-of-way. However, recently published photographs of the property indicate that the current owners
have substantially rehabilitated the 1926 dwelling and restored period appropriate materials to the exterior of the dwelling that were
previously removed.
State of California — The Resources Agency
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
CONTINUATION SHEET
Resource Name: 81773 Avenue 58 (58200 Almonte Dr.); 58300
Almonte Dr.
Page 2 of 4
Primary#: P-33-015589
HRI #: None
Trinomial: N/A
CRHR Status Code: 5S2
Other Listings: Urbana Survey No. 262
ý Update
DPR 523L (09/2013)
58300 Almonte Dr._1: View facing east of the western privacy wall.
58300 Almonte Dr._2: View facing northeast of the western privacy wall and driveway.
State of California — The Resources Agency
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
CONTINUATION SHEET
Primary#: P-33-015589
HRI #: None
Trinomial: N/A
CRHR Status Code: 5S2
Urbana Survey No: 262 Resource Name: 81773 Avenue 58
58300 Almonte Dr. Page 3 of 4
DPR 523J (09/2013) *Required Information
*Map Name: Indio *Scale: 1:24,000 *Map Date: 2021
State of California — The Resources Agency
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
LOCATION MAP
Primary#: P-33-015589
HRI #: None
Trinomial: N/A
CRHR Status Code: 5S2
Other Listings: Urbana Survey No. 262 Resource Name: 81773 Avenue 58
58300 Almonte Dr.
Page 4 of 4
State of California--The Resources Agency Primary # 33-015589
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code 6Z
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 4 *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) CRM TECH 1885-133
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication • Unrestricted *a. County Riverside
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad Indio, Calif. Date 1972
T6S; R7E; NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Sec 27 ; S.B. B.M.
Elevation: Approximately 58 feet below mean sea level
c. Address 81773 Avenue 58 City La Quinta Zip 92253
d. UTM: (Give more than one for large and/or linear resources) Zone 11; 0570836 mE/ 3720600 mN
UTM Derivation: • USGS Quad GPS
e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, etc., as appropriate) APN 764-180-001
*P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size,
setting, and boundaries) This former ranch property, situated on the south side of
Avenue 58, consists primarily of two single-family residences, whose present
use is unclear, and includes several ancillary buildings. Both one-story
residences are built in the Spanish Eclectic style. The northerly residence,
identified as "Casa el Fin del Camino," is a wood-framed, L-shaped structure
surmounted with a low-pitched front-gable roof, which is covered with red
(Continued on p. 3)
*P3b. Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) HP2: Single-family property; HP33:
Farm/ranch
*P4. Resources Present: • Building Structure Object Site District Element of District
Other (isolates, etc.)
P5a. Photograph or Drawing (Photograph required for buildings, structures,
and objects.)
(See p. 4)
P5b. Description of Photo: (view, date,
accession #) Photo taken in
August 2006 (see p. 4)
*P6. Date Constructed/Age of
Sources:
• Historic Prehistoric Both
Mid- to late 1950s (see
Items B6 and B12 for
details)
*P7. Owner and Address: Unknown
*P8. Recorded by (Name, affiliation, and
address): Bai "Tom" Tang,
Josh Smallwood, and Mariam
Dahdul, CRM TECH, 4472
Orange Street, Riverside,
CA 92501
*P9. Date Recorded: August 2006
*P10. Survey Type: Citywide
historic building survey
*P11. Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.") Bai "Tom" Tang (2006):
Summary of Findings: Citywide Historic Resources Survey Update, City of La
Quinta, Riverside County, California. On file, Eastern Information Center,
University of California, Riverside.
*Attachments: None Location Map Continuation Sheet • Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Resource Record Milling Station Record
Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record • Other (List): Continuation Sheet
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
State of California--The Resources Agency Primary # 33-015589
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 4 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) CRM TECH 1885-133
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name: "Casa el Fin del Camino" and "Rancho del Tecolate"
B3. Original Use: Residential B4. Present Use: Residential?
*B5. Architectural Style: Spanish Eclectic
*B6. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) Archival records
indicate that a single-family dwelling was constructed on this location in the
mid- or late 1950s, around the time when Richard V. and Nellie H. Gates
acquired the property. Historic maps suggest that this was most likely the
residence identified today as Rancho del Tecolate, located on the southern
portion of the property. The construction date of Casa el Fin del Camino, on
the northern portion of the property, is unclear but is evidently later. No
city or county building permits were found on file. The Gates' remained
owners of the property through at least 1964.
*B7. Moved? • No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: See Item P3a.
B9a. Architect: Unknown b. Builder: Unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme Post-WWII rural residential architecture
Area La Quinta Period of Significance 1945-1961
Property Type Ranch houses Applicable Criteria N/A
(Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, and geographic scope.
Also address integrity.) The two residences at this address demonstrate a notable
attention to design details and craftsmanship, but do not constitute
(Continued on p. 3)
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) HP4: Ancillary building; HP46:
Wall/fence
*B12. References: Riverside County Assessor's real property tax assessment records;
County of Riverside and City of La Quinta building safety records; USGS
Coachella, California, 15' quadrangles, 1941 and 1956.
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Bai "Tom" Tang
*Date of Evaluation: September 2006
(Sketch Map with north arrow required.)
(This space reserved for official comments.)
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California--The Resources Agency Primary # 33-015589
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 4 Resource name or # (Assigned by recorder) CRM TECH 1885-133
Recorded by: Bai "Tom" Tang, Josh Smallwood, and Mariam Dahdul
*Date: August 2006 • Continuation Update
*P3a. Description (continued): clay tiles. Moderate-width, open eaves with exposed
rafters shelter the exterior walls sheathed mostly in stucco with some
vertical board-and-batten cladding, and a brick chimney rises from the
interior. Fenestration consists of aluminum-framed sliding windows, and the
entry is set within a patio enclosed by a low, stucco wall on the asymmetrical
south-facing primary façade. A scalloped stucco wall surrounds the residence,
and a metal shed, a flooded date grove, and a vinyl fence also accompany this
residence.
The southerly residence, known as "Rancho del Tecolate," appears also to be of
wood-frame construction, and is irregular in shape with a low-pitched cross-
gabled roof, covered with similar clay tiles. Sheathed entirely in stucco,
this residence is fenestrated with a large number of wood-framed casement
windows. A full-width open veranda supported by thick, square wood posts
shelters a series of glazed wood doors on the asymmetrical, southwest-facing
primary façade, and a number of French doors are set on the southeastern end
of the residence. A detached garage and a secondary residence flank the main
residence, and a tile-capped stucco wall delineates the perimeters. A
Spanish-style fountain graces the front yard of the well-landscaped property.
*B10. Significance (continued): outstanding or important examples of their style, type, or
method of construction, especially considering their relatively late
construction date and the large number of buildings of similar vintage
surviving in the region. Nor are they known to represent the work of a
distinguished architect, designer, or builder or to be closely associated with
a person or event of recognized historic significance. Therefore, they do not
appear to meet the criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic
Places or the California Register of Historical Resources.
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
State of California--The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 4 Resource name or # (Assigned by recorder) CRM TECH 1885-133
Recorded by: Bai "Tom" Tang, Josh Smallwood, and Mariam Dahdul
*Date: August 2006 • Continuation Update
Rancho del Tecolate (view to the northeast)
Casa el Fin del Camino (view to the north)
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information