In our line of service, we meet people every day chasing their dreams of homeownership. And often, those dreams aren’t very exacting. A surprising amount of people are in the market for four walls and a roof… anything else is icing on the cake. And there’s nothing wrong with that! But Glendale’s historic Harris House, which just hit the market, is a home for the discerning dreamers. Its gabled roof is held aloft by possibility and history; a home that considers tomorrow through the lens of countless yesterdays. Not quite Victorian, not quite Craftsman, it’s a quixotic structure too grandly unique to belong to any one time. In short, it’s a home for someone who doesn’t see a place but an entity; a being with brick bones and redwood blood that’s held true despite the world changing around it; a sanctuary unbowed by the ages.
The Feminine History of the Historic Harris House
Built in 1902, the Harris House is one of the oldest homes in Glendale, even pre-dating the city’s 1906 incorporation. It takes its name from its initial owner, Harriet Harris, a widow who resided in the home until 1917. Harris was the first in a long line of women residents of the property, a rarity for the time. Even as laws began to recognize women’s rights to property ownership in the mid-19th century, it was unusual to find a woman in sole ownership of a home. Harris would be in good company with another widow, Anna M. McCrea, and her daughter, Catherine, taking residence in the home from 1921 until 1942 when Mary Roseann Reese purchased the property to transform it into a boarding house exclusively for women.
That’s not to say the Harris House lacks any male presence. Just take it from Robert Coshland, the current owner who purchased the home in 2013 and has just listed it on the market through JohnHart Real Estate’s Lilith Berko and Kristina Ter-Ovsepyan. But Coshland recognizes the home’s continued feminine appeal, noting that he maintains the trend with the majority of his friends and guests being women.
A Timeless Beauty
For a home that’s well over a century old, the Harris House looks remarkably similar to how it appeared when Harriet Harris first moved in. Maybe it’s the predominantly feminine touch. Or perhaps it’s the quality of its craftsmanship. Though the home may resemble an ornately manufactured Victorian home, it employed construction techniques and materials that made Craftsman homes so resilient. Seeing the Harris House in person feels like looking through a clear window into the past. It’s no wonder it’s such a popular space for filming period pieces. Through the decades, it’s held up stunningly well.
More Than a Victorian Home. More Than a Craftsman Home.
Construction began on the Harris House during a time when the factory-driven production of Victorian homes was winding down in favor of the heightened craftsmanship that would give way to the first Craftsman homes. Falling into a hybrid style referred to as Victorian Transitional, the Harris House manages to offer the best of both worlds. Detailed Victorian flourishes meet Craftsman-influenced reliability all under one gabled roof.
The mixed architecture is evident even at first glance. The home features a front porch built into the house instantly reminiscent of Craftsman homes as well as a clearly dominant gable punctuated by a brick chimney. But its decorative nuances, fenestration, and general aesthetic remain heavily rooted in Victorian design.
A Home Out of Space and Time
Nestled in a shockingly sprawling (especially for Glendale) lot populated with majestic pine trees, the Harris House rises into view with its sharply-angled gables cutting an unblemished blue sky. Saw-tooth shingles laid over a brick foundation reinforce wood siding painted a bountiful green. A gorgeous mix of picture, casement, and hopper windows punctuate the home’s rich verdant veneer, allowing for optimal ventilation and ample insulation while remaining easy to clean.
And, of course, they flood the interior with a wealth of California sunshine. Windows are further beautified by generous wooden trim including denticulated window boxes at the gable ends, contributing strongly to the Victorian aesthetic. Catch it at just the right angle and it almost seems to exist out of space and time.
Victorian and Craftsman architecture blend seamlessly in the welcoming porch that’s actually built into the Harris House in true Craftsman style. Columns rise up into nuanced brackets facilitating the shorter guard railing so popular in Victorian times. Ornamental flourishes are carved into the posts to add further elegance. Beyond a wooden front door punctuated by a generously sized pane of glass thought by Coshland to be the original, the Harris House is a splendidly preserved glimpse at a time when homes were truly unique works of art.
Inside the Harris House
The residence itself encompasses 3,446 square feet of living space distributed over three levels including a brick basement outfitted with electrical outlets and central heating and air conditioning. This basement also boasts a concrete floor meticulously painted to resemble slate, offering a sophisticated look that’s affordably maintained. Natural lighting pours in through two driveway-facing windows.
The labyrinthine first floor loops in a circle leading off into various offices, parlors, a living room, sun room, dining room, and kitchen. Coshland jokes that the maze-like passageways can leave guests feeling they’re in an episode of Scooby-Doo as the host pops in one door and out another, seemingly defying reason. Sound-resistant plaster walls arch upward into 11-foot tall cove ceilings, perfect for Coshland’s collection of chandeliers.
Detailed wood siding that runs along the upper portion is considerable enough to allow wall hangings without damaging the plaster. The slightly more modernized kitchen still has plenty of references to its Victorian history including its original butler’s pantry. This double-sided pantry would allow staff to pass plates through opened panels without disturbing dinner conversations.
Climbing the wooden staircase to the second floor, you’ll find the original wooden floors from 1902 leading to a series of bedrooms and the most unique of the home’s bathrooms. This recently remodeled bathroom harkens back to the home’s history as a boarding house for women with its dual showers and private bathroom stalls. Coshland admits it comes in handy when he throws parties.
The Unexpected Liberty of Owning a Historical Home
Coshland successfully had the home added to the Glendale Register of Historic Resources at the end of 2014. While prospective buyers may worry the Harris Home’s historical status may hinder renovations, Coshland points to Glendale’s already strict housing requirements. On the contrary, he’s found that the historic nature actually clarifies permissible renovations in a much more cut-and-dry way than a standard home in the same area.
But is It Haunted?
The distinctive look of the Harris House and its close proximity to Hollywood have made it a popular filming location during Coshland’s time in the home. Celebrities from Jeff Goldblum to Timothee Chalamet have toured its twisting and turning corridors. Perhaps the only topic hotter than who’s been seen in the home is who’s been unseen. At Coshland’s discretion, the Harris House has also hosted the occasional ghost tour or seance.
While Coshland himself has experienced phenomena he can’t explain, he’s quick to clarify that he doesn’t credit the home with these experiences. Rather, he’s seen and heard strange occurrences all of his life, extending well beyond the confines of the Harris House. He emphasizes that he’s felt nothing but welcoming energy from the home’s comforting embrace.
Ultimately, it’s easier to walk into the historic Harris House than it is to leave. And that’s not just because of its labyrinth of doorways and corridors. This brings us to the ultimate mystery of the home: how can Coshland bring himself to leave it? Simply put: he enjoys the home too much. Consumed with further embellishing the house, he feels so creatively entwined with the property that he’s neglected other pursuits in his life. And now it’s time for him to disrupt that comfort and plunge headfirst into the next chapter. But he leaves behind an opportunity that prospective homeowners aren’t likely to find again anytime soon.
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