This is my presentation on La Casa Pacifica for HSS 205, Spring 2013

1. La Casa Pacifica
San Clemente, California
Photo Credit: Nixon Foundation’s Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nixonfoundation/page312/

2. Background
• La Casa Pacifica was the home of the 37th
President of the United States, Richard Nixon
• Given the nickname “The Western White
House”
• After he resigned the Presidency in
1974, Nixon spent over 5 years in this house to
escape the public and remain secluded
• Remains a private home to this day, so details
about the house are limited

3. The Estate
• Inspired by a similar style house in San Sebastian, Spain1
– Architect was Carl Lindbom
– Originally constructed in 19263
• The previous owner, a Democratic Party backer, once had President Franklin
D. Roosevelt as a guest
• Purchased by Nixon in 1969 for $1.4 million2
• $700,000 in upgrades paid for by United States government
– Swimming pool and protective wall
• Spanish Colonial Revival Design
– Smooth white stucco walls, red clay tile roof, and Spanish decorative tile
• Originally sat on 29 acres of oceanfront property
1Source:
http://news.google.comnewspapersnid=1356&dat=19800210&id=2xlOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6g0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5744,4525009
2Source: Ocala Star-Banner; February 10, 1980 (Library of Congress)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19800210&id=2xlOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6g0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5744,4525009
3Source: San Clemente City Archives

4. Amenities
• Swimming Pool
• Security Gazebos
• C-Shaped Wall for protection and seclusion
• Overlooking Pacific Ocean

5. Uses of Property
• Used by the President to get away from
Washington during his presidency
• Used to host celebrities and world leaders
– Hosted Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev on June
23, 19731
• Following president and period of
seclusion, used to host parties
– Ex. Republican Party fundraising events, former
POW parties, and book release parties2
1http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=3878
2http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19800210&id=2xlOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6g0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5744,4525009

6. View of Front of Home
Photo credit: thenewnixon.org
(http://thenewnixon.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/NixonHouse-SanClemente.gif)

7. Model of La Casa Pacifica
Multiple
trees for
privacy
Security
Gazebo
Photo Credit: Bob Fairbanks
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/186962/

8. Aerial View of La Casa Pacifica
Photo Credit: Bob Fairbanks
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/186962/

9. Example of Spanish Colonial Revival
Architecture within Home
Photo Credit: Bob Fairbanks
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/186962/

10. Another View
Photo Credit: Bob Fairbanks
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/186962/

11. Inside the Home
First Lad
President Pat Nixon
Richard
Nixon
Living Room in La Casa Pacifica
Photo Credit: Bob Fairbanks
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/186962/

12. What We Can Learn from the Home
• This house, being very elegant and impressive in nature, was clearly meant to entertain
important guests. This is true considering the original owner of the home played host to a
former President of the United States and the second owner was a President of the United
States himself. One can only imagine the numerous influential and important people who
were guests in this home. While very little is known of the interior of the house except for a
few pictures, one can only imagine that it is quite elegant as well. The fact that little is known
of the interior of the house is important to note, however, because it shows that President
Nixon valued his personal and private space and wanted to keep it separate from the public
space in his home used to entertain. While this aspect of the home is indicative of an earlier
time period, it is still very prevalent during this time period as well as today. Additionally, the
exterior wall surrounding the property as well as the security gazebos clearly indicate, if one
did not know already, that an extremely important person lived there. These were intended
for the protection of the President, his family, and his guests. Overall, La Casa Pacifica was
used much more as a private retreat and personal space for President Nixon, which is evident
through the design of the estate. The exterior of the house, however, was clearly meant to
impress and was used as a status symbol for President Nixon’s rise from humble beginnings.

13. During the Presidency of Richard Nixon, the first astronauts were
placed on the moon as a part of the lunar mission Apollo 11. On July
20, 1969, President Nixon used the phone showed above to speak with
these astronauts, which represented the first phone call from the Earth
to the Moon. The phone call was placed from the Oval Office and was
received by the astronauts in space. The President was quoted during
this conversation saying, “This certainly has to be the most historic
telephone call ever made.” This telephone is now on display in the
National Archives in Washington, D.C.
Source: http://www.space.com/19176-nixon-space-legacy-national-archives.html