Hollywood Heritage Celebrates 20 Years Of Restoration At Landmark Wattles Mansion & Gardens

A gala celebration for the 20th anniversary of Hollywood Heritage’s ongoing restoration and preservation program at Wattles Mansion and Gardens will take place at the historic Hollywood property on June 14, 2003.

Invitations will go out in early May for festivities which will feature refreshments by Scott Tessler of Silver Spoons Catering, 1920s jazz and ’30s swing by Dean Mora’s Modern Rhythmists, a lawn display of privately-owned classic cars and an exhibition of Hollywood Heritage’s extensive collection of historic Hollywood photographs, postcards and artifacts from the Gurdon Wattles family. A silent auction will offer specialty items from Hollywood’s finest establishments. After sunset, the Silent Society of Hollywood Heritage will have an outdoor silent movie screening, with live musical accompaniment by Michael Mortilla, in the splendid, formal Spanish Garden. Valet parking provided by Premiere Valet, Inc. Guests are encourage to dress in period attire.

WHAT:
Hollywood Heritage Celebrates 20 years of Restoration and Preservation

WHERE:
Wattles Mansion and Gardens, 1824 N. Curson Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90046

WHEN:
Saturday, June 14, 2003,
4 pm - 10 pm; Valet parking

TICKETS:
Advance purchase (paid by May 31st) $30/person for Hollywood Heritage members; $35/person for non-members @ door: $35/person for Hollywood Heritage members; $40/person for non-members

Wattles Mansion and Gardens is the ONLY extant Hollywood “wintering” estate. It was built in 1907, prior to the rise of film stars’ mansions. Since 1983 Hollywood Heritage, a private, non-profit, membership organization, has funded the maintenance, restoration and preservation of this landmark property, Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Monument # 579. In 2000, and again in 2002, Hollywood Heritage was the proud recipient of Preserve L.A. grants from the Getty grant program for projects at Wattles Mansion and Gardens.

Grants and private fund-raising enable Hollywood Heritage to meet the major restoration challenges that have resulted in the preservation of this unique property and the organization’s other beloved historic structure, the c.1895 Lasky-DeMille Barn, which houses the Hollywood Heritage Museum. Rather than the simple advocacy of historic preservation, Hollywood Heritage has assumed responsibility, over the past 20 years, for tasks ranging from funding to oversight to hands-on maintenance of these two properties, which are vital parts of the early history of Hollywood. The rising current interest in historic structures and Cultural Tourism attests to Hollywood Heritage’s prescience in choosing their path to Historic Preservation.

 For further information about this gala event, including Sponsorship packages, please contact Wattles Mansion Executive Director, Steve Sylvester, at (323)874-4005 or via e-mail at wattles@hollywoodheritage.org.