The Pink Castle

This photo is captioned in the book "Los Angeles Wine: A History from the Mission Era to the Present" by Stuart Douglass Byles: "View nortg to the San Gabriel Mountains of vineyards in the western La Canada valley about 1910. On the left is Lieutenant Governor Wallace's castle, later notoriously known locally as the "Pink Castle" after the lieutenant overnor's angry wife painted it that color." (Courtesy Glendale Public Library.)

This photo is captioned in Mike Lawler & Robert Newcombe's book "La Crescenta": "In the 1950s, the "Pink Castle" was sold to developers, who subdivided the 75-acre estate and left the castle abandoned. It was looted and left open to partying teenagers. In the late 1960s, it was reinhabited and in 1990, it was painted light gray. Since 1992, the owners, George and Annsley Strong (no relation to early owner Frank Strong), have completed the restoration to its original 1911 grandeur."

This photo is captioned in Mike Lawler & Robert Newcombe's book "La Crescenta": "In 1911, Albert Wallace, California's lieutenant governor, built another castle near Gould Castle, but Wallace's wife felt that pre-Flintridge La Canada was not up to her social standards so they sold it in 1914. Frank Strong moved in with his new bride, but almost immediately took off carousing. To anger him, Strong's young wife had the castle painted bright pink, and the castle remained that color for the next 70 years."

Still shots from a student film made at the castle while the Lucas family lived there.

Reference is made to Wallace "who was building a Scottish castle nearby." in a list of some of the myths about the History of Montrose that Robert Newcombe dispelled during his research: Myth #2 Montrose was named after Montrose, Pennsylvania. Reality: Walton and Walters held a contest in late 1912 to name their new community. Eight people submitted the name Montrose, which was picked the winner by a panel of judges, one of whom was Lt. Governor Wallace, who was building a Sc...ottish style castle nearby. From the eight submitters, one person was arbitrarily selected the winner. He happened to be from Pennsylvania (150 miles away from Montrose, PA), but Walton and Walters never publicly said why they chose Montrose. Since Wallace was of Scottish descent, it’s most likely that the community was named after Montrose, Scotland. But no one knows for certain. https://www.montrosechamber.org/about-us/history-montrose/

https://fineartamerica.com//the-pink-castle-5455-castle-kn

Strongs have officially inhabited the Pink Castle for more than half of its 107 year existence. Frank & Betty Strong for 39 years (1919-1958) and George & Annsley Strong for 26 years (1992-Present). Although two different Strong families, together they have occupied it for more than 65 years now and, in the process, made it truly a "Strong" castle as much as a "Pink" one.

Scene It Before: The "How to Get Away with Murder" Castle (LA Mag) A historic La Canada Flintridge mansion figures prominently in the current season of the hit ABC show https://www.lamag.com//scene-it-before-the-how-to-get-awa/

Shots of the La Tuna fire from the Castle roof last night

Probably wound up on the cutting room floor, but Viola Davis arriving at the castle--How to Get away with Murder--Season 2

Establishing a shooting blackout for How to Get away with Murder. Season 2

How to Get Away with Murder: crane for filming the body falling from the roof. Season 2

http://michaellocke.tumblr.com//wallace-house-el-nido-arth

The castle's builder, George S. Kling, and his two sons in a horse & buggy in front of the castle circa 1911. (Photo courtesy of Dolores Kling, his granddaughter-in-law)