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CLIFF MAY (1906-1989)
May grew up in San Diego CA. On his mother's side he was related to Jose Antonio Estudillo, one of the founders of San Diego. His father's side held a lifetime lease on the old Los Flores Rancho in San Diego County. May built Monterey-style furniture as a young man then started designing houses. He is credited with creating the pitched-roof, low-slung California Ranch-style house in 1932 while having no formal education as an architect or formal licensure.
During his career, May designed over 1,000 houses. In 1932, May's first house sold for $9,500. The second house he built was featured in Architectural Digest in 1934. He continued to build 50 more houses in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles in 1935. His work was featured in all the major magazines. During the 1950s May, along with colleague Chris Choate, designed prefab tract ranch homes sold to builders across the US. The partnership ended in 1956 with May's departure. In 2012, UC Santa Barbara and the organization Pacific Standard Time mounted a retrospective exhibition, Carefree California: Cliff May and the Romance of the Ranch, 1920-1960. His archive is at UC Santa Barbara.
Subdivision: Lakewood Rancho Estates
1932 - The Colonel Arthur and Francis O'Leary House, 4725 Norma Drive, San Diego CA. Sold around 1970 to Henri and Irene Ghilbert. Sold in 1995 to Karolyn Kirby. Sold in 1998 to the Richard C. Garbini Trust.
1933 - The John R. and Florence Porterfield Beardsley House, 3130 Shadowlawn Street, San Diego CA. Sold in the 1940's to the Wetherill Family who lived there for 30 years Sold to Betty Burr Scott. Sold in 2000 to Robert and Agnes Schlesinger. Sold in 2010 to Bruce and Alana Coons.
1933 - The Captain and Mrs. William Lindstrom House, 4669 East Talmadge Drive, San Diego CA. Sold to the Moe Trust. Sold in 1993 to Donn and Laurie Wilson. Sold in 1998 to the D. Lee and Barbara Roper Family Trust, who were instrumental in putting it on the National Registry in 2000. Sold in 2021 to M L G 5 9 3 LLC.
1933 - The Sheldon Hodge House 1, 4365 Altamirano Way, San Diego CA. His third house. Destroyed in the 1950s by a gas explosion. New house built on the site in 1979.
1934 -
The Langston House, aka Casa de los Alisos, 6116 Avenida Cresta, La Jolla
CA. Sold to Barry and Arlett Richmond. Sold in 1996 to Aguirre Family
Trust. Sold in 2018 to Michael H. Joehnk.
1934 - The Alexander and Nancy Highland House, 2400 Presidio Drive, San Diego CA. Sold to Consuelos Mexica. Sold in 1994 to Michael and Dinah Grisdale, later Grisdale Family Trust. Listed on the City of San Diego's Historic Register.
1934 - The Neil Dittenhaver House, 3462 Malito Drive, Bonita CA. Sold in 1936 to Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Hobbs. Sold to David Sohn. Sold in 1992 to Josie Calderon and Richard Scott.
1934 - The Frederick Hunt Wood House, 7575 Hillside Drive, La Jolla CA. Additions in the 1950's and 1960's. Sold to Mark Steven Gosselin. Sold in 1999 to NTC Holding. Sold in 2002 to David and Mary Wilhelm. Sold in 2004 to Robert and Barbara Agdern.
1934 - aka Sweetwater Woman's Club, 3855 Sweetwater, Bonita CA. Still owned by the Club.
1935 - The Vincent Whelan House, 3597 Lomacitas, Bonita CA. Sold
for the first time in 1995 to Robert and Nancy Lemke, still owners as of
2022.
1936 -
The Lorraine and Harold Tucker House, 4366 Altamirano Way, San Diego CA. May
said in an interview in 1980 that developer George Marston had given him several
lots in his development in Mission Hills and he claimed to have built 5-6
houses. The booklet written by the San Diego Commission says that they
found 4 houses, the Hodge house, this home, and two others and they dispute the
claim that Marston gave him the lots. Sold in 1950's to Willis Miller who
hired May's friend,architect Samuel Hamill, to add 2 rooms to the second floor
in May's style. Sold in 2012 to Thomas R. Nelson.
1936 -
The Sheldon Hodge House 2, 4369 Altamirano Way, San Diego CA. Sold to
Michael D. Lutz. Sold in 1989 to John Dunn.
1936 - The Hacienda Ranch House, San Diego CA.
1936 - The Smith House, La Habra Heights CA.
1937 - The Smith House, 969 Stone Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA. This first house in LA combines California Ranch style with the hacienda which would later define his style. Photos by Michael Locke.
1938 - The Riviera Ranch Model Home, aka Cliff May House 3, 1500 Old Oak Road, Los Angeles CA. The hacienda-style house was built by May as his personal residence in 1938. The house also served as a model home to generate sales in the neighborhood. It is out of sight and at the top of Old Oak Road; he called it Mandalay. Architect A. T. Gilman designed a new wing to the house in 1973, adding two bedrooms and two baths, and remodeled the study. Architects Conrad Buff and Don Hensman designed a bath and dressing room addition and remodeled the kitchen for owners Mr. and Mrs. McDonald in 1977. May remodeled the house for actor Robert Wagner, adding accessory living quarters and attached garage in 1983 and a gym and bathroom in 1985. As of 2023, the house was undergoing a major renovation. Photos by Michael Locke.
1939 - The Oakmont House, Los Angeles CA. Located in Brentwood Park.
1947 - aka House Beautiful Pace Setter Exhibition House, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned around 1944. Project architect, William Cody.
1948 - The W. H. Theobold House, 1831 Old Orchard Road, Los Angeles CA. Allied Builders added a carport and remodeled an existing garage into a den for owner Vancille H. Doering in 1961. Photo by Michael Locke.
1948 - The Sullivan Canyon Ranches, Los Angeles CA.
1951 - aka Prefab House, Phoenix AZ.
1952 - Best O. and Mary Cairns Dawson House, 11681 Valleycrest Road, Studio City CA. Sold in 1987 to Julie Payne Reicheg. For sale in 2023. Photos by Michael Locke.
1952 - aka Cliff May Experimental House, Los Angeles CA. Renovated in 2007 by Marmol Radziner.
1952 - aka Tanglewood House, Lubbock TX.
1953 - aka Rancho Rinconada, Cupertino CA. Subdivision of around 900 homes, built with Stern & Price.
1954 - Prefab Homes, Tucson AZ.
1954 - Prefab Homes, Lakewood WA.
1955 - aka Casa View Oaks Prefab Homes, Dallas TX.
1955 - aka Charleston Heights Prefab Homes, Las Vegas NV.
1955 - aka Harvey Park Prefab Homes, Denver CO.
1955 - 2 Prefab Homes, Odessa TX.
1955 - The Cherokee Village Prefab Houses, Cherokee Village AR.
1955 - The Castle Hills Prefab Homes, San Antonio TX.
1955 - aka Maywood Hills Prefab Homes, Salt Lake City UT.
1955 - The Fish-Baughman House, Millcreek UT. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
1955 - The Cliff May House, aka Mandalay, Brentwood, Los Angeles CA.
Around 1955 - The James House, Brentwood, Los Angeles CA. Renovated in 2009 by Marmol Radziner.
1955 - The Friedman House, Brentwood, Los Angeles CA. Renovated in 2011 by Marmol Radziner.
1956 - aka Oakmont Residence, Brentwood, Los Angeles CA. Renovated in 2006 by Marmol Radziner.
1956 - 9 houses, Medford OR. Developed with J. T. Hight Builders.
1956 - 79 houses, Westridge Manor, Bishop CA. Developed with Marburt Homes Inc.
1956 - Developmont in Santa Maria CA. With builder George Pabst.
1956 - aka Overdale House, Columbus OH.
1961 -
The Melvin Knaak House, 2507 Drake Drive, Thousand Oaks CA. Sold in
1966. Sold to Greg and Betty Anderson (in the 80's or 90's, listed
there in 1994). Sold to Wendy and Richard Pini (comic art creators for
"Elfquest). Sold in 2023 to Shelby, Anne and Darryl Ledoux.
1963 - aka Vientos House, Camarillo CA.
1963 - The Alvin J. Gordon House, aka Ocotillo House, 6225 North Camino Escalante, Tucson AZ. Sold around 1968 to Frederick and Floride Rebsamen.
1968 - aka Oxblow House, Solvang CA.
1969 - aka Private Residence, Phoenix AZ.
1973 - The Charles House, Fresno CA.
1973 - aka El Vuelo House, Rancho Santa Fe CA.
1978 - The Gerald (Jerry) Katell House, 27 Crest Road West, Rolling Hills CA.
1982 - 17549 Via de Fortuna, Rancho Santa Fe CA. Status unknown.
Sources include: Cliff May Registry.