Modjeska House

Modjeska House, also known as Arden, is a house designed by Stanford White in Modjeska Canyon, California. It is significant for being the only surviving home of Helena Modjeska, a Shakespearean actress and Polish patriot.BackgroundModjeska came to America with her husband Count Karol Bozenta Chłapowski in 1876 from Poland, and created a retreat for when she was not performing on stage. To design a large Victorian country house, she hired one of America’s leading architects, Stanford White. They named it "Arden" after the forest setting of Shakespeare's play As You Like It and planted gardens with olive trees, palms, English yews, white lilac, and crown of thorns. It was their home from 1888 until 1906.Post-Modjeska yearsAfter the property was sold, the romance associated with Modjeska's life attracted developers who marketed parcels of the property for vacation homes. From 1908 to 1923 Gustave A. Schweiger bought and operated the home as a resort, a B & B. In 1923, the Walker family of Long Beach purchased prime parcels in the canyon that included the Modjeska house and its surrounding wooded area.Historic siteModjeska House was declared a California Historical Landmark in 1935.In 1986, the Orange County Harbors, Beaches and Parks Authority purchased the 14.4-acre property for $1 million and established it as a historical site. A major restoration occurred before the site could be opened to the public. The original house had no indoor plumbing or utilities. A limited number of visitors are allowed on tours. Directions to the park are given after making reservations.