The Woolsey House

Born in New Haven, CT, Theodore Salisbury Woolsey was a jurist, educator, and publicist. He was the son of Dwight Woolsey, then president of Yale College. Theodore entered Yale College at the age of fifteen. Upon graduation in 1872, he entered the Yale Law School. In 1878 he was called to be the professor of international law in the Yale Law School. He served as acting dean of Yale Law School from 1901 to 1903. In 1886 he moved to the beautiful Ojai Valley in the hope of bettering his wife’s health. While in Ojai, professor Woolsey purchased a seven acre parcel for five hundred gold coins. He then helped to design & build a Connecticut style country home on the parcel.

The Woolsey House estate is located in the east end of Ojai. The 5000 sq. foot stone and clapboard historical estate was built in 1887. The seven acres belonging to the Woolsey Estate are shaded by ancient oak trees and guarded by a stone wall built by the Chinese over a century ago to keep the land from flooding. In 1890 the Pierponts, of the now Pierpont Hotels, came to Ojai & moved into the Woolsey House. In 1891 the Woolsey house became the town's Stagecoach Stop Inn. In 1895 the prominent Mr. Charles E. Bigelow bought the Woolsey House for three thousand gold coins. The next prestigious family to own the Woolsey house was Robert Clark, An FDR appointed U.S. Marshall, & his wife Alice Burnett who was a direct descendant of Robert E. Lee. For years this house was known as the Clark house until 1983 when Ana Cross purchased the Ojai Landmark and restored the old house to its original ambiance & opened the doors to The Theodore Woolsey House, a country Bed & Breakfast which she operated for over 25 years.

This tranquil turn of the century estate with its magnificent gardens, cascading water pond, citrus orchard & 50 foot kidney shaped swimming pool has been used as a venue for weddings & anniversary celebrations as well as birthday parties, fundraisers & wine tasting events.

The secluded vintage Woolsey House Estate is surrounded by the majestic Topa Topa mountains. Once you stroll through the garden gates you will be whisked back to a bygone era where leisure living still exists.