The California Riviera

From 1901 to 1941, much of the eastern portion of Cannery Row’s coastline was occupied by a single estate, Casa de Las Olas, which stretched 1,000 feet along Monterey Bay. San Francisco financier Hugh Tevis had it built in 1901 as a wedding present for his bride, Cornelia Baxter, with architect Albert Farr as the designer, and the house had both indoor plumbing and electric lights. Hugh Tevis died on is honeymoon and never occupied the property. Monterey land baron David Jacks bought Casa de Las Olas after Hugh Tevis passed away, but soon sold it to Montana millionaire James A. Murray. The Murray family renamed the estate Hacienda Grande and occupied the home for about 36 years. In 1900, when construction of the Tevis place began, the local press conjectured that Monterey might become the Newport of the Pacific Coast. However, the silver harvest of sardines was about to begin and with it came the creation of Cannery Row, whose stink became the smell of prosperity. The San Carlos Canning Company bought the Tevis-Murray estate in 1941 and tore it down to build a new cannery in 1944.

Monterey, California · United States