View (east) down bowling alley when Anoakia was Anita Baldwin's home, and used as a school library when the facilities were converted to a private girls' school.
Fall of the House of Baldwin. Part 3 of a 6 part series: What happened to the Jinks Room murals by Maynard Dixon? The Jinks Room had nine Dixon murals. The Lowry B. McCaslin family, which owned Anoakia at the time, held onto three murals, the rest were donated to the University of Southern California (USC). The McCaslin family bought the Anoakia estate after Anita Baldwin passed. By Galen Patterson. See hard copy in VF Baldwin, Anita
Detail of peacock etched in glass entry door at Anoakia. Note: inscription on back of photo done by Eunice Easley, secretary to Lowry McCaslin. Inscription reads: Anoakia-Home of Anita Baldwin, Arcadia, CA. 1977. Etched peacock on door leading to Peacock Room.
The Court of Appeals issued an emergency stay on the demolition of Anoakia. Until significant unresolved issues are settled the developers were ordered to stop everything.
A developer who wants to replace the historic Anoakia estate with a 31-home gated community received tentative approval Tuesday night from the Planning Commission.
Demolition permits have been approved and the project of building new homes where the Anoakia mansion stands is now underway. Artifacts from the mansion have been given to the Arcadia Historical Society and the Arboretum.
Arcadia Planning Commission has approved a zone change for the Anoakia property from R-O 30,000 to R-O and D 22,000. The zone change will allow owner Lowrey McCaslin to develop the 19.13 acre site with 29 to 32 homes instead of 23.
Lowery McCaslin, owner of Anoakia, has asked that his application for a general plan change for the property be withdrawn. He has been working with a local builder who has a good feel for the area and would like to develop the property at a density of 2.4 homes per acre. Late in this same meeting, the council voted to change the zoning on the estate to match the existing general plan. What this might do to future McCaslin plans is not clear.
