Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens

Mission And History: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the City of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, horticulture and literature and is a premier Southern California cultural center.

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San Clemente is one of the first master-planned cities in California. Co-founder Ole Hanson came to the site to create his ideal community, a “Spanish Village by the Sea.”

In 1927, Hanson built the Casa Romantica as his family home, and expression of his version of the California dream. The seven-bedroom, seven-bath house was designed by Carl Lindbom, who also designed La Casa Pacifica (the former Western White House).

Over the years, the house passed through various owners until Lambert and Patricia Schuyler (pronounced Skyler) bought the property in 1946 and named it Casa Romantica. The ex- Mrs. Fred Waring (of orchestra fame) purchased the home in 1952. Four years later, Mrs. Waring sold the home to Muriel and Leslie Whitehouse, who named it Casa Blanca after their name. In 1960 the property began a new life, and was operated as a senior citizens’ home until 1984 by George and Louise Welsh, who renamed it Casa Romantica.

From 1984 until 2000, the Casa was leased to a private business for special events. The San Clemente Redevelopment Agency purchased the property from the Welsh Family Partnership in 1989.

Casa Romantica was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1991.