So we’ve finally said adieu to The Autry in Palm Springs moving to a more cosmopolitan area where the arts-culture scene is central and plentiful, and the community actively revolves around it.
This is where we are… finding the ground to move forward with our Ballet & Identity project.
The Autry experience has been a rare and enchanting respite from the grind of our everyday world.
Purchased by Golden Age Hollywood legend Gene Autry who passed on shortly after buying the estate, the impressive residence was maintained by his wife Jackie Autry for many years until its recent sale.
The new owner was a most welcoming and generous host who made our experience there truly special.
The property is said to have a unique architectural style whose construction came from the imaginative mind of its original owner, American meteorologist and inventor Irving Krick, who predicted weather forecasts in Normandy, France for the U.S. Air Force during WWII. The distinctive design showcases the inside courtyard of the main house with a view of the centerpiece that can be seen from virtually all rooms in the main dwelling.
The current owner also revealed that a piano which stands inside the main compound belonged to Frank Sinatra’s academy award-winning composer Jimmy Van Heusen; the instrument was gifted by Sinatra to Gene Autry.
Here are a few snapshots affording a glimpse into the magical haven where we stayed… a place which for a time we called home.
It turns out our beloved Autry is also known as El Kantara, the Arab phrase for “the bridge”, inspired by the original owners who commissioned the home to be built after their inspiring visit to the Persian Hotel Samarkand in Santa Barbara, circa 1926.
It was the very same year that Mr & Mrs Stevens visited the culture-rich establishment with an impressive Buddha carved of white marble overlooking the imaginably stunning grounds, that they hired distinguished Santa Monica architect Leland Fuller to design their own palace.
The exceptional architect with an elite client list, featured in well known industry publications, found his calling as a film director in the later decades of his life, garnering six Academy Award nominations for his work.
The ownership of the house has changed hands many a time, with a notable list of names who not only inhabited the property but also its visitors.
From its inception, through its accumulation of qualities deposited by those who have claimed it for nearly a century, what remains is the timeless spirit of a creation inspired by higher beauty.
For more info on the historic landmark (1920 to 1940) which launched the inception of 328 Mountain View Place visit Hotel Samarkand.
