This glorious Federal Colonial Revival style home was built in 1912 for the first mayor of Pasadena, Hiram Wadsworth and his wife Ella. The architect was Joseph J. Blick, who designed many of Pasadena’s landmark buildings including the Star News and the Scottish Rite Cathedral. The home was built by William Loesch of Pasadena at a cost of $12,500. The estate covered well over 5 acres, but today it is just under two acres. The house has over 7,000 sq. ft. with 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. The current owners have lived here for 22 years.

The columned portico welcomes visitors into the stunning entry which helps to set the tone of this gracious home. The arched window above the front door is original to the home. The chandelier and the European inlaid cabinet in the entryway are from the homeowner’s mother’s summer home in Austria. Notice the beautiful grandfather clock, made in the late 18th century, which was a gift to the homeowner’s great uncle when he retired from banking and then gifted to the homeowner’s father and then to the homeowner. Notice the delightful life-size dog statue in the corner. Walk around the large round burled wood table into to the living room .

Proceed from the entryway into the living room. The light peach walls and white trim welcome guests into this comfortable space. The traditional feel of the furniture makes this a perfect place to welcome guests. On the floor next to the fireplace is a miniature bench, chair and table by Thonet. This is the only complete set outside of the Thonet Museum in Vienna. Note the unusual monkey base of the glass table. The French doors provide plenty of light and a view of the park-like grounds, as well as allowing for easy access to the back deck.

Proceed to the husband’s home office. Notice the picture of Jackie Gleason and Arnold Palmer against the windows - the homeowner is an avid golfer. On the wall is a sketch of the New York Stock Exchange. Walk through the office to go back into the living room and follow the room to return to the entry way to the den.

As you enter the den, notice the original pencil artwork of the owner’s 10 grandchildren above the fireplace. This is a light-filled room with access to the back deck that runs the length of the home.

Next exit the den and enter the formal dining room. Three of the dining room chairs were needlepointed by the homeowner’s mother and six others were done by her two aunts. The china and silver on display are part of the homeowner’s collection and certainly make a beautiful statement. The homeowners host many parties as the wife loves to cook.

As you exit the dining room, enter into a fabulous kitchen designed by Mario and Kenn. Various shades of taupe on the walls and cupboards and granite countertops welcome guests into this beautiful space. The showpiece of the kitchen is the huge island made in Honduran mahogany. Three blue and white upholstered chairs at the kitchen table are Biedermeier chairs. The kitchen is very bright and cheerful for family and friends to enjoy.

As you walk through the kitchen into the hallway you will notice beautiful built-in cabinets and two doors with leaded glass. On the left is a recently remodeled powder room. Just past the powder room, continue down the stairs to the billiard room with its impressive stone fireplace. This is another great place to entertain guests as well as to enjoy a challenging game of pool or foosball.

Exit the home to the pool area and multi-level yard full of sloping lawns, lush plantings and the backyard beyond the pool. The grandchildren certainly enjoy the 50’ zip line in the backyard beyond the pool.

Over the years, this home has been used for filming many movies and television shows, including This is Us, NCIS, Risky Business and 7th Heaven, “Christmas in Connecticut” directed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and The movie, “American Pie” 1 and 2 to name a few. In 1991 this home was featured on the Altadena Heritage Home Tour.

While wandering through the backyard, it is easy to stop and appreciate all the things that make Altadena such a Gem!