Pyne Castle
"I grew up in Laguna Beach and lived not far from the Pyne Castle, but never knew anything about its history. Is there information available about it?" This question was asked by Georgette viewing a photograph of Pyne Castle at www.laguna-historical-society.smugmug.com which now has 475 historic photographs.

According to Karen Wilson Turnbull in her book 1987 book "Cottages and Castles of Laguna", "The foremost Norman style estate in Laguna is what is now known as Pyne Castle. Originally called Broad View Villa, this 62 room castle was built by Walter E. Pyne. He was originally the owner of a piano company who owned some land in Olive. The land was rich in oil and he soon became a millionaire, earning about $1,000 a day."
Merle and Mabel Ramsey provide details in their 1967 book "Pioneer Days of Laguna Beach" and their 1976 book "The First 100 Years in Laguna Beach 1876 - 1976":
WALTER ESTEL PYNE AND THE PYNE CASTLE
• "Walter Pyne came to Los Angeles as a boy of 18. He later became a guitar player on the passenger ship 'Yale' that plied between San Pedro and San Francisco. In the early 1900's he was the owner of the Pyne Piano Company in Santa Ana"… "selling 'the player piano' the piano that played with a paper roll. Estel [Walter or Walter Estel] had the exclusive agency for Orange County"
• "Walter Estel Pyne was considered a 'loner'." "Mr. Pyne was married once for three months. It was reported that his wife returned to Colorado and never came back."
• Pyne "decided to invest in the going thing of the day. That of orange land, upon which he planted to the golden fruit. His choice of land was in the Santa Ana Canyon near the Olinda and Richfield territory"…[where later] "oil was being discovered in the district of Yorba Linda and Richfield".
• "He began to search for property to build the mansion upon, and soon chose Laguna Beach, California. This was about the middle of the second decade. It is said he purchased about 100 lots near the north side of the village."
• It "took seven years in the building of the huge structure containing twelve bedrooms. … the beginning of the construction, [was] February, 1927"
• "Mrs. Lucretia Pyne, the mother of Estel W. Pyne, had lived with him in the palatial home for a number of years and died in 1936 at the age of 90."
• "Mr. Pyne lived in Laguna Beach for 23 years and died on July 22, 1945, of cancer"
• "In his will, the property went to his housekeeper, Marie Hannon. At her death the property was to go to the Christian Science Church and to be used as a rest home. At the passing of Miss Hannon, the church inspected the property and decided it would be too expensive to convert it into a rest home."
• Pyne Castle "stood for a number of years almost vacant"
• "David Young, a contractor, purchased the property in 1960, and developed it into an apartment house
• "The Pyne Castle is now owned by Thomas Merrick [1967] and operated as an apartment house."

The Laguna Beach Historical Society scanned in a copy of the 1960s brochure for the apartments. There appears to be dollar amounts, which we assume to be monthly rents, on the brochure which range from $125 to $315. Requests for the brochure be emailed or asking questions should be emailed to info@LagunaHistory.org. Only comments can be made at www.laguna-historical-society.smugmug.com.

Photographs are courtesy of the Laguna Beach Historical Society from the Merle Ramsey collection and from the Tom Pulley Postcard Collection.