Rancho Mirage home dating back to Eisenhower era designated ‘historic’ by city council
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. KESQ) - A nearly seven-decade-old house in Rancho Mirage developed by one of the Coachella Valley's legendary architects was declared a "historic resource'' today by unanimous vote of the City Council, permanently recognizing its special status in the community.
"This particular house is phenomenal, and it's part of a pocket of homes on Thunderbird North that are absolutely spectacular and the epitome of mid-century homes,'' Mayor Lynn Mallotto said ahead of the vote Thursday afternoon.
Kenneth and Ann Moyle currently own the home at 71076 Country Club Drive, and the couple submitted an application to the Historic Preservation Commission earlier this year, seeking the historic designation.
In April, the commission unanimously recommended that the council grant the classification for the single-story property, which is situated on a .55-acre plot at the corner of Country Club and Morningsprings Road.
There was no opposition to the proposal.
"This house is a perfect example of a historic resource, as it meets all the necessary definitions,'' Councilman Michael O'Keefe said.
The classification ensures the 3,288-square-foot house's future protection from potential encroachments.
It was constructed in 1958, designed by acclaimed architect William Francis Cody, whose creations are well known under the Modern Architecture Movement, rooted in 1950s and 60s Palm Springs and its surroundings. Cody died in 1978.
The four-bedroom, four-bath house "features a flat-roofed porte cochere entrance, which is supported by round metal posts and a pair of rock walls,'' according to a Department of Planning report to the council.
"The exterior is clad in board and batten or vertically scored stucco,'' the report stated. "The residence features natural rock at the perimeter walls, planters, porte cochere and the interior chimney. Other key architectural elements include deep overhangs on the rear and north elevation, use of roof cut-outs, the sun courts/lanai, floor-to-ceiling windows, a flat roof and ceilings supported by narrow posts."
The property's original owner was Aubrey Pollard Simons, whose 25-acre gift to the city in 1966 led to development of the Eisenhower Medical Center. Simons was a principal backer of the Thunderbird North community, which is comprised of 1950s-era custom homes, including the one now designated historic.
He additionally served as chairman of the hospital's Finance Committee, was a member of the Board of Trustees and a member of the medical center's Building Committee.
His dedication to community service was acknowledged by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, reflected in images folded into the application for designation.
