Design

Intended as a winter respite for W.K.'s family, the grounds offered an idyllic setting with winding roadways and terrain for walking, riding, or driving. One of Mr. Kellogg's favorite walks with Rinson, his German Shepherd and constant companion, was a foot path from the main house down through Palm Canyon (designed after a canyon of the same name in Palm Springs), to the stables, to Sycamore Canyon and back. Myron Hunt designed not only the main house and guest cottage you pass as you enter the main gate, but also the Arabian stables and the other ranch buildings, including the Manor House. The Manor House was originally built for Kellogg's eldest son Karl and his family. Karl was a doctor, and had never fully recovered from an earlier bout of tuberculosis. He agreed to move to California and manage his father's ranch in hopes the weather would improve his health. Today, the university president and his family occupy the Manor House. Because Kellogg loved the outdoors, his house was set on top of the hill to take full advantage of the Pomona Valley panorama.

The east-facing breakfast room offered lots of morning light and wide, uninterrupted views. Most of the bedrooms had excellent vistas. Both main bedrooms were designed to take advantage of the mild evening climate with their own screened-in sleeping porches. At approximately 8,700 square feet, this house nevertheless feels smaller because of its many rooms. Mr. Kellogg's doors were always open to relatives and friends in need of a place to stay. The design of the house was also convenient for the Army during W.W.II, and later for the University as a meeting place and training center. The architectural decor is typical of a ranch house; however, the house does feature some finer detailing, such as the ceiling beams above the dining room where Kellogg's initials WKK are worked into the pattern. Mr. Kellogg loved to have pipe organ music played for his guests on summer nights. The pipes are cleverly built into the built basement, creating a spacious area to store what was heard and not seen.