This Victorian Mansion, hidden for over 100 years, has now been beautifully restored

A glimpse into one of California's most fascinating homes

Built for a millionaire map-maker in the 1880s, this historic Californian mansion remained a mystery to the public for a century. The secretive McNally Estate is packed with history – from its exotic gardens to the ornate Turkish Room inspired by the 1893 World’s Fair. Take the tour and discover how this architectural marvel with its fairytale turret and original 19th-century details was lovingly restored and eventually sold for $3 million (£2.3m).

Read on to step back in time and tour this fascinating Victorian estate...

The beginnings of the McNally Estate

Born in Ireland to Scottish parents, Andrew McNally moved to the US in 1857, hoping to make his fortune. And unlike many of his fellow Irish immigrants, he did just that. First settling in Chicago, he co-founded cartography publisher Rand McNally & Co with William Rand and the pair became millionaires.

In his 40s, McNally visited California for the first time and fell in love with its climate and terrain. He was determined to build himself a home here and become a 'gentleman farmer'.

The beginnings of the McNally Estate

McNally made good on his word, and the property he eventually built was this impressive Altadena mansion, completed in 1888 by young architect Frederick Roehrig, who is famed today.

Like many Victorians at the time, McNally was also intrigued by the discoveries and developments of pioneering explorers, botanists and biologists around the world. The exotic plants he imported served as a symbol of high status, and we can see the elaborate garden design in this postcard from the era.

An impressive location

Originally spread over 12 acres (4.9ha), the three-storey house was built against the stunning mountain backdrop of the San Gabriel range, snow-capped in winter – as this photo taken around 1900 shows.

The architectural style has been described as a "simplified Queen Anne-style" – it boasts a striking round turret, but fewer ornamental details than a conventional Queen Anne-style building. McNally opted instead for no-frills wood shingles and clapboard.

The temptation of California

During his time in California, McNally become an advocate for the local area, convincing friends and followers to join him in the warmer climes of the Golden State.

Sadly, he died unexpectedly of pneumonia in 1904 at the age of just 68 and the gardens and aviary fell to neglect.

The McNally Estate's fate

Much of the grounds were eventually sold off, but happily the house was cared for.

Over the years it has had several proprietors, but it owes its current excellent condition to the Dupuy family, who maintained the house for more than 50 years. They kept the original features in good condition and ensured any restoration work was true to the original designs.

The grand McNally Estate today

The striking mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 and – thanks to Susan Pickering Photography – we can now see inside.

Susan captured the hidden interior of the historic home when it was listed with real estate agent Teresa Fuller in 2020.

Inside the grand old home...

At around 7,000 square feet (650sqm), the mansion's current set up includes nine bedrooms and five bathrooms, and there are still stunning views out to Catalina Island from the property.

Inside, every element of this estate, from its doorways and banisters to its seven fireplaces, is rich in original, 19th-century detail.

Packed full of original features

The property boasts carved woodwork, beautiful stained glass windows and Douglas fir wood panelling. Modern upgrades to the plumbing and light fittings have been tastefully added without being intrusive.

The home is wonderfully spacious too. The ground floor is made up of large public rooms with high ceilings and huge windows that fill the space with light.

An impressive welcome

The foyer is an impressive space with box-beam ceilings in sugar pine, a local indigenous wood.

Still existing on this level are some of the original gas lamps, pocket doors and stained glass windows from the 1800s (along with a few later additions). We can see the attention to detail in the intricate designs along the panels, staircase and balustrades.

A cleverly positioned fireplace

A two-sided, double fireplace is a unique feature of the ground floor. It separates the living room from a snug area that acts as a family room and library, and is a clever architectural ploy to maintain the flow of the house and remove the need for dividing walls.

Delicate floral stencilling adds interest to the ceiling in both rooms.

The parlour

The front parlour would have been the main living room for the original family, and is half built into the front turret, making it a room rich in architectural interest.

Note the brilliant Victorian details, like the original woodwork and ribbon detailing on the ceiling. Sadly, the plaster in the parlour had been damaged by water and earthquakes over the years, but the then-owners fixed the plaster and repainted it with a design as close to the original as possible.

The snug

This smaller sitting room may be cosy, but it's just as packed with original features as the grander areas and it's much as McNally would have experienced it. As well as these enormous sash windows and delicately painted ceiling, the snug enjoys the reverse side of the parlour's striking double-sided fireplace and built-in bookcases.

Hiding inside the hearth there's the original coal basket, which reveals that this was a coal (not a wood) fireplace. This interesting little historic fact is backed up by the fireplace's narrow structure.

The Turkish Room

The octagonal Turkish Room is the biggest surprise within the property's walls. With opulent Moorish touches, the room is characterised by Middle Eastern wood panelling and luxurious silken fabrics with embroidered patterns, plus bold carpets and low sofas. Arabic phrases, thought perhaps to be words from the Koran, are stenciled into the upper walls.

The remarkable room is 24 feet (7.3m) in diameter and the canopied ceiling is 24-feet (7.3m) high too.

The Turkish Room

There are several theories around how this room ended up in the property. A version of this room was displayed as part of the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, which showcased global culture and design, and McNally was reportedly enamoured by the room.

Some say McNally took the room apart and reassembled it in his own house – others say he commissioned a faithful copy of the space.

The dining room

The dining room was and still is a grand space with no attention to detail spared. The woodwork is beautiful – carved from Douglas fir, the door-surrounds and built-in cabinetry are all original.

A particularly fine detail is the hand-printed frieze that wraps all the way around the room. The only new item in the room is the fireplace, which was replaced after an earthquake.

The master bedroom

Upstairs, the master bedroom is built right into the turret. The structure of the room gives it buckets of character, with curved walls and the gorgeous period inlay opposite the bed, which we'll take a look at next...

The master bedroom

The unusual dimensions of the room allow for fascinating architectural workarounds, such as the placement of the whitewashed fireplace in a little nook here.

The fitted bench by the fireside is also from the 19th century and we can still see how the room was heated with both a fireplace and original, old fashioned bronze steam radiators.

Twin bedroom

The twin room, with its teal carpet, sumptuous peach drapes and wooden beds, emulates the period style throughout the rest of the house.

Once again, the fireplace is the room's standout feature, decorated in red-brown tiles that contrast with the paisley wall paper.

A wraparound porch

Aside from the rotund turret, the striking wraparound porch is the showpiece of the McNally Estate's façade.

Architect Roehrig was committed to capitalising on the views of the San Gabriel valley and this porch is an idyllic place to sit and soak them in. It was also built high off the ground, reportedly to allow for the circulation of air in the hot Californian summers.

The porch as it was around 1904

As we can see, the porch was much the same back in the Victorian era as it is today.

This old photo shows men and women – presumably from the McNally family – enjoying the porch and gardens full of flowers during a balmy Californian winter.

The turret

The home's charming turret is one of its most distinctive fairytale features. With glorious views and even a small wraparound balcony, it's the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of life below...

The turret room

The room was apparently used as something of a gentleman's playroom and for many years there was a billiards table here.

These days it's kitted out to be the perfect place to host a cosy soiree or to simply chill out. We think it would make a great yoga or meditation studio.

The kitchen

The up-to-date kitchen is the only room in the property that is not original. However, some efforts have been made to stay true to the period, such as the patterned tiles and bespoke woodwork on the cooker hood.

Luckily, the room next door is a throwback to the past...

Original butler's pantry

The kitchen adjoins two wonderful original butler's pantries, whose high ceilings and glass-fronted cabinets offer a glorious glimpse of the past.

Imagine having an enormous fireplace in your pantry!  We hope the owners have employed a butler to make the most of it...

McNally Estate grounds over the years

Over the last century, much of the original grounds and gardens have been lost in private sales and the home now sits on just 0.79 acre (0.3ha).

However, some features of the original 12 acre (4.8ha) estate are still visible...

The former aviary

Today, the back garden still contains this beautiful aviary. It's a remnant from McNally's enthusiasm for the Victorian craze for collecting tropical flora and fauna.

The aviary as it was around 1904

This throwback photo shows the aviary as it was back in its heyday. As you can see, very little has changed over the last century, which is a testament to just how well the estate has been maintained.

Clues to a historic past

On a walk around the area it's still possible to discern the original boundary of the estate.

This is where carriages and motor cars would have arrived at the original gates. Just imagine the grand impression visitors would have had upon arriving at this turreted masterpiece!