Janine Marnien
It's no wonder neighbors have nicknamed it "The Castle."
Visitors to the Vega family house have to cross a bridge over the
small moat in front of the home to get in the entrance -- a circular
rock tower that seems straight out of the Middle Ages.
The tower leads to the rest of the rock structure, complete with
parapets.
Owners John and Sylvia Vega have been in the house for only a
short time, having moved from Pasadena in April.
They wanted to find a house with character, and succeeded, they
said.
"We've never seen another house like this," Sylvia Vega said.
Upon making minor changes and additions to their new home, they've
discovered hints that the moat and bridge are not part of the
original design, and have even found a fireplace that had been
covered up by a previous owner.
"It's not every day you find a fireplace in your house," John Vega
said.
The Vegas have tried to learn the history of their new home, but
limited property records have made tracking down the original owner
and designer difficult. They've had to piece the history of the house
together by themselves, and suspect it was influenced by the Arroyo
Seco culture.
"That culture used natural building materials in the area to build
homes," John Vega said. "I'm convinced every rock on this house came
from this lot."
The Vegas plan to restore the house to what it was "originally
meant to be," they said.
"This was not meant to be gothic or European, it was meant to be
in the style of mission revival," John Vega said.
The Vega house is one of many stone houses in the foothill area.
Other examples of stone architecture include the old Dunsmore
Winery and St. Luke's of the Mountain Episcopal Church, according to
the Glendale Historical Society.
