Rockhaven Sanitarium – Still Treasured

“Welcome to a place of rest and rehabilitation for women suffering from overwork and exhaustion.”  — Agnes Richards. Founder of Rockhaven Sanitarium.

On a typical lazy Summer morning, we drive the quiet streets to a meeting we have thought so fondly about for years. Prior to this day we had parked outside these gates and placed Rockhaven Sanitarium on our “come back to” list.

When you look up from the street, it seems so stoic and photogenic, a real beauty, just like many of its former occupants.

The Visit

At 9 am sharp, the caretaker walked down the pathway to unlock the gate, and our excitement grew. There is such a comforting feeling that washes over you when you step across the threshold.

Your heartbeat settles as the air seems to cradle you ever so softly. Maybe its the hazy sunlight refracting off the trees, or the weather-worn paint-covered structures framed by the gardens that beckon you.

With an air of mystery, the dark windows almost manifest a motherly figure glancing out, before creaking open the screen door with fresh lemonade. 

For a few moments, you can be transported back to a much simpler time, free from any real worry.

It would be easy for one to see why Agnes Richards chose this spot in 1923 to found Rockhaven Sanitarium. She wanted a better place for ladies, so this became the first woman-founded mental health facility in America.

The property was peaceful, with delightful scenery, and the care was second to none. The perfectly manicured gardens included arches, stone pathways, fountains, patio areas, cottages, majestic mature Oaks, and Pines.

Caring For The ladies in Rockhaven Sanitarium

The All-Women facility was a calm and restful place, where the residents were treated with respect and allowed to recover at their own pace. 

There were no padded walls or jail cell–like rooms.

The only requirements were that the ladies had to dress every day and attend all three meals.

Ms Richards philosophy was that the women should remain active, and they were going to recover. They were never referred to as patients, always “Ladies” or “Residents.” She took in six ladies, but by the end of the first year, there were 24. 

The Activity Room

We walk with Joanna and her daughter down the ivy-covered steps to a swollen wood door that holds steadfast against attempts to enter. The congealed paint on the frame finally relents with one final push and the door swings inward echoing through the undisturbed air. The four of us walk in and enthusiastically begin combing over the few items left inside.

This Activity Room, as the name implies, was where painting, crochet and crafts would take place. It’s easy to see how bright and inviting the room was; you get a real sense of joy.

We imagined yarn filled tables, the intermittent cling of crochet needles, the soft sweeping of paintbrushes across wanting canvasses. All topped off by the laughter and camaraderie amongst the ladies. 

These memories grow even more frail with every passing day, just like the cobwebs that adorn these empty shelves. Soon to be heard or seen nevermore as they set adrift on endless seas of time.

All In The Name

It began with just one small rock house, hence the name Rockhaven.

Unfortunately, the original two-story building, damaged in the Sylmar earthquake, was replaced in 1972 with a single-story Spanish Colonial Revival-style one.

Over the years Agnes bought several neighbouring houses, and the facility grew to over three acres in size. With a total of 15 buildings, over 100 ladies were able to receive care.

We were free to roam the grounds, accessing every building on the premises, enabling us to tap into the real vibe of the property and see the rooms on our private tour.

There is a musty smell that permeates through all of the buildings. One that allows me to reminisce times I would visit my great grandmother. It’s the structure’s materials releasing all the stored energy absorbed throughout the years to reinvigorate its now empty spaces. 

In buildings like the Willows and the Dorms, you almost expect to pull back a curtain and see the ladies sitting and having conversations. Instead, all around the muted peeling walls are memories captured forever in fragments of time that we can no longer see. 

Rose Cottage

Rose Cottage was the first of the additional buildings purchased and used to face “Pleasure Way”. Agnes didn’t think this was ideal, so she had the house literally picked up and moved to face the gardens.

Floral wallpaper hangs on the walls and the ceiling in some of the rooms. Patricia, the granddaughter of Agnes, had all of the resident’s rooms decorated by interior designers and pitched in herself.

They researched different hospitals to see which colours promoted the best results during the rehabilitation process. So the ladies staying here would feel more comfortable. 

Famous Ladies

The reputation of this small sanitarium grew over the years. It attracted Hollywood names including Marilyn Monroe’s mother Gladys Pearl Eley Baker who lived here from 1953 to 1966 in The Pines building. 

Before Miss Monroe’s death, she visited her mother on numerous occasions and set up a $5000 a year trust fund in her mother‘s name.

Gladys was able to escape on numerous occasions. Not long after her famed daughters’ death, she allegedly tied bedsheets together, escaping from the small window in the closet.

She managed to walk 15 miles to Lakeview Terrace Baptist Church in Pacoima. She was found the following day asleep near the water heater in the Church.

In 1966/67 Gladys left Rockhaven and moved to Florida to live with her daughter Berniece Baker Miracle who was Marilyn’s half-sister. She passed away in 1984 aged 81.

Clark Gable’s first wife Josephine Dillon and his fourth wife, Lady Sylvia Ashley’s sister, lived here.

famous ladies

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Peggy Fears, Broadway Actress and Producer. Billie Burke, Actress, Glinda the Good Witch of the North in The Wizard of Oz, Marion Eleanor Statler Rose, Actress, known for King Of Jazz. Mary Florence Cecilia (Babe) Egan, leader of the all-girl band The Hollywood Redheads. Gwen Lee, Actress. These are just a few of the Hollywood Elite ladies who have spent some time in Rockhaven.

Haunting Remnants

All of the items in the rooms were left by ladies who have stayed here. There are ornaments, hairbrushes, cosmetics, and even garments still hanging in the wardrobes. 

Old photographs that were once treasured and held close have lost their lustre. They all collect dust now, clutched only by the hands of time. 

Singing glides gracefully through the hallways of the Pines. We stay quiet and enjoy the added ambience, until the owner of that voice makes her presence known. Heather, who shares much of the same philosophies as us, greeted us and spoke about her impressions of Rockhaven. And if she has seen or felt any residence that have stayed behind.

Finding The Time

Joanna came in with a stack of large photographs. She had made time to give us a brief history of the grounds. 

Joanna has such joy and passion for Rockhaven and her knowledge and exuberance are infectious. A few times, we felt and saw real raw emotion. She has put so much time and care into this, and now it’s slipping away. That sting has to run deep

As she concluded, she told us to continue on our own and enjoy everything. Each building holds a charisma, from the gardens to patios, meandering pathways and memorabilia.

This place is unforgettable. I know being some of the last few to see it in this configuration is very special. Letting go and saying goodbye are the hardest things we have to do in life, especially when that life has done so much for so many.

Paranormal Activity

Being such a beautiful place to live, some of its residents have never left. There have been reports of lights switching on, clocks changing time, voices, apparitions, shadow people, knocking on walls, and objects appearing out of nowhere. The piano is one such item. It moves from room to room on its own. However, all the psychic energy is serene and sometimes playful. Caretakers have even reported spirits mimicking their voices.

Rockhaven Sanitrium SOLD

Richards ran Rockhaven Sanitarium until 1967 when she passed it on to her granddaughter, Patricia Traviss. In 2001, Rockhaven sold to a private hospital. Unfortunately, in 2006 this facility also closed its doors. It has laid dormant since with only the ghosts of its past as guests and a caretaker for company.

A fire department was allowed to use The Pines building to practice smoke evacuation. The effect is visible to this day. The original, irreplaceable terracotta roof tiles are now cracked, resulting in water damage. Due to this negligence, a large hole now sits in the ceiling of Gladys’ old room. Very disappointing that a city let this type of conduct happen to a wonderful piece of history.

Rockhaven’s Future

Rockhaven Sanitarium has just recently been leased out by the City of Glendale. This time they wish to turn it into a Hotel. You need to hurry and schedule a tour to see this place before it is reconfigured. There may still be tours available after the conversion, but if there are guests, some of the sites will be off-limits.

If we could, we would purchase this property, help bring it back to life and gift it to Joanna Linkchorst from “The Friends of Rockhaven” who has served it so well. She has kept its story alive for so many. Thank you so very much for the Amazing Day!

Rockhaven, your spirit will stay dignified and graceful in our minds onward, it was such a pleasure to spend the morning with you. ‘Till we meet again! 

“As the day ends, so begin the hopes and dreams of tomorrow”

The History of Rockhaven Sanitarium

Rockhaven Sanitarium – in a nutshell

• Address: Rockhaven Sanitarium 2713 Honolulu Avenue, Verdugo City, Glendale CA
• Contact: Friends of Rockhaven
• Email: FriendsofRockhaven@gmail.com
• Possibly being converted into a hotel, although tours will still be available
  

location map

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