A little Hollywood legacy goes a long way in giving a listing allure. And, this home newly listed in Monterey, California for $2.45 million has a unique story centered around the most famous child actor to ever be on screen.
Back in 1950, the iconic Shirley Temple wed Charles Black at the charming property, which was his parents’ serene getaway. Why here? Well, the reverend at their original venue refused to marry them because of Temple’s divorce from her previous husband. “Our second marriage was in surroundings equally Sylvan,” Temple wrote in her 1988 autobiography. “Charlie and I were married by a local justice in front of a fireplace bedecked with boughs.”
“The Black family cottage ‘Mesita’ was a white-washed hideaway,” Temple also wrote in the book. “Its architecture reflected the historical heritage of Monterey, a blend of Spanish mission fathers’ adobe brick and curved red-roof tiles, with the wooden slat shutters and mullioned window panes of New England.”
Architect Robert Stanton built the residence in 1940, and the following year, Sunset Magazine featured it on its front cover. The single-level home was used by James Byers Black and his wife, Katherine, as a weekend retreat away from the city. Many decades later, the current owners have maintained and restored it beautifully to exude airy elegance.
The sellers have thoroughly updated the historic house, including replacing all the doors and windows, and upgrading the electrical and plumbing systems, per the listing agent. Walking through the 2,180 square foot floor plan, you’ll find original hardwood floors and the original wood-burning fireplace that anchors the breezy home.
The interior spaces are bright yet rustic, with a breezy California ease that feels straight out of a Nancy Meyers film. Multiple rooms open to porches and lead to the beautiful enclosed gardens, the very gardens in which Temple celebrated her marriage.
Temple met “the love of her life,” Charlie Black, at a cocktail party in Honolulu in 1950, according to an obituary published in Stanford Magazine. The wedding was held a year later, and it was rushed because Black, a naval officer, was to be deployed to Korea. For the next devoted couple looking to be a part of this property’s narrative, David O’Neil of Sotheby’s International Realty holds the listing.
