This expansive California home, known during Richard Nixon’s presidency as the Western White House, served as a personal retreat for the politician as well as a place to hold diplomatic events. He hosted everyone from public figures like Frank Sinatra and John Wayne to world leaders like South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu and Russian leader Leonid Brezhnev at the gate-guarded property and surely dazzled them with it’s exotic grandeur.Once Nixon resigned as president, however, he and his wife moved to the San Clemente house full-time. Following the Watergate scandal, he used his quiet time there to write memoirs until selling to the current owner, pharmaceutical giant Gavin S. Herbert, in the early 1980s.With 5.45 acres of manicured land and 450 linear feet of pristine beach, it’s hard to find a more picturesque and private California estate on the market. Walls around the entire property promise sweet seclusion for the new owner, and with 15,000-square-feet of living space across multiple structures, there is no shortage of room for entertaining.The Spanish-Revival style of the circa-1927 single-story main mansion, two-story guesthouse, and 3,000-square-foot entertainment pavilion transport you to a faraway place. Paths around the buildings wind through colorful gardens and showcase endless ocean views. But if exploring the grounds gets old, relax on the patio by the enormous pool or play from dawn until dusk on the lighted tennis court.Mansion Global reports that it was originally listed for $75 million in 2015, but now a buyer can snag the pricey pad for $63.5 million. Rob Giem of Compass has the one-of-a-kind listing.
Taken in 1973, this photo shows President and Mrs. Nixon with President and Mrs. Thieu in front of the San Clemente residence, for a private dinner in honor of Thieu.
