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Dates: Tuesday, April 16th or Thursday, April 17th, 9:30am
Location: Based on the day - see below!
Tuesday - April 22nd - with Tara Gilboy
Location: Joan Kroc Center - Rolando Room - Ray & Joan Kroc Center Building F, Rolando Room 6605 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92115
Cost: Free
Reading: Click here for the appropriate reading- TBD
Thursday - April 24th - with Meagan
Website: https://www.villamontezumamuseum.org/_public_html/Home.html
Cost: $5
Address: 1925 K Street, corner of 20th & K, San Diego
Special Instructions: They do not have public restrooms, so please keep that in mind as you prepare for the tour. They also do not allow interior photos or “ghost hunting” apps. You might also see some scaffolding outside, as they are currently doing some outdoor repairs.
ADA Accessible: No. Since they are a historic site, they are not ADA accessible. Guests will see 10 stairs to the front door, then 16 steps to get to the next level.
Parking: This is a residential neighborhood, so there is cost-free street parking available. That said, it can be tricky finding a spot, so give yourself some time to park and be prepared to walk a few blocks. Some of you had asked about parking restrictions due to street-sweeping, and it does not look like they will be taking place on these days in this neighborhood, but please be careful to read signs carefully to be sure. Also remember there is a new parking restriction that went into effect in San Diego on March 1. Anyone who parks within 20 feet of a crosswalk, whether it is marked or unmarked, can be ticketed. You can find more information about this here:
villa montezuma
villa montezuma
This week’s reading comes to us courtesy of Tara Gilboy, who also visited the Villa Montezuma this semester!
Note: If you are in the Tuesday Class and will be a different reading provided by Tara for her in-person class! Please see your e-mail!
Introduction
The Villa Montezuma is the Historic Jesse Shepard/”Francis Grierson” House. It was built in 1887 as the home of world famous pianist, author, and Spiritualist Jesse Shepard. Jesse began a writing career in San Diego and took the pen name “Francis Grierson,” a name that he used in life as well as for his writing. The Villa is located in the Sherman Heights Historic District of downtown San Diego, CA, at the corner of 20th & K Streets. The Sherman Heights Historic District is the largest historic district within San Diego; it has almost 400 contributing historic structures. This week, we will learn more about the house and take a guided tour. In advance of this week's tour, let's learn some more about Jesse Shepard and his history as a spiritualist, musician, and writer.
Jesse Shepard/Francis Grierson: A Life of Music, Mysticism, and Reinvention
Jesse Shepard/Francis Grierson: A Life of Music, Mysticism, and Reinvention
Jesse Shepard, born in 1848 in England, moved to Illinois with his parents when he was just six months old. At the age of 10, he witnessed the final Lincoln-Douglas debate, which left a lasting impression on him. By 13, he was a page to General John C. Fremont, and by 21, he returned to Europe to pursue his career.
A tall, handsome, and gifted man, Jesse displayed remarkable piano skills and a fascination with spirituality. He believed that famous musicians who had passed could communicate with him through music. Unlike traditional classical pianists, Jesse saw himself as a conduit for these great composers, channeling their spirits through his performances. His mystical approach to music set him apart from other artists of his time.
From 1867 to 1887, Jesse toured the world, staying with patrons and meeting influential figures. French novelist Alexandre Dumas praised his talents, telling him that doors would always open for him. During a visit to St. Petersburg in 1871, he performed for the Czar and began studying Spiritualism, even learning to conduct séances. In Russia, his portrait was painted by artist Mattieu Geslin, capturing his romantic and mystical nature.
Spiritualism might seem odd, but it was very popular during the 19th century. Did you know it was even practiced at the White House? You can learn more about the fascinating history of spiritualism in this six-minute video:
In 1874, Jesse returned to America and met Madame Blavatsky, founder of Theosophy, though they soon became antagonistic. Jesse visited California in 1876, performing at missions, and in 1880, he was based in Chicago, continuing his performances and spiritual studies. By 1887, disillusioned with fraud in Spiritualism, Jesse turned away from the practice and would later convert to Catholicism.
During this period, Jesse met Lawrence W. Tonner, a multilingual companion and secretary who supported him throughout his life. Though it’s unclear whether their relationship was romantic, they were deeply devoted to each other for over 40 years.
In 1887, Jesse was invited to San Diego by the High Brothers, influential figures in the local Spiritualist community, to build a home. With their funding, Jesse designed the Villa Montezuma, which we will be visiting this week. He envisioned the Villa as a place for music and writing, and it soon became a hub for artists, musicians, and writers.
You can learn more about the history of the Villa Montezuma, and even take a peek inside, in this nine-minute video from the city of San Diego
Jesse contributed to the Golden Era magazine and found a kindred spirit in Father Antonio Ubach, a local Catholic priest. His focus shifted to writing, and he began publishing articles, including one about the teachings of Father Joseph Roux. He even installed a stained glass window of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, in the Villa.
However, in 1889, after a trip to Paris, Jesse and Tonner returned to find the San Diego real estate boom had collapsed. Unable to sustain his career, Jesse sold the Villa Montezuma and left San Diego. At 41, he reinvented himself, adopting the pen name "Francis Grierson" to separate his new literary career from his past as a Spiritualist and musician.
As Francis Grierson, Jesse found success as an author, writing books and essays on his views of the world. His most notable work, The Valley of Shadows, fictionalized his childhood and the immigrant experience in America. This book cemented his reputation as a writer. For the next two decades, he and Tonner traveled extensively, living in Europe and returning to America before World War I.
If you're interested in reading The Valley of Shadows, you can read it online free here:
However, the Roaring '20s were challenging for the aging couple. With no safety net in their later years, they struggled financially. Despite this, Francis remained involved in literary circles in Los Angeles. One night, at the piano after a dinner gathering, he played his final piece, dying at the keys, a fitting end for such a colorful and mystical life.
You may remember that we talked about the Villa Montezuma in an earlier Halloween class, where we heard it was reported to be haunted. The museum says it is not haunted—at least, not in the traditional sense. While some claim to have experienced supernatural events there, the staff at the museum respects Jesse’s true story, emphasizing his contributions to music and Spiritualism. They honor the man and his talents, keeping an open mind about the possibility of enchantment, not hauntings.
a little bit about sherman heights
a little bit about sherman heights
The Villa Montezuma is located in the neighborhood of Sherman Heights, which today has become a neighborhood filled with many historic homes.
Sherman Heights is named after Matthew Sherman, who bought the 160 acres in 1867 soon after Alonzo Horton bought the land that would become downtown San Diego. This area up the hill had beautiful views of the San Diego Bay and Sherman built two homes in the area, first a simple farmhouse and later a large mansion after he prospered. Both of Sherman’s homes still exist.
Sherman also served as San Diego’s mayor from 1891-1892. You can learn more about this historic San Diegan in this interesting article from the SD History Center:
You can see where this neighborhood is located, south of Balboa Park, on the map:
Many beautiful homes were built between the 1880s and the 1920s, including the Villa Montezuma. Through the 1940s, the mostly residential Sherman Heights thrived as a middle class neighborhood next to downtown San Diego. As highways were built in the 1940s through 1960s, along with the development of suburbs, many residents left this urban neighborhood in mid-century.
Like many inner city areas that were considered past their prime, the area went through a rough period during the 1970s through 1980s. Now Sherman Heights is a thriving community enjoying a period of great interest and revitalization. There is strong support for historic preservation and restoration of the many fine buildings, and the neighborhood was declared a historic district in 1987.
You can learn more about the Sherman Heights neighborhood today in this interesting two-minute video: https://www.homes.com/local-guide/san-diego-ca/sherman-heights-neighborhood/video/mkcjf861hk8f3/
We will learn more about Jesse Shepard and get to see this amazing historical building during this week's tour!
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