Issue date: September 30, 1998

Atherton historic mansion listed for $4.5 million

The house is one of three sister houses in Atherton designed by San Francisco architects Bliss and Faville, who designed a number of San Francisco landmarks, including the St. Francis Hotel, the Bank of California headquarters at California and Sansome Streets, and the James L. Flood estate at 2222 Broadway.

The other two sister houses were also built for Hopkins as presents for his daughters Helen and Edna. The first was built in 1903 at 3 Altree Court and the second at 41 Lowery Lane in 1904.

The Parkwood Drive house stands on 2.7 acres of oak-covered grounds. It has a portico along its entire length, supported by 20 fluted ionic columns and overlooking a landscaped terrace and a 40-foot by 60-foot pool.

The house made headlines in March 1922 when nine armed intruders staged a bizarre takeover and theft. After gaining entrance to the house -- then occupied by the family of San Francisco silk importer Julian Hart -- the masked gunmen pulled residents from their beds and proceeded to drink and fight among themselves until dawn, at one point ordering the frightened family to share in a toast to "womanhood."

The bandits then ordered breakfast from the cook and fled the scene with $25,000 worth of Hart's rare whiskeys.

All of the house's 12 rooms are on the 6,000-square-foot first floor, including five master bedrooms, four bathrooms, a grand reception hall, living room and dining room. Details throughout the house include hand-carved moldings, paneling and ceilings, marble fireplaces and imported fixtures.

The house has a 900-square-foot upstairs apartment with two bedrooms and one bath as well as a full, 6,000-square-foot concrete basement with three store rooms, library, concrete storage vault and wine cellars.

For more information, call Skip Cashin at 614-3500 or check this web site: www.cashin.com.



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