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High on a Northern California hillside sits a grand castle complete with a turret, lush gardens, spiral staircases and a fairytale of its own. The home, known locally as "The Castle," has become an Oakland Hills, CA icon due to its romantic styling and scenic setting. This home is believed to be the only residence, out of thousands destroyed in the Oakland firestorm of 1991, to have been completely reconstructed according to the original plans.

The home was designed in 1928 by Albert Farr, architect of many Beverly Hills dream homes for silent-era movie stars. Upon completion, Farr had a 4,200-square-foot Norman-French style chateau that was entered through a three-story turret, via a curved staircase. It featured hand-painted ceilings, decorative rosettes and moldings, French doors, arched windows, and a staircase of wrought iron grillwork. A winding path leads down to a street-side detached garage, roofed with a formal garden and fountain.

Several prominent families had already owned the magnificent home when Boley and Lucille Allen, African-American business owners, came across it in 1959. They returned for a better look, dressed as a maid and butler so as not to disturb the all-white neighbors, and decided they had found their American Dream. Due to restrictions against African-Americans owning property in the neighborhood, they purchased the home through a white intermediary. Despite obstacles in the beginning, the neighbors gradually began to accept the Allens, and the Castle became a symbol to the local African-American community, with many parties, weddings and events being hosted there. Lucille Allen was a shining example of the shield that hung beside her door, "Manu Forti," Latin for "strong-willed."

On October 20, 1991, one of the most severe fires in California's history struck. The Allens escaped the fire, but their fairytale castle was a mountain of soot and ash with only the garage left standing. Never one to give up, Lucille would begin a seven-year effort to rebuild her home exactly as it had been. Even after her husband's death in 1994, she continued toward her goal.

Architects Rosa Lane and Austine Warren were brought in to take a new set of plans based on the original designs through construction. In working with Farr's drawings, they first had to learn how to read the architectural renderings of that era, which were drafted much differently than they are today. Lucille approved final plans in 1998, two weeks before she passed away. Lane had worked closely with Allen before her death to gain a thorough understanding of her point of view. "Mrs. Allen had a very keen sense about how the house had been built," Lane recalled. "All of us wanted her to feel that it was an exact replication." With Allen's passing, Tonna Boyette would serve as the owner's representative to oversee completion according to her aunt's wishes.

Plath & Company, known for their restoration of historically significant structures in the San Francisco Bay area, would oversee the 16-month reconstruction process. They would recreate the house in every original 1928 detail while using modern materials and codes. According to Steve Plath, president of Plath & Company, "This home would certainly rank as one of the most challenging because of the level of craftsmanship, as well as artistry, that was demanded." Plath would be joined by a team of sculptors, muralists, glass artists, ironworkers, restoration artists, plasterers, architects, landscape architects, and engineers. "This house was extraordinarily complex," said Plath. Each step offered a new challenge, the main one being how to recreate so much detail using only old blueprints, family memories and photos as your guide. Stucco had to be applied over complex curves and hard to reach areas like the bracket under the front porch. An artist had to be found who could duplicate the "Manu Fort" shield using only the memories of Boyette and one photo. Specialists were called in to create the faux flagstone, now a lost art, with only a small sample that had survived the fire to guide them. The front doors and an interior door, were customized using Farr's drawings and Allen family photos. The basement level window covers were made to match a wood mockup of the originals. A restoration artist was called on to craft the baroque pediments. One element was added that never existed on Farr's plans'an iron stairway at the rear of the home to meet present-day fire codes. It was designed and custom-cast for the house.
The floors were drafted full-scale, showing how each board would be laid, including borders and details. The murals in the entry, living room, and dining room were hand-painted, recreated from family photos and memories as to where each cloud originally floated against the blue sky. A full-scale model of the fireplace mantle was made of wood and used to form a latex mold. It was cast in concrete to meet current codes, but made to look like carved hand over wire lath due to the ceiling curving up and away from the wall. The kitchen was done with the same cabinetry and kinds of appliances (except for the stove) as the original.

The sculpture gardens, fountains, and landscaping were also recreated. Many hours were spent creating molds, recasting and carving the statues for the gardens. Benches were recast from one original intact bench and one leg that were found on-site. Ornamental square bench arms had to be recreated from memory. Allen had grown plants in temporary flowerbeds while waiting for the house to be rebuilt, so these were transplanted to the original site.

"Manu Forti" definitely spoke of the spirit and determination of The Castle's late owner. Though Allen never saw the results of the reconstruction, her tenacity in holding fast to her dream did not go unnoticed. On October 20, 1999, she was honored in a ceremony celebrating the home's reconstruction. Mayor Jerry Brown said, "The City of Oakland would like to recognize Mrs. Allen for her strength of character, her desire to be a part of the American Dream, and for a commitment to her vision that brought the house back to life." Brown, along with other civic and business leaders, placed a bronze plaque at the site in memory of Mrs. Lucille Guiton Allen.

The Castle is a relic of a more gracious era when a home included such civilizing effects as a ballroom, a Juliet balcony, and hand-wrought details. Thanks to Plath & Company and its many "team members," the home now stands as a monument to restoring the elegance and craftsmanship of the past.

Kymberly Starn is a freelance writer for Options magazine.