The Allen House Reconstruction: A Legacy To One Of Oakland’s Leading African-American Citizens

Lucille Guiton Allen Overcomes Odds to Buy a Historic Home that Represents The American Dream, then Stands Steadfast to Rebuild it After it is Destroyed in the Oakland Firestorm.


OAKLAND, CA (October 20, 1999)The motto on the shield by the door of the newly reconstructed Allen House, perched high in the Oakland Hills overlooking San Francisco Bay, says Manu Forte. Manu Forte is Latin for “strong-willed,” and it definitely speaks to the spirit and determination of the home’s late owner, Mrs. Lucille Guiton Allen.

One of Oakland’s most prominent African-American businesswomen, Mrs. Allen waged a seven-year effort to have her historically significant home reconstructed after it burned to the ground during the Oakland Hills Firestorm of 1991. That reconstruction was completed this week by Plath & Company, Inc., General Contractors of San Francisco, known for their historic Renovations. Mrs. Allen’s effort to rebuild her home followed the battle she and her husband, Boley Allen, had waged decades before to be accepted by the neighborhood after buying their home through a white intermediary in 1959.

The Allen House, built in 1929, was originally designed in the elegant French-Norman style by well-known California architect Albert Farr in 1928. Commonly referred to as “The Castle,” some of its features include hand-painted ceilings, decorative rosettes and plaster moldings, French doors, grand arched windows, a graceful staircase of wrought iron grillwork, and a signature turret.

Mrs. Allen approved final reconstruction plans for The Castle in 1998, only two weeks before she passed away. The Allen House is believed to be the only home in the Oakland Fire area that has been completely reconstructed according to its original plan.

Mrs. Allen’s tenacity in holding fast to her right to the American Dream did not go unnoticed. Mrs. Allen was honored in a ceremony celebrating the home’s reconstruction on October 20, 1999, the eighth anniversary of the Oakland fire. Mayor Jerry Brown, representing the City of Oakland, along with other prominent civic and business leaders, placed a bronze plaque at the site in Mrs. Allen’s memory.

“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 after the fire,” Mayor Brown said.

Some observers have called The Castle the West Coast equivalent of Villa Lewaro, the Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, mansion completed in 1918 by Madame C. J. Walker, America’s first black millionairess. Like Madame C. J. Walker, Lucille Guiton Allen carved a place for herself as a businesswoman within the world of hairstyling and beauty. Mrs. Walker manufactured and promoted a line of hair products that made her wealthy; Mrs. Allen was a beautician who owned and operated Lucille’s Beauty Parlor at Ashby and Tyler in Berkeley for decades. Her husband, Boley, was a longshoreman. Together they also owned a shopping center on 16th Street in Oakland.

Mrs. Allen was a member of Oakland’s prominent Guiton Family, operators of Guiton Charter, a local transportation company that was well known for transporting military personnel. Mrs. Allen and her husband were also co-owners of Guiton Liquors.

The Allen’s quest for a piece of the American Dream began when they originally saw the house while driving through the area of Upper Rockridge and Piedmont in the Oakland Hills. They looked at the house while wearing a maid’s and butler’s uniform so they wouldn’t disturb the all-white neighbors.

“When they looked through the windows into the living room, which had beautiful hand-painted murals and crystal chandeliers, that was the deciding point,” said Tonna Boyette, Mrs. Allen’s niece. Boyette, a Sacramento developer, served as the owner’s representative during the rebuilding, and often assisted her aunt during the rebuilding process.

The Allens decided to buy the home and, through hard work, had accumulated a 40-percent down payment. Mr. and Mrs. Allen purchased the home through a white intermediary because of restrictions against African-Americans purchasing property in the Upper Rockridge neighborhood. Because of their race, the Allens were unable to tour the home as prospective buyers. They also moved into the home wearing the uniforms of domestic servants.

When the Allens moved into the home, the previous owners, who were socially prominent, began foreclosure proceedings, and some of the neighbors threatened legal action. Upon receipt of foreclosure notification, the Allens sent the previous owners a cash payment in full for the home by return mail.

The Castle had an adjoining terraced hillside lot, which was beautifully landscaped with fountains and gardens. Fearing that they would never be able to sell the lot, the previous owners reluctantly offered to sell it to the Allens. The Allens then purchased this addition to The Castle’s grounds.

“My aunt was very religious,” said Tonna Boyette. “She said that her faith in God helped her see these trying events as a way for to obtain the complete Castle at a price she could afford. She felt that God had appointed her the guardian of this beautiful piece of property.”

As the decades of the sixties and seventies unfolded, the neighborhood gradually began to accept the Allens. The Allen House soon became a symbol of sorts to the local African-American community, and more than one formal party, wedding and ceremonial event was held there.

“My aunt loved the house,” said Boyette. “She would drive home from work every day looking forward to coming home. She loved gardening. She loved the proportions of the house, and the architectural integrity. Although she lacked formal education, she never wavered in her appreciation of the architectural significance of the home.

“My aunt felt that God had blessed her with this house, that God had smiled on her,” Boyette said. “She felt it was important to treat people well, and to conduct herself with integrity. She tried to do everything in her life in the right way.”

According to Tonna Boyette, Mrs. Allen reconciled with a member of the family of the previous owners just months before the Firestorm. “One day my aunt noticed a lady sitting at the curb looking at the house,” Boyette recalled. “My aunt, ever concerned about others, asked if she could help. The woman said she was the daughter of the previous owners, and had been married in the home. Her mother had recently passed away, and she had returned to The Castle to remember the good times of living there with her parents.

“My aunt invited her in to tour the home and told her to visit whenever she wanted. She even gave her a key to the storage shed that was filled with items the family had left behind when they moved out in 1957.”

On October 20, 1991, Mr. and Mrs. Allen, both frail and elderly, didn’t attend church, as was their usual custom. They were home with a nephew when the firestorm struck. Assisted by their nephew (Mr. Allen was disabled), they were able to escape the fire by fleeing in their car.

The devastating firestorm burned the beautiful home to the ground. Only the garage was saved. The Allens also lost all their priceless antique furnishings in the fire, including palace-size Tabriz rugs from Iran and Louis XV furniture that they had purchased from the previous owners.

“After the fire, my aunt was determined to have the house rebuilt exactly as it had been,” said Boyette. “She didn’t want just any new home. She wanted Albert Farr’s home reconstructed. Luckily she was able to find photographs of the home among family members. The daughter of the previous ownerthe one my aunt befriendedalso gave her photos to assist in the reconstruction process.”

Architects Rosa Lane and Austine Warren of Berkeley met with Mrs. Allen and then drew up a new set of construction plans based on the original Albert Farr designs. Plath Construction Company was retained because of the firm’s expertise with historic property.

The Allen House was recreated in every original 1928 detail, while using modern materials and codes. Wood and plaster details were re-designed from the original drawings and photos. Lighting fixtures were purchased around the country to match as closely as possible with those in the original photos. Statues and carvings were recast and carved in exacting detail and the sculpture gardens, fountains, and landscaping were recreated. Mrs. Allen grew some of the plants in temporary flowerbeds she constructed at another site while waiting for the house to be rebuilt. These were then transplanted to the original site.

Architect Lane worked closely with Mrs. Allen before she passed away to gain a thorough understanding of her point of view. “Mrs. Allen had a very keen memory about how the house had been built,” Lane said. “She instinctively knew when a room was too smallin the construction phase she could even feel when a room was an inch and a half too short. All of us wanted her to feel that it was an exact replication.”

Mr. Boley Allen passed away in 1994. Mrs. Allen approved final plans in 1998, and passed away two weeks later. “The strength of character and commitment of Mrs. Allen was very strong,” said Lane. “I’ll never forget my time with her. It’s very sad that she’s not here. All of us feel that at a very, very deep level.”