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Robertson
House
(View from over School Hill, looking North over Robertson House. Road leads to NE corner of Hastings, against Palo Escrito Ranch. Other photos below.)
With
help from Fanny Arnold, the Robertson House was purchased in 1985. This
360 acre addition to Hastings added two housing units and the right of
way on both Martin Road and the road between Headquarters and the Robertson
place. The latter road is the only remaining part of the original Carmel
Valley Road which has not been paved. The original Carmel Valley road
dropped down Haystack Hill to the Lower Barn, then over the saddle to
the Robertson place, and then out to Martin Road. In 1917, the county
road was moved its present location along Finch Creek. It had formerly
gone through the Robertson Place, the old Palo Escrito Ranch, the Bell
Ranch and reached the route of the existing road near the Cahoon Summit.
Original survey maps indicated that Mrs. Robertson had a house and garden
on the site. A barn was also present, but was demolished sometime in the
late 1960’s. This barn is the stie we plan to use for a newer class
housing facility.
The Robertson House was orginally
built by a Mr. Robertson who had many daughters. One of the younger daughters
married a Melin. She was widowed, and lived for many years in the "Melin
Place" as it is still known by some local residents.
Before Mrs. Arnold donated the Robertson
House, it was restored by Neil Arbon who had previously worked on the
Scott Barn. Carefully brought up to modern building codes, the interior
reflects the original eight floor levels and 1930’s interior finish.
Some new windows were added. It is still heated with a wood stove. The
Robertson House now has ten beds and two bathrooms, making it capable
of housing small groups. Surrounding the house are quince, champaign grapes,
and a row of the most interior plantation known of Monterey Cypress trees.
A series of ditches and drains were installed to keep the new foundation
of the house dry; the hillside above the house is clay and seeps for months
after the winter rains.
Adjacent to the Robertson House is a small
two room cabin. This has housed married graduate students and various
couples and families over the years since it was added to Hastings. We
know it as the Caboose or Fanny's Cabin.
Land around the Robertson House is very
valuable for teaching and education. A significant riparian (streamside)
segment along Robertson Creek has several places where water is present
at the surface year-round. Willows and other shrubs are filling in along
the creek after the cattle have been removed, providing dense shade and
thickets for breeding songbirds and small mammals. Old agricultural fields
and the balance of School Hill were added to Hastings with this Robertson
Addition.
