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waters of the channel.”
In 1921, David Gray had emulated his Santa Barbara peers by
purchasing the Mike Finneran ranch just over the top of San Marcos Pass.
Finneran had 135 acres of land just east of San Marcos Road in 1902 and
raised stock and grew fruit on the property. Gray built a mountain lodge
of stone on the land that overlooked the Santa Ynez Valley and named it
Deer Lodge.
Both Martha and David were avid gardeners and opened their
gardens to the public for a series of local garden tours. When the Garden
Club of America held its annual meeting in Santa Barbara in April 1926,
they reported, “All this afternoon’s group of gardens had beautiful settings.
They were so high and complete. The David Gray place,
Graholm
(it was
Mrs. Gray who supplied and arranged those wonderful calla lilies for the
Annual Dinner), is on a knoll, the entry in deep shadow, with flowering
bulbs and ferns and ground covers as we mount. There was a swimming
pool below the house and great grey rocks gave a note of solidity.”
Those who knew him said David loved his garden and had a keen
sense of humor. He enjoyed telling the story of a stranger who boldly
motored up the driveway one day, and, seeing a begrimed David in
overalls with spade in hand, beckoned him to ask, “My good man, will
you tell me who lives here?” And despite his five garages, Gray was known
for driving a decrepit old Ford car about the city.
Gray was an active participant in the early days of today’s Community
Arts Music Association (CAMA). Besides joining the board of directors
of the Santa Barbara Civic Music Committee and contributing financial
support, he was instrumental in bringing the newly formed Los Angeles
Philharmonic Orchestra to Santa Barbara for a series of concerts. Founded
in 1920 by William A. Clark, Jr., son of the Montana Copper King who
At the corner of
Alston Road and
Camino Viejo,
construction of
the entrance gates
and wall along the
twisting drive leading
to the house (Photo
courtesy of Santa
Barbara Historical
Museum)
The stone foundations of Graholm arise out of the hilltop in 1920 (Photo courtesy
of Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
A newly-completed Graholm awaits final details and landscaping
(Courtesy of Santa Barbara Historical Museum)