Minnie D. Tisdale House – 2025

This 1923 Mediterranean style home is a perfect fit for our mild Southern California climate. It is a simpler yet functional update to the more embellished Spanish Colonial Revival style that preceded its introduction into our area. As we observe, in this beautiful example, the Mediterranean characteristics include square and balanced shapes, wrought iron, the signature tile roof, a stucco exterior, typically white incorporating earth tones and cool shades of blues and purples which reflect the sea, sky and earth. In this lovely home the deep maroon awnings, with wrought iron struts, are classic Mediterranean. We can view the blues and purples incorporated into the drought tolerant Mediterranean landscape all around this classic home. Outdoor living with fountains and a courtyard to the rear of the home are also prevalent. A new addition, from 2020 was incorporated to match the style of the house. Today it is seamlessly joined to the home and appears to have always been a part of the house. A single car detached garage sits at the end of the driveway. Last, we view the signature tile roof. Our beautiful example, at 632 Buena Vista Street, includes all these features which cast off the heat of the sun and give one a refreshingly cool feeling even looking at this gorgeous home.

The builder of this home, Garrett Huizing, one of the most prolific builders in Redlands from 1904 – 1935, was born in Holland in 1879 and immigrated to the United States while in his teens. He first lived with his uncle in New Jersey where he learned to be a carpenter. Upon medical advice, after his health started to fail from tuberculosis, Huizing moved to Redlands in 1904 hoping to recover from the disease.

By 1909 he began buying orange groves in town, raising the trees and subdividing the properties into building lots. He was influenced by the California Bungalow Craftsman style and drew many of his own plans. His most interesting Redlands home is the “King Tut House” at 637 Buena Vista Street. This indicates that Subdivision 2, on south Buena Vista Street, were all custom built to the wishes of each lot purchaser. One of his best contributions to home building in Redlands was that his homes came with front yard landscaping, curbs and gutters, decorative street lighting, which remains today, and street trees. South of Cypress Avenue, Huizing’s Subdivision 2 was where he sold Lot 15 to Mrs. Minnie D. Tisdale according to the Redlands Daily Facts newspaper dated December 28, 1923. However, the water hook-up card,

filed in the Heritage Room of the A. K. Smiley Public Library, shows water was provided to the lot on March 13, 1923, to owner: “Mrs. M. D. Tisdale,” long before the Facts reported it.

By this time Huizing was building at several sites around Redlands. One article published February 23, 1923, in the Redlands Daily Facts reported that G. Huizing purchased another seven-acre tract from the “old Wilson homestead” on Cypress Avenue. This property was north of his soon to open Subdivision 2 south of Cypress with Buena Vista Steet running through it. This left one ten-acre parcel, owned by the Reverand Joseph Smith between these two subdivisions so the city decided to connect Buena Vista Street through Rev. Smith’s property, making it continuous from Brookside Avenue to Palm Avenue. This same article also explains, “The lower portion of this street had already been changed from Angelica Street to Buena Vista Street. Angelica having been changed to Buena Vista a short time ago.” However, no article was written that stated exactly when this name change occurred, but the Redlands Daily Facts reported as late as November of 1923 that the street name had changed by using parenthesis when referring to the lower end of Buena Vista Street in an article referring to Mrs. C. E. Sanborn’s home. Huizing was purchasing orange properties where no dedicated streets existed prior to his development.

Minnie Diane Tisdale’s husband, William Monroe Tisdale was born on May 17, 1860, in New York. In 1887 they arrived in California at the Arrowhead Springs Hotel for the benefit of the mineral waters. Eventually, he became an employee of the Arrowhead Hotel Company moving to Redlands as proprietor of the Terrace Villa Hotel in 1890 and later he managed the Terracina Hotel. After retiring from hotel management in 1895 he went on to write for the press and he wrote articles describing Redlands and the vicinity. He also returned to his first interest in the law which he studied at Harvard College. He was a prominent attorney, justice and postmaster in the area. He died on February 21, 1919, and is buried at Hillside Memorial Park, Redlands, California.

He married Minnie Diane Cooper in 1884, and they had two daughters, Katherine and Marjorie. Katherine had already been born, when they arrived in California, but Marjorie was born in San Bernardino. Katherine went on to marry Walter J. Hartzell, she died in 1973 and is buried at Hillside Memorial Park along with her husband. Marjorie married Herbert Arthur Wolcott who preceded her in death. She died in 1934 and is also buried at Hillside Memorial Park. Minnie Diane Tisdale lived until 1946; she was living on Alvarado by this time and is buried beside her husband at Hillside Memorial Park.

Minnie owned this home until 1946 when it passed to her daughter, Katherine Tisdale Hartzell upon her death. Mrs. Hartzell held a Congregational Church Congregators Club meeting featuring the Family Services Association according to a Redlands Daily Facts article from 1952. Katherine owned it until 1962, when it passed to Barbara and Eugene Biggs who sold it to Alexis Lumsden in 1988. She sold it in 1996 to our current owner Patricia Mariano-Denning. Patty and her husband, Jeffrey Denning, married in 2012, which is when he was added to the home’s title.

This artistic couple, Jeff is a stained-glass-artist and Patty is a jewelry artist, have put their hearts and souls into this home. The Redlands Area Historical Society wishes to thank Patricia Mariano-Denning and Jeffrey Denning, the current owners, for the time and dedication they have spent renewing, refreshing and loving this important 1923 Mediterranean style home located at 632 Buena Vista Street, Redlands, California.

Researched and written by Judith Hunt, presented on June 11, 2025.