Carmel Heritage Society Inns of Distinction 2015 - Part 4, Carmel, California

West Side of Monte Verde Between Ocean and Seventh Attributes: Pet Friendly, Breakfast, On Site Parking

Before I give my best explanation of the history of the Monte Verde Inn I see Cima Collina is pouring

and Terry's Restaurant (Cypress Inn) is providing a perfect pairing to my Cima Collina 2012 Chardonnay tasting, a silver platter of precisely portioned cheese bites.

Okay now I am ready. Here is the background. Let's start with the Sanborn maps shown below from 1924, 1930, 1930 - 1964 of lot 1-4 Block A. I placed them on top of each other so that the changes can be easily seen.

As can be noted from the 1924 Sanborn map there was a structure built at the southwest corner of Ocean and Monte Verde labeled the Monte Verde Apartments. According to A Tribute to Yesterday (p. 96), it was a "wooden home-style structure known as Hotel El Monte Verde," run by owner Mary L. Hamlin. In 1925 the property was sold to Ethel P. Young and managed by Mrs. Young's daughter, Virginia Stanton. Mrs. Stanton was married to Monterey peninsula builder and architect, Robert Stanton. Mrs. Stanton was also the first president of Carmel Heritage Society in 1984. But I digress.

Now here is where it gets a little tricky and frankly a bit inconclusive. In 1925 Mr. Stanton built his office (or reconstructed part of the apartments into an office) on lot 2. Before 1930, some of the Monte Verde Apartment building was moved south of his office to lot 3 - leaving most of lot 1 empty. This can be seen in the 1930 Sanborn map above. In 1936, Stanton built the Tudor Revival style Normandy Inn on lot 1 (see Sanborn map 1936 -62 above). ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).