CYRIACKS HOUSE - LOST TOLUCA LAKE TREASURE

 DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY  - 2011

At the onset of the “Roaring Twenties”, an Austrian immigrant by the name of Fred R. Cyriasks commissioned the architect Charles Grolle to built a 10 room “mansion” on the border of Toluca Lake and North Hollywood.  The house was simply spectacular.

The Cyriacks House, once at 10841 Whipple Street near Lankershim Boulevard, was considered during its day, one of the most beautiful homes in Los Angeles. With Tiffany glass appointments throughout, the dwelling featured European style stained glass windows, a lave stone fireplace imported from Italy and an impressive spiral staircase rising from a 30 X 18 polished room living room.

Newspaper clipping - 1971 - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge) - note storks on the roof.

Eventually the Cyriasks House was sold to Lt. Col. Paul Bell and his wife Ann, who lived in the Valley until Paul died suddenly in 1958. Ann continued in the “grand old place” until her children left home. She had the structure stripped of its architectural treasures and sold Cyriasks House to a developer, who had the building demolished for an apartment complex.  Today no trace of the once impressive gate house, the bar-b-que house in the rear garden or the handsome wrought iron railings remain.

 Members of The Museum Community are encouraged to be on the lookout for photographs and artifacts from historic Cyriaks House.  We can’t restore the old mansion’s beauty but we can tell its story.

Note: As a result of this blog posting, The Museum received information from a branch of the Cyriaks family. It's really interesting!!!  http://hollywood.fred.cyriac-fhp.com/