Page 50 - carey-bunse_habs_ca2712

HARRY CAREY RANCH,
Ranch House (Building 5)
HABS No. CA- 2712-A (Page '12)

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Three arched niches are found on interior walls. Two niches appear in the
north wall of the dining room and have been incorporated into the design
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of a painted mural. The final niche appears in the living room, to the north
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of the front door.
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) There are seven murals painted on the interior walls of the house. Three
are signed and only one is·dated, but they all appear to have been painted
by Les Grimes. In the south wing, the east bedroom has an unsigned
mural of a yucca plant on its west wall, and a signed painting of a bovine
skull sitting on a post and barbed wire fence is located in the westernmost
bedroom. The westernmost bedroom of the northern wing contains a
signed painting of a ranch hand holding a Farmer John logo branding iron
on the west wall and on the east wall of the second bedroom of this wing
is an unsigned mural of a mountain lion. A small, signed mural dated
1968 depicts fruits and vegetables on the east wall of the kitchen. In the
() living room, a scene depicting a cattle drive in the desert signed by the
artist encircles the fireplace and chimney. The largest and most vibrant
mural in the house depicts a Mission scene and is found on the northern
wall of the dining room. Unlike the other murals in the home, this
CJ unsigned painting encompasses nearly the entire wall, from floor to
C) ceiling, and incorporates the two wall niches within its de_sign.

,·,1 -~- There are three fireplaces located in the house (one at each wing). A

'\~ . I small, simple fireplace located on the western wall of the west bedroom of
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t) the south wing is flush with the wall and appears unaltered from its
t) original state. A non-structural wood plank mantel with scalloped trim
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and supported by two metal brackets is located on the wall about two feet
above the firebox. The concrete hearth is flush with the floor and extends
out into the room approximately 18 inches. Decorative tile surrounds the
fireplace opening. The fireplace on the western wall in the living room
was also part of the original construction, but appears to have been refaced
with rough cut field stone in the 1950s or 1960s. Measuring
approximately 8'-3" wide and 3' deep (at the hearth) the top of the raised
C) hearth is finished with smooth stone. The mantel is trimmed with a round
C) log that appears to be a cut telephone pole and the flue above it tapers to

() the ceiling. A steel curtain screen is attached to the top of the firebox
opening. The fireplace located on the northern wall in the kitchen was
installed in the 1950s or 1960s and is faced with the same rough
fieldstone. It measures approximately 6' wide and 3' deep and like the
fireplace in the living room has a raised hearth and a steel curtain screen.
Unlike the living room fireplace, its firebox opening is off center and the
flue rises straight to the ceiling.

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