{{short description|Historic house in California, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Kimberly Crest | nrhp_type = | designated_other1 = California | designated_other1_number = 1019<ref name=CHL>{{cite web | url=http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=21476 | title=California Historical Landmark: San Bernardino County | publisher=California State Parks | work=Office of Historic Preservation | accessdate=2012-10-12}}</ref> | designated_other1_num_position = both | image = Kimberly Crest House and Gardens.jpg | caption = Kimberly Crest house and gardens | location = Redlands, California | coordinates = {{coord|34|2|16.21|N|117|10|20.87|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = California#USA | area = | built = 1897 | architect = Lyman Farwell<br>Oliver Perry Dennis | architecture = Victorian, Châteauesque | added = March 28, 1996 | refnum = 96000328<ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123860770|title=California SP Kimberly Crest|publisher=United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service|date=February 26, 1996}}</ref> }}
'''Kimberly Crest House and Gardens''' is a French château-style Victorian mansion located in Redlands, California. The property is a registered California Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
==History== The house was built in 1897 for Mrs Cornelia A. Hill, one of the pioneers of Redlands. In 1905, John Alfred Kimberly, a co-founder of the Kimberly-Clark paper company, purchased the home to escape the Wisconsin winters, giving the family name to the property. When the Kimberly family purchased the property in 1905, Mrs Kimberly had the Italian gardens installed on the property. The family celebrated the holidays at the property with a {{convert|90|ft|m|adj=on}} magnolia tree adorned with 6000 watts of light.<ref name="hgtv">{{cite web|url=http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_home_tours_celebrity/article/0,,HGTV_3457_1380076,00.html|title=Kimberly Crest House|date=2008-02-05|work=Decorating|publisher=Scripps Networks, LLC.}}</ref> The Kimberly family continued to live in the home until the death in 1979 of Mary Kimberly Shirk, the widowed daughter of John Alfred Kimberly.
Before her death, Mrs Shirk challenged the city of Redlands to raise the funds to purchase {{convert|39|acre|sqmi km2|2|abbr=on}} of the property around the home and turn it into a botanical park. If the funds were raised, she promised to bequeath the mansion and the estate of {{convert|6.25|acre|sqmi km2|2|abbr=on}} immediately around it to the city. The city raised the funds, and the surrounding grounds became known as Prospect Park. At her death, Mrs Shirk left the home to "the people of Redlands" and, using the proceeds from the sale to the city of the Prospect Park property, established the Kimberly-Shirk Association, which continues to care for the home today.<ref name="about">{{cite web| url=http://www.kimberlycrest.org/aboutus.htm| title=Kimberly Crest Website| access-date=2008-01-30| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405234513/http://www.kimberlycrest.org/aboutus.htm| archive-date=2008-04-05| url-status=dead}}</ref>
Prior to the conversion to a museum, the mansion served as one of the filming locations for the 1981 movie ''Hell Night'', starring Linda Blair. In the film, tunnels were depicted, but the house and the estate have no such feature. Later, the grounds served as the setting of Fleetwood Mac's "Big Love" video. Shots depicting the inside of the home were filmed on a sound stage.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stephens |first=Mike |date=17 March 1987 |title=Fleetwood Mac hits Crest |access-date=4 July 2025 |work=The San Bernardino Sun |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-bernardino-county-sun-fleetwood/175931220/ |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-bernardino-county-sun-fleetwood/175931220/ D1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-bernardino-county-sun-video-fle/175931966/ D2] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Architecture== The three-story Victorian mansion was designed in the Châteauesque style by Oliver Perry Dennis and Lyman Farwell, a Los Angeles-based partnership.<ref>[https://digital.lib.washington.edu/php/architect/record.phtml?type=partner&paid=1074 In partnership 1895–1913]{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}.</ref> The building contains over {{convert|7000|sqft|m2}} of floor space. A near replica, now known as The Magic Castle, was designed by the same architects and erected in Hollywood<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esri.com/company/redlands/heritage_landmarks.html |title=ESRI Redlands Guide Website |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080126075049/http://www.esri.com/company/redlands/heritage_landmarks.html |archivedate=2008-01-26 }}; their Janes House (1905) is Hollywood Boulevard's last remaining residential structure.</ref> in 1909.
==Gardens== The gardens that surround Kimberly Crest are exquisite examples of the Italian style favored by Victorian homeowners at the turn of the 20th century. Mr Kimberly had the current gardens created in 1909, complete with statuary and koi ponds.<ref>Moore, F: ''Redlands, Our Town'', page 226. Moore Historical Foundation, 1987</ref> Today the gardens are honorary members of the Inland Koi Society,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.inlandkoisociety.org/| title = Inland Koi Society Homepage}}</ref> which now maintains the lily ponds.<ref name="about" />
==The mansion today== The Kimberly-Shirk Association has maintained the property since 1981 and continues the legacy of Mrs Shirk's involvement in civic events. Kimberly Crest is open to the public for tours and can also be booked for weddings and private events. Tours are Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Tours are available every half hour with the last tour taking off at 3:30 pm.<ref name="about" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://kimberlycrest.org/ |title=Home |website=kimberlycrest.org}}</ref>
==See also== *California Historical Landmarks in San Bernardino County, California
==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Kimberly Crest 1.jpg|Châteauesque Kimberly Crest home viewed from road. Image:Kimberlycrestfront.jpg|Driveway to porte-cochere and principal entrance at the architectural rear of the house. Image:Kimberly Crest porch.jpg|View from the front porch showing the gardens and the San Bernardino Valley beyond. Image:Kimberly Crest carriage house.jpg|Kimberly Crest carriage house. </gallery>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Kimberly Crest}} * [http://www.kimberlycrest.org/ Kimberly Crest House and Gardens] – ''Official website''
{{National Register of Historic Places in California}}
Category:Houses in San Bernardino County, California Category:Historic house museums in California Category:Museums in San Bernardino County, California Category:Buildings and structures in Redlands, California Category:California Historical Landmarks Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in California Category:National Register of Historic Places in San Bernardino County, California Category:Houses completed in 1897 Category:Châteauesque architecture in the United States Category:Renaissance Revival architecture in California Category:Victorian architecture in California Category:History of Redlands, California