La Colina Solana

the sunny hill

This majestic home was built by the founder of the Wrigley Gum Company, William Wrigley Jr. as a 50th wedding anniversary gift for his wife Ada. Construction began in April 1930 and was completed in September, 1931. It was 16,850 square feet with 24 rooms, 17 bathrooms,11 fireplaces, and a six-car garage. The style of architecture is a combination of Spanish Colonial Revival and California Monterey.

The home sits at the top of a 100-foot knoll adjacent to the Biltmore Hotel and commands 360-degree city and mountain views. William owned nearly all of Catalina Island, including a tile factory that produced all the original tiles you see here. The tile was shipped by boat from Catalina Island to LosAngeles, then by train from LA to Phoenix. The tile was hauled up the last 10 miles to the Mansion by mules on dirt roads.The Wrigley’s named the house La Colina Solana which means Sunny Hill.

Out of their five mansions, this was their “Winter Cottage” where each year they spent six to eight weeks around the holidays.