Astunning Doug Ewing–designed Craftsman-style estate that sits on the banks of the only private lake in Pasadena, CA, has just hit the market for $6.8 million.
Built in 2006, the four-bedroom property is part of the exclusive neighborhood of Brookmere. The gated community, which has only 18 residences, sits directly on the side of Johnston Lake, a “hidden, bucolic” body of water that was created in the 1870s by former Los Angeles Mayor Prudent Beaudry.
As legend has it, Beaudry wished to turn a small spring-fed pond on his land into a beautiful lake, so he dug it out, then used the excess dirt to dam up the nearby San Rafael Creek to filter water to his new on-property lake.
After his death, Beaudry’s property was passed from owner to owner, as the land around it was built up with new homes. The lake, meanwhile, was left open to the public until the 1950s, when it was fenced off and Brookmere was transformed into a private—and very affluent—gated community.
“The setting is truly incomparable, and it is one of just five homes that has direct lake access,” says listing agent Nancy Valentine. “There is nothing like it in the whole area or Pasadena. When you look through the doors and see the setting, it’s truly magical and takes your breath away.”
