Save Rohr Manor—Historic Site No. 46

12 hours ago

4 min read

Ruben "Rube" Harrison House | Now Rohr Manor

Before Chula Vista loses another irreplaceable piece of its history, we need to understand exactly what Rohr Manor represents.

Because before it was Rohr Manor—

IT WAS THE HARRISON HOUSE.

The house was built for Ruben “Rube” Harrison, a prominent South Bay real-estate developer whose history reaches far beyond this one residence.

In 1923, Harrison acquired Otay Ranch, property with deep connections to the development of the South Bay.

And this is where the history becomes extraordinary.

The Otay lands were already intertwined with one of San Diego County’s most important early water systems.

Developer Elisha S. Babcock organized the Otay Water Company, which evolved into the Southern California Mountain Water Company. The original Lower Otay Dam was completed in 1897. After catastrophic flooding destroyed it in 1916, the dam was rebuilt and completed in 1919.

By the time Rube Harrison acquired Otay Ranch in the 1920s, he was stepping into land whose history already encompassed ranching, agriculture, water development and the growth of the entire South Bay.

Harrison operated thousands of acres of agricultural land at Otay Ranch.

Then, in 1936, Rube Harrison sold Otay Ranch to Stephen Birch, the mining and industrial magnate who had made his fortune through the Kennecott copper enterprise.

Birch greatly expanded the property, ultimately creating an Otay Ranch approaching 29,000 acres.

THEN CAME MARY BIRCH PATRICK.

Stephen Birch’s daughter, Mary Birch, became one of the central figures in the next era of Otay Ranch.

After her father’s death, the Birch heirs controlled the ranch through the family corporation that became United Enterprises.

Mary married Patrick R. Patrick, a former Royal Air Force wing commander, and lived for many years at Rancho del Otay, in the historic hunting lodge associated with the earlier Babcock/Spreckels period.

She was known for her love of nature, horses and art, and remained associated with the Otay property until her death in the 1980s.

So there is a remarkable historical chain running through our South Bay:

Babcock and the Otay water system

→ Rube Harrison and Otay Ranch

→ Stephen Birch

→ Mary Birch Patrick

→ the development of modern eastern Chula Vista.

And Rube Harrison’s story did not end when he sold Otay Ranch.

HIS HOME BECAME WHAT WE NOW CALL ROHR MANOR.

The substantial Harrison residence was constructed in the late 1930s.

Then another enormously important figure entered its history:

FREDERICK H. ROHR.

Fred Rohr founded Rohr Aircraft Corporation, and his company became one of the defining industries of twentieth-century Chula Vista.

Thousands of people worked for Rohr.

Families moved to Chula Vista.

Neighborhoods were built.

The population grew dramatically during the World War II era.

And Chula Vista became an aviation manufacturing city.

In 1954, Fred Rohr acquired the former Harrison property and adjoining historic structures for the Rohr Employees Recreational Club.

The former Harrison House became known as Rohr Manor.

It became part of the recreational and social life of generations of Rohr employees and their families.

Eventually, the property passed to the City of Chula Vista and became part of what we now know as Rohr Park.

This is not simply an aging building sitting in a city park.

It represents multiple eras of South Bay history:

Rube Harrison.

Otay Ranch.

The South Bay agricultural era.

The region’s water-development history.

Stephen Birch.

Mary Birch Patrick.

Fred Rohr.

Rohr Aircraft.

World War II-era Chula Vista.

And generations of South Bay families.

THEN THERE IS DR. STEVEN SCHOENHERR.

This history was extensively documented by Dr. Steven Schoenherr, one of the South Bay’s leading historians.

Dr. Schoenherr authored Chula Vista Centennial, published by the City of Chula Vista in 2011.

He was a founder of the South Bay Historical Society.

He helped document the histories of Chula Vista, Bonita, Otay Ranch and Rohr Aircraft.

And importantly:

DR. SCHOENHERR SERVED ON THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION FROM 2012 TO 2018.

He was not merely collecting stories.

He participated directly in Chula Vista’s historic-preservation process.

And within Chula Vista’s historical record, the Manor was identified as:

HISTORIC SITE NO. 46 — ROHR MANOR

That designation history matters.

Because the City’s own General Plan contains an extraordinarily clear preservation policy.

It says the City should:

“Protect, preserve, and seek to restore publicly-owned historical resources…”

And then it specifically gives an example:

ROHR MANOR HOUSE.

That is not my interpretation.

That is written into the City of Chula Vista General Plan.

The City has also previously referred to Rohr Manor as one of its historic buildings, noting that it had been closed while awaiting repairs.

By 2017, City budget documents reported significant deterioration from water and termite damage and estimated approximately $1 million would then be needed to renovate the structure and bring it into compliance for public use.

But deterioration does not erase history.

And deterioration should not erase the historical record.

Today, the City is undertaking a new Rohr Park Master Plan, and even the current draft planning documents contemplate a future use involving a community center at Rohr Manor.

So before any irreversible decision is made, the public deserves a complete accounting.

How did:

THE HARRISON HOUSE

become

ROHR MANOR

become

HISTORIC SITE NO. 46

and become specifically named in the City’s General Plan as a historical resource to protect, preserve and seek to restore?

What happened during the original historic-preservation proceedings?

What subsequent actions affected its historic status?

Where is the complete historical evaluation?

And how will the City reconcile those records before deciding the Manor’s future?