Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, March 11, 2017

The Wistaria Vine 

B3

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 11, 2017 

Celebrating Sierra Madre’s Most Well Known Landmark

The Vine

Sierra Madre’s122-Year Old Wistaria* Vine By Phyllis Chapman

In 1894, William and Alice Brugman purchased a home on what was then called Piedmont, which 
is now called W. Carter Ave. The house had been built one year before by builder Amos Trussell for 
his daughter Winona and son-in-law Edward B. Jones when they married. It was the first wedding 
celebrated in early Sierra Madre.

 The Trussells and the Jones had a change of plans, sold to the Brugmans and moved away. To 
enhance her new home, Alice Brugman and her neighbor Mrs. W. B. Crisp, drove by horse and 
buggy to the R. H. Wilson Pioneer Nursery in Monrovia and for $.75 purchased a gallon can of 
wistaria. It was the Chinese Wistaria variety (Wisteria sinensis). She planted it in a corner of her 
front porch remarking to her neighbor: “They say Wistaria grows fast.” And grow it did.

 Mr. Brugman, a mining engineer, was in Mexico when the vine was planted. He died in 1899 and 
Mrs. Brugman sold the home in 1906. The property changed hands until it was purchased in 1913 by 
Henry T. and Estelle Fennel. Mr. Fennel, who was a bit of a horticulturist, loved the vine, and gave it 
devoted care, even building support trellises.

 Although the Wistaria is a vigorous grower, the added support of the trellises may have 
contributed to this vine’s phenomenal growth. The arbors prevented the end tendrils from hanging 
down and causing the tender terminal buds to die from the added weight. Wistaria requires good 
drainage, certainly provided by this hilly, terraced location. There may also be an underground 
spring providing water to the tap root. 

 The vine eventually destroyed the original home, growing into the walls and fireplace and causing 
the roof to collapse. Mr. Fennel built a new home 200 feet to the north (the present upper home) and 
trained the vine to grow up to, but not covering the new residence. A portion of the foundation of 
that original home was saved to continue to provide support for the vine as its branches extended 
such a distance.

 When the vine was in bloom, the Fennels would invite friends to come and enjoy the blossoming 
plant. Visitors also came from Pasadena’s main hotels: The Green, The Huntington, and The 
Raymond. In 1918, the Fennels opened the vine to the Sierra Madre Chapter of the American Red 
Cross, which sponsored a very successful fundraiser to help the war effort. 12,000 people attended 
the event. This was the beginning of many Wistaria festivals that took place year after year. Sierra 
Madre became known as the Wistaria City. Many local organizations, including the Board of Trade 
(now the Chamber of Commerce), the Woman’s Club, the Masons and Eastern Star, the Sierra 
Madre Volunteer Fire Dept., etc. were involved.

 Many homemade items, fancy work, ceramics, artwork, gift books, and Wistaria fragranced 
perfume, hand lotion and bath salts were sold at booths under the vine. Luncheons and teas were 
served, often with young Japanese women wearing their kimonos.

 The hard work and money earned at the vine by the Woman’s Club paid off the mortgage of their first 
clubhouse. One year the Fire Dept. parked 30,000 cars on the parking lot that existed in Floral Canyon. 
(This is now Sierra Meadow Dr.). Easter sunrise services were among vine activities. People came from 
all over the world and extra street cars were added to handle the crowds. Among the famous were Fritz 
Kreisler, Janet Leigh, Mary Pickford, and Norman Rockwell. These two helped select the festival’s Wistaria 
Queen. Packard Automobile Co. used the vine as a backdrop to advertise its automobile.

On December 5, 1936, Carrie Ida Lawless purchases the vine property from Mrs. Fennel, who 
was now a widow, for $17,000.00. December 5th was Mrs. Lawless’ birthday, and according to one 
account, she was making a present to herself of the world’s largest bouquet. Also a widow, her 
husband William J (Bill) Lawless was mayor of Sierra Madre during 1928-29. She, herself, was a 
successful businesswoman having founded the Weaver Jackson Beauty Co. in Los Angeles and was 
active in the community, serving as president of the Woman’s Club and the Garden Club.

 Mrs. Lawless spent a small fortune (around $100,000) enhancing the grounds of her new property 
and caring for the vine. When the festivals were held they often lasted for the weeks the vine was in 
bloom, not just for one day. Mrs. Lawless, a patron of the arts, also sponsored vine activities all year 
long.

 She hosted art exhibits, musicales, and poetry readings. Nearby residents objected to the constant activity 
and took their complaints to the City Council. Nothing was done as Mrs. Lawless presented the argument 
that the vine existed before these neighbors purchased their properties.

 

 In recognition for her contributions 
to the community, the Garden Club 
planted another Wistaria in the 
terraced garden on the west side of 
what is today the Solt’s garden. It 
blooms a bit later than the original 
vine and the plaque commemorating 
the occasion is gone.

 When Mrs. Lawless died in 1942, 
she provided for the vine by leaving 
a legacy to her nephew and heir, 
Bruce McGill, to continue care of the 
property with a committee headed by 
the Garden Club President. In 1944, 
the property was purchased by Richard 
and Marian Thayer. Marian is the 
daughter of M. Penn Phillips, a well-
known developer of desert property. 
In 1944 the vine was overgrown and in 
poor condition. Richard Thayer planned to chop it up and get rid of it. A protest was raised and an 
association was formed to protect the vine, with money provided to pay property taxes and provide 
year-round care for the vine.

 In 1961, after Richard Thayer died, the lot was split. Marian married builder Ronald Cook who 
developed the west side of the property with homes and built the present Solt home for he and 
Marian in1962. The upper home was sold to Joseph and Marie Feeney who raised eight children 
there. In 1972, Ron and Marian sold the lower home to Bob and Nell Solt. In the late 1990s, Joe 
Feeney died and Maria sold the property. It was purchased in 2003 by the present owners, Dan and 
Dana Dorrance.

 By the 1970’s Vine Festival activity had about ended. It started up again in the late 70’s when 
sponsored for one day each year by the Chamber of Commerce. The Sierra Madre Beautification 
Committee was the yearly sponsor in the 1980’s. Approximately 500-600 people attended the festival 
each year. In the spring of 1989, Huell Howser came to film the vine for his program Videolog, 
which aired on KCET. The next year, approximately 6,000 people came to view the vine. The festival 
organizers were unprepared for such a turnout; lines stretched for two blocks. Howser returned in 
1992 to film again for his California Gold program. Sierra Madre and the Chamber of Commerce 
quickly organized and combined the annual Vine viewing with a downtown street fair. A shuttle 
bus is provided, and people procure tickets to see the vine at a pre-scheduled time.

 The Guinness Book of World Records has named the Vine the World’s largest flowering plant. It is 
estimated that at the height of bloom it has 1.5 million blossoms with 40 blossoms per sq. ft., weighs 
250 tons and has branches that extend 500 feet. Wistaria is a member of the pea family though its 
seeds resemble a flat bean. Seed pods burst open in the summer. The plant is deciduous, losing its 
leaves in the winter. Wistaria seeds were brought from China by Marco Polo in the 13th century.

 Today, the vine covers approximately one acre. Over the years, it has shown distress and seemed 
to be dying. Experts have been brought in from Cal Tech, Occidental, and Cal Poly Pomona. Correct 
pruning, treatments with hormones, and vitamin B have helped the vine to recover and to flourish. 
To help maintain the Vine’s health, records of vine growth and care are now kept on a computer log. 
The Vine seems to produce its greatest flowering after a cold winter followed by a sudden hot spell.

 What is the correct spelling for wisteria—wisteria or wistaria? In the Sunset Western Garden 
Book it is spelled wisteria. Sierra Madre has always spelled it wistaria. According to L. A. County 
Arboretum and Botanic Garden senior biologist Jim Bauml and Librarian Joan De Fato, the plant 
was named to honor Caspar Wistar (1761-1818), an American physician and teacher, who taught 
at the University of Pennsylvania. Among his accomplishments, he wrote the first text-book on 
anatomy. When the name of the genus Wisteria was put into the books, it was incorrectly spelled, 
says De Fato. So, one could say that all along, Sierra Madre has correctly spelled Wistaria!


WISTARIA FESTIVAL SHUTTLE TICKETS STILL 
AVAILABLE! 

www.sierramadrechamber.com

Shuttle tickets to ride up to view the Wistaria Vine at the annual Wistaria 
Festival are still available for purchase! The 2017 Wistaria Festival will take 
place next Sunday, March 12th, 2017.

 The Festival features tours of the world’s largest blossoming plant, certified by 
the Guinness Book of World Records. Each year, the property owners upon 
whose land the vine sits open their homes to allow thousands to view the vine. 
Dozens of Sierra Madre residents volunteer to act as docents at the property, 
telling the story of the vine, which was originally planted from a 1-gallon pot 
that was purchased for $0.75 in 1894. 

 In addition to the tours of the vine, the two main downtown streets of Sierra 
Madre are closed to traffic so that crafters and artists can set up booths to 
display and sell their wares. This year we have added a free Vintage Car Show 
to the festivities. Downtown village shops are open, and musical acts perform 
at multiple outdoor venues. Memorial Park is transformed into a combination 
Kids/Food zone and a hub of information about local non profits.


SIERRA MADRE ORGANIZATIONS AT THE 
FESTIVAL 

 

ROTARY INTERACT CLUB KERSTING COURT

SM CIVIC CLUB VINE

SM COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 
KERSTING COURT

U.S. POST OFFICE -SPECIAL POSTMARK 
KERSTING COURT

SM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
KERSTING COURT

SM KIWANIS CLUB 
KERSTING COURT

CITY OF SIERRA MADRE 
MEMORIAL PARK 

SIERRA MADRE WOMAN’S CLUB 
SM BLVD NEAR LIMA

 

MOUNTAIN VIEWS NEWS KERSTING COURT

CERT/SMPD SM BLVD NR AUBURN

SM EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS 
BALDWIN NR MONTECITO

SM COMMUNITY NURSERY SCHOOL 
MEMORIAL PARK

SM HISTORICAL PRESERVATION 
KERSTING COURT

SM GARDEN CLUB MEMORIAL PARK

SM ROSE FLOAT ASSOCIATION MEMORIAL PARK

PASADENA HUMANE SOCIETY MEMORIAL PARK

LIFELINE FOR PETS BALDWIN & SM BLVD.

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com