San Diego has had quite the reputation for the generosity of the area's long-standing families who have dominated the world of business and philanthropy throughout the generations.

We have written about the Scripps family before and their contributions to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. They were, and they are, a family of great wealth and they have shared that wealth for all of San Diego's benefit.

Recently, Ellen Virginia Clarke Revelle, the matriarch of the Revelle family and the niece of Virginia Scripps (half-sister to Ellen Browning Scripps), passed away at 98-years old. Giving until the end, in 2008, Ellen Revelle gave another great gift to the residents of San Diego.

The Wisteria Cottage, at Prospect Street and Eads Avenue, in La Jolla has been standing since 1904. The house was built by George and Edith Seaman, but it was later sold to Virginia Scripps. The location of the house and the historical significance of the house, makes it a treasure for La Jolla and the rest of San Diego. What makes this house special is not only that the Scripps family owned the property for nearly 100 years, but it is no surprise why it was given the name Wisteria Cottage. One good look at the property and you'll see for yourself. The gorgeous Wisteria adorning the pergola on the property is a dead give away. Remember, Wisteria doesn't bloom all year. The house has ties to Irving Gill who worked on some additions to the property in the early years. Irving Gill was world-reknowned for his craftsman style architecture and his work can be found throughout San Diego. Gill had the vision to add the pergola to the structure which became the focal point of the property. The house is also distinctive for the cobblestone work integrated into the design. The house is rock solid.

Wisteria Cottage is a few buildings down from the La Jolla Contemporary Museum of Art. Oh, in case you didn't know, Ellen Browning Scripps built a mansion at what is now the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1897. Of course, the mansion was near the first Scripps Memorial Hospital. The hospital, which became Scripps Clinic, was founded by the Scripps family. We think you get the picture. But, we digress.

Nearby to the Ellen Browning Scripps mansion, the Wisteria Cottage was used as a guest house for family and friends. The Scripps family had 'friends' and to that end, John Burroughs the noted naturalist was one of the guests. As the years passed, the property moved through Scripps family ownership.

Back in 1942, the property was passed to Ellen Revelle. Ellen Revelle was of the Scripps family. She found and married a guy who himself was no slouch. Enter Roger Revelle. Revelle made a few contributions to San Diego, as well. In fact, one small contribution of Roger Revelle was founding University of California at San Diego (UCSD). For those who may remember, Al Gore mentioned his Harvard professor, Roger Revelle, as the early inspiration for his passion for the environment. In March, in honor of Roger Revelle's 100th birthday, Al Gore received the first Roger Revelle Prize at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Once known as the Balmer School dating back to 1926, La Jolla Country Day private school was housed at Wisteria Cottage. La Jolla Country Day eventually found new digs. Wisteria Cottage then became home to books. Lots of books. John Cole's Book Store, a fixture in La Jolla for 60 years, was a top shelf specialty bookstore with a lore and magic all of its own. Literary notables were often found scouting for books, offering book signings and being part of the book store culture. San Diego's Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) was often found amongst the stacks as he was a resident of La Jolla. Times changed. Sadly, the book store chapter of the Wisteria Cottage came to a close in 2005.

With the Revelle family owning the property, but affording the La Jolla Historical Society with a 10-year lease, the La Jolla Historical Society had a vision to use the 24,000 square-foot property for a future museum, education center, repository for archives, and a venue for special events. Because of Ellen Revelle, that vision will become a reality. In 2008, Ellen Revelle and her daughter, Mary, donated the 1904 Wisteria Cottage to the La Jolla Historical Society. The house is now being renovated but feel free to walk around the property and if you're lucky, get a look inside. Charm always works. (wink)

Revelle, an active and involved woman until her death in May 2009, didn't get to see the future with respect to Wisteria Cottage. She, however, brought the future closer for all of San Diego to enjoy. We thank the Scripps family for all they have done to preserve and build the great institutions, parks and facilities throughout San Diego.