Newville House Split Up and Up for Sale

[GoodOldDreams]

I read that the Newville house that the Carpenters once owned and featured on the cover of the "Now and Then" album has been split up (literally cut up into two) and put up for sale by its current owners. Currently there is a move for some Carpenters fans to raise money to buy it and preserve it as our own "Graceland" rather than have left to the whims of future owners. Has anyone one here heard about what is going on about this matter?

[Rick Henry]

I heard about this about two months ago. Someone emailed me about it.

It is kind of sad... but life does move on. And we do have the house immortalized on the cover of "Now And Then".

[Ming]

It is sad to hear this. I think it is a good-looking house.

Ming

[Rick Henry]

ming said:

It is sad to hear this. I think it is a good-looking house.

Ming

I agree it is a good looking house. Very mid 70's Southern California suburbs... hmmm... very much like the house my family moved into in 1975.

Wasn't past of The Karen Carpenter Story filmed in that house?

[wisejester7]

The "house" as we know it is gone for good. All that is left are pictures and memories. I suppose if it were really to be our "Graceland", then Richard would have set things up differently when he let the house go.

[YesterdayOnceMore]

Finally, something I can add something to! You people are fast and clever and smart!!! I love it!

Okay, here's my two cents. Our mutual friend (at least, I know Rick knows this fellow, and I believe others on the forum do too...his book is Yesterday Once More) - that would be Randy Schmidt. Randy got a piece of the red carpeting from one of the rooms in the Newville house. He wrote and told me that he was going to be making a "wall hanging" out of it. How cool is that.?

I didn't know the house was gone, but knew it was going.

Yes, Rick - they did film a portion of The Karen Carpenter Story in the Newville house, and around the Newville street, as well as the other house I took pics of - just can't remember the name of the street that Karen and Richard bought a house together on....at any rate, the answer is yes on that one.

Wj7, I gotta agree with you, in that, had Richard wanted to set this up as our "Graceland" so to speak, things would have gone differently, but I'm not so sure he cared about having memories from that house.

[Rick Henry]

Wasn't the house Karen and Richard bought together on Lubec street... or is that a different house?

The Newville home as nice as it was (again sorry to be the bubble popper) could have never been a Graceland (or Neverland). The Newville house was a tract home... a very nice tract home of course. Graceland and Neverland are both extravagant estates which are elegantly landscaped on a good sized piece of property... these are more like tourist attractions than actual homes.

But, I also know that using the term "Graceland" in this instance is a metaphor.

The Carpenters' legacy remains firmly in the wonderful music they have left behind... that can never be plowed down by anything.

[YesterdayOnceMore]

admin said:

Wasn't the house Karen and Richard bought together on Lubec street... or is that a different house?

The Newville home as nice as it was (again sorry to be the bubble popper) could have never been a Graceland (or Neverland). The Newville house was a tract home... a very nice tract home of course. Graceland and Neverland are both extravagant estates which are elegantly landscaped on a good sized piece of property... these are more like tourist attractions than actual homes.

But, I also know that using the term "Graceland" in this instance is a metaphor.

The Carpenters' legacy remains firmly in the wonderful music they have left behind... that can never be plowed down by anything.

Yes, Rick - you're right, Lubec street is the street where KC and RC bought a home together. There are photos of both homes I took several summers ago in our Photos Galore thread.

And, yeah - I'm sure wj7 is as aware as I am that Graceland was truly a mansion and that the Newville home was simply that - a home....tract or otherwise. And you're right once more - both of used it as a Metaphor in this instance.

[Rick Henry]

yesterdayoncemore said:

admin said:

Wasn't the house Karen and Richard bought together on Lubec street... or is that a different house?

The Newville home as nice as it was (again sorry to be the bubble popper) could have never been a Graceland (or Neverland). The Newville house was a tract home... a very nice tract home of course. Graceland and Neverland are both extravagant estates which are elegantly landscaped on a good sized piece of property... these are more like tourist attractions than actual homes.

But, I also know that using the term "Graceland" in this instance is a metaphor.

The Carpenters' legacy remains firmly in the wonderful music they have left behind... that can never be plowed down by anything.

Yes, Rick - you're right, Lubec street is the street where KC and RC bought a home together. There are photos of both homes I took several summers ago in our Photos Galore thread.

And, yeah - I'm sure wj7 is as aware as I am that Graceland was truly a mansion and that the Newville home was simply that - a home....tract or otherwise. And you're right once more - both of used it as a Metaphor in this instance.

True...true on the Graceland comment... Sometimes I type before I think...

You bring up a good point Tim in that maybe there are memories associated with that house which he did not care to remember. I wonder what's happened with the Lubec house... anyone know?

[YesterdayOnceMore]

I know only this much - Richard hung on to that house for a very long time. I'll try and find out if he still owns it. Interesting question.

I do think there MUST be something that Richard didn't care about with the Newville house. HE knew that it played a significant role in Carpenters history - he had to know - when Randy's group actually met in CA, and toured the Newville home - it had been preserved in part just as Carpenters left it. The thing is....it's in a regular residential neighborhood, like you mentioned, Rick - just house after house - so lending itself to being any sort of "museum" seems a bit out of the question....nevertheless...it makes me wonder why it was such an easy thing to just get rid of, and what's going in its place? It must be that when Richard sold it, he got an excellent price for it. I wonder....

I'll see what I can find out about the Lubec house.
Tim

[Rick Henry]

A house like that (in Southern California) generally goes for about a good million dollars. With it's upgrades and embellishments it probably went for a bit more than that.

It's interesting that you say that the house played an important part of Carpenters history... now that I think of it... this is true... I never really thought of that. I've always just loved the "music". I must say that with Carpenters, though, it is a bit more than just the music. I guess it was that Karen's voice was so deep and rich and full of soul that somehow I connected with her on a different level... not like "idol worship" or anything like that... as I've always only seen Karen Carpenter as a human being... just as you and I are... but more in the fact that her voice seemed to cut right through me... and I wanted to know more about this person who could touch my soul in such a way.

I guess the house does hold some sort of historic value in that this is a place where some development happened in Carpenters' life and career.

Now is the Newville house the first house which the Carpenter family moved into when they first moved to Downey... as I recall Karen and Richard bought mom and dad a new and bigger house after their career took off. This first house would be where those early recordings materialized and Karen started playing drums...

[YesterdayOnceMore]

admin said:

A house like that (in Southern California) generally goes for about a good million dollars. With it's upgrades and embellishments it probably went for a bit more than that.

It's interesting that you say that the house played an important part of Carpenters history... now that I think of it... this is true... I never really thought of that. I've always just loved the "music". I must say that with Carpenters, though, it is a bit more than just the music. I guess it was that Karen's voice was so deep and rich and full of soul that somehow I connected with her on a different level... not like "idol worship" or anything like that... as I've always only seen Karen Carpenter as a human being... just as you and I are... but more in the fact that her voice seemed to cut right through me... and I wanted to know more about this person who could touch my soul in such a way.

I guess the house does hold some sort of historic value in that this is a place where some development happened in Carpenters' life and career.

Now is the Newville house the first house which the Carpenter family moved into when they first moved to Downey... as I recall Karen and Richard bought mom and dad a new and bigger house after their career took off. This first house would be where those early recordings materialized and Karen started playing drums...

No, this IS the bigger house that Karen and Richard bought them - the one on Newville. They lived at another address before this when they first moved to Downey, but without referencing Ray Coleman's book, I couldn't tell you where. I"ll look it up, though, and get back with the information.

Thing is - I was a fan of the music, but I wanted to know everything there was to know about this female vocalist with a voice like I'd never ever heard before. I recall at one point learning where they lived, but it was way after they were selling hit after hit. I guess the reason I say that the house has a sort of historical-ness to it, all its own, is because it was referenced so many times throughout K and R's career - on the cover of the Now and Then album - there was mention of it because of the room for a studio and drums - the Jerry (?) interview was conducted there - it was used in the movie - etc., etc. There was a lot of mention of this particular home throughout the years.

[GoodOldDreams]

yesterdayoncemore said:

...I guess the reason I say that the house has a sort of historical-ness to it, all its own, is because it was referenced so many times throughout K and R's career - on the cover of the Now and Then album - there was mention of it because of the room for a studio and drums - the Jerry (?) interview was conducted there - it was used in the movie - etc., etc. There was a lot of mention of this particular home throughout the years.

Tim,

Thanks for reminding me of this interview. I think the name you are trying to recall is Jerry Dunphy, a well-known television news anchor in the Los Angeles/Southern California media market. His intervew was a real "down home" portrayal of our dynamic duo with Mom Agnes, Dad Harold, and interior as well as exterior shots of the Newville Avenue house. It featured many shots of the different rooms, furnishings, decor, personal effects and accessories in the house.

Jerry Dunphy is considered to be the inspiration for the character of TV anchor/reporter Ken Brockman in the cartoon "The Simpsons."

[YesterdayOnceMore]

goodolddreams said:

yesterdayoncemore said:

...I guess the reason I say that the house has a sort of historical-ness to it, all its own, is because it was referenced so many times throughout K and R's career - on the cover of the Now and Then album - there was mention of it because of the room for a studio and drums - the Jerry (?) interview was conducted there - it was used in the movie - etc., etc. There was a lot of mention of this particular home throughout the years.

Tim,

Thanks for reminding me of this interview. I think the name you are trying to recall is Jerry Dunphy, a well-known television news anchor in the Los Angeles/Southern California media market. His intervew was a real "down home" portrayal of our dynamic duo with Mom Agnes, Dad Harold, and interior as well as exterior shots of the Newville Avenue house. It featured many shots of the different rooms, furnishings, decor, personal effects and accessories in the house.

Jerry Dunphy is considered to be the inspiration for the character Ken Brockmano in the cartoon "The Simpsons."

HaHaHa, that wouldn't surprise me, at all. He was sort of a stick-in-the-mud interviewer. Oh, that whole interview was, well, it's almost tortureous to watch. It's so stiff, and so predetermined. You're right, they show a bunch of the house. I have this interview on video tape. I'll have to look at again and report back some of the things I see on it. THanks, Dreams, for recalling his name.

[GoodOldDreams]

yesterdayoncemore said:

I know only this much - Richard hung on to that house for a very long time. I'll try and find out if he still owns it. Interesting question.

I do think there MUST be something that Richard didn't care about with the Newville house. HE knew that it played a significant role in Carpenters history - he had to know - when Randy's group actually met in CA, and toured the Newville home - it had been preserved in part just as Carpenters left it. The thing is....it's in a regular residential neighborhood, like you mentioned, Rick - just house after house - so lending itself to being any sort of "museum" seems a bit out of the question....nevertheless...it makes me wonder why it was such an easy thing to just get rid of, and what's going in its place? It must be that when Richard sold it, he got an excellent price for it. I wonder....

I'll see what I can find out about the Lubec house.
Tim

Perhaps the house was a sad and painful reminder of the past ---the good times as well as the bad times--- and Richard needed to move on with his life. After all, Karen died in that house.

There was a garage sale at the Newville house on June 9, 2007. Some furnishings, record collections and other items (including a disassembled footbridge from their enclosed Japanese garden) went up for sale. It appeared that most of the more significant pieces in terms of the history of the Carpenters already went to the Downey Library, the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Cal State Long Beach, and other institutions.

[GoodOldDreams]

admin said:

Wasn't the house Karen and Richard bought together on Lubec street... or is that a different house?

The Newville home as nice as it was (again sorry to be the bubble popper) could have never been a Graceland (or Neverland). The Newville house was a tract home... a very nice tract home of course. Graceland and Neverland are both extravagant estates which are elegantly landscaped on a good sized piece of property... these are more like tourist attractions than actual homes.

But, I also know that using the term "Graceland" in this instance is a metaphor.

The Carpenters' legacy remains firmly in the wonderful music they have left behind... that can never be plowed down by anything.

The differences between Graceland and the Newville Avenue house seem to reflect differences in personal values. While Elvis lived in lavishness and decadence as a rhinestone-studded entertainer, the Carpenters had constant reinforcement of their humble beginnings and the modest middle-class values under which they were raised. Even when they became millionaires in their early twenties, Karen and Richard were reminded by their mother not to become "corrupted" by the extravagant culture and influence of show business.

Nonetheless, Elvis' Graceland and the Carpenters' Newville Avenue house are both metaphors for the aspirations and achievements of their respective occupants, places where their fans might have gone to visit, reflect and pay homage. Alas, the latter is no more, as it was slated for demolition.

[Rick Henry]

I remember the Jerry Dunphy interview in 1971. Wouldn't that have been in the first house? When did Karen and Richard purchase the Newville house? Was it as early is 1971 or was it sometime in 72 or 73?

I would have loved to check out which records were sold at that garage sale. Richard (or maybe they were from Harold's collection) had a great collection of stuff. I would love to browse through Richard's collection of jazz music.

goodolddreams said:

The differences between Graceland and the Newville Avenue house seem to reflect differences in personal values. While Elvis lived in lavishness and decadence as a rhinestone-studded entertainer, the Carpenters had constant reinforcement of their humble beginnings and the modest middle-class values under which they were raised. Even when they became millionaires in their early twenties, Karen and Richard were reminded by their mother not to become "corrupted" by the extravagant culture and influence of show business.

Nonetheless, Elvis' Graceland and the Carpenters' Newville Avenue house are both metaphors for the aspirations and achievements of their respective occupants, places where their fans might have gone to visit, reflect and pay homage. Alas, the latter is no more, as it was slated for demolition.

I hear what you are saying Dreams about the Newville house. The best way for us to pay homage (or respect) is to keep playing their music and introduce the voice to our friends and or music lovers.

I can respect the Carpenter family for keeping some of their humble middle class values. Although, in looking back at the way things ended up happening I would say, sadly, in several ways the entire family did become corrupt by the influence of show business.

[YesterdayOnceMore]

admin said:

I remember the Jerry Dunphy interview in 1971. Wouldn't that have been in the first house? When did Karen and Richard purchase the Newville house? Was it as early is 1971 or was it sometime in 72 or 73?

I can't find the exact date of purchase of the Newville house, but did find something interesting. Apparently they WERE already in the Newville house by the time of the Jerry Dunphy interview...there is reference of them being in the house in 1971. The interesting thing I found, however, was this: " But finally in 1974, Karen and Richard felt it was time to leave. "We'd really stayed there longer than we should," Richard says. Their comings and goings were erratic for continued coexistence to work sweetly. And dating was becoming a drag..." And it goes on to say (page 158, Ray Coleman's book The Untold Story) "Richard and Karen bought a stylish, spacious new home FOR HAROLD AND AGNES at 8341 Lubec Street, in Downey. A mere five-minute drive away from Newville Avenue, this hardly represented the wanderlust. With its lucky, sound-proofed music room where some hit songs had been born, the Newville house was Karen and Richard's preference, and they expected to stay. But their parents loved it so much, they wanted to remain there. Harold was particularly fond of the Japanese-styled garden. So Karen and Richard made the move to Lubec Street."

So, the "gift" was actually the Lubec house. Interesting....and it backfired on them!!! How comical, actually. I'd always thought they bought the Lubec house for themselves.....but not according to Ray Coleman.

It is true that the Lubec home was literally just around 2 corners from the Newville house. They're both in the same subdivision, which is a quiet, well manicured subdivision, in the middle of a large residential area there in Downey. Quite middle class, to be sure.