Richard Nixon House: Inside La Casa Pacifica, the Western White House
Richard Nixon House, La Casa Pacifica, sits on 5.45 acres of prime San Clemente coastline with 450 feet of beachfrontage. Nixon purchased the Spanish Colonial Revival estate in 1969 for $1.4 million and used it as his Western White House throughout his presidency. The 15,000-square-foot compound includes nine bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, and hosted 17 world leaders. The property sold privately in October 2024 for $31.5 million after years on the market at prices ranging from $57 million to $75 million.
What Makes La Casa Pacifica Different From Other Presidential Homes
Nixon bought La Casa Pacifica in 1969, shortly after taking office. The name means “house of peace” in Spanish. Unlike Camp David or other presidential retreats, this became Nixon’s official voting residence and his most frequented escape from Washington.
The estate was built in 1926 for Hamilton H. Cotton, one of San Clemente’s founding financiers. Cotton, a prominent Democratic Party supporter, had previously hosted Franklin D. Roosevelt at the property during the 1930s. Architect Carl Lindbom designed the home in Spanish Colonial Revival style with white stucco walls, red tile roofs, arched colonnades, and wrought-iron balconies.
When Nixon purchased the estate from Cotton’s widow, he transformed it into a fully functional presidential operations center, replacing a tennis court with a swimming pool, adding a 1,500-foot protective wall, and equipping the grounds with presidential-grade security and communication systems, including a helipad and secure telephone lines.
The estate originally sat on 28 acres when Nixon owned it. After he sold the property in 1980, the new owners developed much of the surrounding land into a gated community called Cottons Point Estates.
Nixon’s Purchase Price and Financial Controversy
Nixon initially claimed he paid $340,000 for the property with a $100,000 down payment. Investigators revealed in 1973 that Nixon had actually paid at least $1.4 million for the 26-acre property and received a $450,000 loan from close friend and industrialist Robert Abplanalp.
The discrepancy became ammunition for Nixon’s opponents during the Watergate investigation. A 1974 House committee found that the federal government had spent $1.7 million on La Casa Pacifica and another Nixon house in Key Biscayne, Florida, with critics highlighting expenses like $2,000 for a flagpole and $100,000 for shrubbery and landscape improvements.
The financial scrutiny reflected broader questions about Nixon’s personal finances and the blurred lines between personal retreat and government facility.
The Property’s Layout and Features Today
The compound spans two parcels totaling 5.45 acres. The estate includes a 9,000-square-foot main house with nine bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, a 3,000-square-foot entertaining pavilion with a guest wing, a detached two-bedroom guest house, and multiple staff buildings where the Secret Service used to operate.
Additional amenities include an oceanfront swimming pool, a lighted tennis court, a putting green, a greenhouse, and formal gardens. The entire property sits behind high walls and fences, providing complete privacy.
The main residence features beamed ceilings and panoramic waterfront views. At nearly six acres with 9,000 square feet of living space, the estate now features ocean-view offices, an entertainer’s pavilion, and a master suite with a magnificent bathroom.
The architecture maintains its period craftsmanship with hand-painted ceramic murals and tiles throughout the property. Original installations include patterned ceramic tiles characteristic of early California, Spanish, and Moorish designs.
World Leaders and Celebrities Who Visited
During his five turbulent years in office, La Casa Pacifica hosted no fewer than 17 heads of state, including Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and Japanese premier Eisaku Satō, along with countless celebrities from John Wayne to Frank Sinatra.
The most notable diplomatic moment occurred in 1973, when Nixon hosted Leonid Brezhnev. The summit advanced the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) and was a milestone in Cold War diplomacy.
Other notable visitors included South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu, President Lyndon Johnson, and Nixon’s close friend Bebe Rebozo. The relaxed coastal setting provided a different backdrop for high-stakes diplomatic conversations compared to the formal White House environment.
The casual yet secure environment made it ideal for confidential conversations with both American advisors and foreign leaders. Unlike the formal setting of the White House, La Casa Pacifica’s ocean breeze and laid-back ambiance encouraged open dialogue.
How Nixon Used the Western White House
Nixon used La Casa Pacifica as his domicile of record and the location where he voted in elections during his Presidency. He would retreat here for periods ranging from a week to a month several times a year.
Nixon traveled to La Casa Pacifica by helicopter after landing at a nearby US Marine Corps base on a presidential plane. Special orders were given to local police to retrieve a black briefcase first if Nixon’s helicopter were to crash. The briefcase contained a code to order the launch of nuclear weapons.
The president handled real work from the estate. From this estate, Nixon made key decisions on Cold War strategy and domestic policy. His administration’s groundbreaking steps toward détente with the Soviet Union and the opening of relations with the People’s Republic of China were discussed and advanced here.
Press photographs of Nixon at San Clemente were striking for the president’s awkwardly formal approach to relaxation. He strolled the beach in his wingtip shoes and sat poolside reading newspapers in a lounge chair—again in his wingtips.
Former city police chief Albert Ehlow recalled: “Before Nixon, we were just a stop on the way to San Diego. He put San Clemente on the map. We liked him, we liked the way he was running the country”.
Nixon’s Exile Years at La Casa Pacifica
When Watergate finally forced Nixon to resign on August 9, 1974, he flew home to San Clemente, and his oceanfront retreat became his place of exile. Nixon settled in San Clemente with a small staff, including Ron Ziegler, Marine Col. Jack Brennan, Frank Gannon, and Diane Sawyer, where he pursued work on RN: The Memoirs Of Richard Nixon.
The famous Frost/Nixon interviews were originally planned for La Casa Pacifica. Radio signals from the Coast Guard’s neighboring navigational-aid transmitters interfered with the TV gear, so the interview had to be moved to the nearby home of a Nixon supporter.
Nixon’s last major event at La Casa Pacifica came in 1979 when he hosted a Mexican-themed pool party, complete with a mariachi band, for 15 astronauts and 450 other guests to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first lunar landing.
After resigning in 1974, Nixon and his wife Pat returned to La Casa Pacifica, where he worked on his memoirs and continued to host friends and dignitaries. The Nixons sold their home to Allergan founder Gavin S. Herbert and his business partners and moved to New York City in 1980 before resettling in Park Ridge, New Jersey, in 1982.
Current Ownership and Market History
Gavin S. Herbert, co-founder of Allergan Pharmaceuticals, purchased the estate in 1980 and owned it for over 40 years. Herbert and his partners developed most of the property into a gated subdivision with 14 other homes.
The property cycled through multiple listings before finding a buyer. The property was listed for $75 million in 2015 and has gone on and off the market in the intervening decade, listed at several prices between $57 million and $75 million.
The current owners had begun listing the property on and off since 2009 and, in October 2024, finally completed the transaction for $31.5 million in a private sale, represented by Brown Harris Stevens. The final sale price represented a dramatic reduction from earlier asking prices, reflecting the challenges of selling such a unique and high-profile property.
The estate remains a private residence and is not open to public tours. Its location within a gated community ensures privacy for the current owners.
Why La Casa Pacifica Matters for San Clemente
Nixon’s presence transformed San Clemente from a quiet coastal town into a place of national prominence. Nixon’s residency led to national attention and economic growth for the town, including road improvements and increased tourism. Local lore is filled with stories of Marine One flying overhead or Secret Service agents spotted in town.
Former San Clemente restaurant owner Jorge Olamendi, 65, recalled that Nixon said, “I want the world to someday be in peace”.
The estate’s legacy extends beyond Nixon’s presidency. While Ronald Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo in Santa Barbara embraced rural solitude, Nixon’s Western White House blended statesmanship with coastal prestige—a model echoed in later private retreats used by American leaders.
Preservationists have advocated for including La Casa Pacifica on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its role in American political history and Cold War diplomacy.
Final Thoughts
La Casa Pacifica represents more than real estate. The property witnessed pivotal moments in American history, from Cold War negotiations to Watergate’s final days. Nixon purchased this coastal retreat for sanctuary from Washington’s pressures, yet it became another stage for presidential operations.
The estate’s architectural beauty and historical significance explain why it commanded asking prices up to $75 million, though its October 2024 sale at $31.5 million suggests buyers weigh practical concerns against historical value. The property remains private, adding mystique to a place where a president both governed and sought peace.
FAQs
Where is Richard Nixon’s House located?
La Casa Pacifica sits in the Cottons Point Estates gated community in San Clemente, California, about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. The estate occupies 5.45 acres with 450 feet of beachfrontage overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
How much did Nixon pay for La Casa Pacifica?
Nixon paid at least $1.4 million for the property in 1969, receiving a $450,000 loan from friend Robert Abplanalp. The White House initially claimed Nixon paid only $340,000, but investigators revealed the true price during Watergate.
Can you visit Nixon’s Western White House?
La Casa Pacifica remains a private residence and is not open to public tours. The property sits behind high walls in a gated community, maintaining complete privacy for its owners.
Who owns Nixon’s House now?
The property sold privately in October 2024 for $31.5 million. Allergan co-founder Gavin S. Herbert owned the estate from 1980 until the recent sale, developing much of the surrounding land into luxury homes.
What makes La Casa Pacifica historically significant?
The estate served as Nixon’s Western White House throughout his presidency, hosting 17 world leaders, including Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Nixon conducted major diplomatic negotiations here and retreated to the property after resigning in 1974.
