Built by Steinbeck's father as a summer home, this is the cottage
where Steinbeck returned repeatedly throughout his life. One
of the pine trees in the yard was planted when Steinbeck was
a child, and he felt a playful affinity towards it, believing
his well-being was linked with its growth. In 1930, Steinbeck
moved here with his bride, Carol, and lived on a $25-per-month
allowance provided by John Steinbeck, Sr. Father and son worked
together remodeling the cottage, walling in the sleeping porch,
moving the entry to the back and building a Mexican-style fireplace.
Steinbeck improved the garden and added a fish pond. In 1931,
he and Carol purchased two mallard ducks, "Aqua" and
"Vita," but had to sell them to purchase writing paper
for To a God Unknown.
Although they moved to Southern California for a while, they
returned to the area in the fall of 1932 when Steinbeck's mother
suffered a stroke. They divided their time between this cottage
and the family home in Salinas, and John worked on parts of The
Red Pony. Back in P.G., Steinbeck also worked on The
Pastures of Heaven, Tortilla Flat (which
won a Commonwealth Club medal and established Steinbeck as a
major regional writer) and In Dubious Battle (also
a Commonwealth medal winner). Steinbeck began work on Of
Mice and Men at the cottage, but the unwanted attention
of his increasing celebrity forced the Steinbecks to move to
Los Gatos in 1936. While the new house up north was being built
John spent time at the cottage, continuing work on Of Mice
and Men. The manuscript was nearly finished in May, but
Steinbeck's dog, perhaps acting critically, chewed up the entire
single copy. In 1939, Ritchie Lovejoy lived in the cottage.
Turn left on Ricketts Row, go across two blocks, and turn
right on 10th Street (your landmark is Saint Angela's across
the street). Go up to Lighthouse Avenue and turn left at the
stop sign. Continue on Lighthouse for two blocks. On your right,
at the corner of 8th and Lighthouse, is . . .
ED RICKETTS'
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