
Back in 1910, John G. Mott, a Los Angeles lawyer and member of Crags Country Club, built an adobe hacienda near Malibu Creek in what is now State Park. Mott was buddies with President Herbert Hoover, who reportedly liked to visit his friend and get away from the pressures of national leadership.
Fast forward to 1969, when heavy rains caused serious damage to the hacienda. The following year, a wildfire swept through. Now, all that remains of the Mott Adobe is the stone fireplace. But I like to imagine Johnny and Herb sitting in armchairs in front of the fire, swirling brandy, smoking cigars, and discussing the fish they caught that day.
