Cliff May (1909-1989)

Cliff May played a significant role in influencing postwar domestic architecture. May was born in San Diego in 1908. As a young man May built Monterey-style furniture prior. In 1931 he began his work as a designer/builder in San Diego and La Jolla. He moved to Los Angeles in 1936, where he expanded his design work into development. By 1941 he had established a national reputation as the designer of the California Ranch House. After World War II he collaborated with Sunset Magazine in publishing "Western Ranch Houses." During the following decades he designed houses which were built in the U. S., Europe, South America, and elsewhere. In total over one thousand custom homes, and several tract house plans resulting in more than 18,000 tract houses came from his pen. His patio-oriented ranch style houses have been extensively copied by developers across the country.

The San Diego Historical Society has the following in their Architectural archive:
Residence at 6303 South La Jolla Scenic Drive (Historical House Relocation, the address given on the cover is 7455 Hillside Drive, La Jolla, a reproduction of the promotional material on the binder cover implies that the house was built by Cliff May)
5 mylar reproductions, August 26, 2001

Published Resources on Cliff May

Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House by Daniel P. Gregory, Joe Fletcher, and Joel Silver (Rizzoli, 2008)

Cliff May, Western Ranch Houses, a Sunset book, Lane Publishing Company, Menlo Dark, 1958.

Online Resources on Cliff May
Rancho Style

Cliff May Registry

SF Gate profile of author Daniel Gregory's home can be found HERE.

Partial List of San Diego Projects

A.O. Miracle Company Residence (1932)
San Diego

Alberto Aldrete Sr. Residence (1934)
Tijuana

Dr. Franz Alexander Residence (1935)
La Jolla

Richard Allen Residence (1933)
Bonita

Rea A. Axline Residence (1978)
Rancho Santa Fe

Dr. John Beardsley (1934)
Loma Portal

Frank G. Belcher Jr. Residence (1968)
Prestwick Estates, La Jolla

Bonita Women’s Club Building (1934)
Client: Mrs. Hiram Horton
Bonita

Marston Burnham Residence (1947)
La Jolla

Clotfelter/Pettit Developers Condominiums (1978)
Poco a Poco, Rancho Santa Fe

Thomas Colby Residence (1940)
Rancho Bendito, Valley Center/Escondido

George F. Cottrell (1935)
La Jolla

Col. Alphus Crouse (1936)
Grossmont

Harry M. Daniel Residence (1971)
Five Diamonds, Borrego Springs

N.B. Dittenhaver Residence (1934)
Bonita

Fred S. Eason Residence (1964)
4777 Avion Way, San Diego

El Campo Santo (1932)
Cemetary Wall, Old Town

David Fairchild Residence Remodel (1984)
6126 Avenida Cresta, La Jolla

Adm A. Farenholt Residence (1935)
Loma Portal

Smith G. Fowler Residence (1944)
Rancho Jamacha, Spring Valley

Lt. Nicholas Frank Residence (1936)
Coronado

Frank and Peggy Galloway Residence (1958)
Fallbrook

Cmdr. Mat Gardner Residence (1936)
Coronado

J. Cliff Garrett Residence (ca. 1945)
30845 Cole Grade Road, Valley Center

Arthur M. Gaynes Residence (1935)
Grossmont

Clifford Giacobine Residence (1977)
Coronado

George Graves Residence (1935)
Grossmont

Rupert V. Hauser Residence (1949)
331 Verbena, Borrego Springs

Alex Highland Residence (1934)
Presidio Hills

Sheldon Hodge Spec House #1 (1935)
Presidio Hills

Sheldon Hodge Spec House #2 (1935)
Presidio Hills

Sheldon Hodge Spec House #3 (1935)
Presidio Hills

Sheldon Hodge Residence (1935)
Presidio Hills

Mrs. I.M. Hopkins (1945)
Warner Hot Springs

Hiram Horton Spec House #1 (1934)
La Jolla

Hiram Horton Spec House #2 (1934)
La Jolla

Hiram Horton Spec House #3 (1934)
La Jolla

Hiram Horton Spec House #4 (1934)
La Jolla

Don B. Kilbourne Residence (1936)
Alpine

Cmdr. E. Knauss Residence (1935)
633 Alameda Avenue, Coronado

Wade Langston Residence (1934)
6116 Avenida Cresta, La Jolla

Cpt. William Lindstrom Residence (1932)
4669 East Talmadge Drive

David Llwellyn Residence (1936)
Poway/Escondido

Louis Magee Residence Remodel (1947)
San Luis Rey Valley, Oceanside

Victor and Norma Magee Residence Remodel (1984)
San Diego

Cliff May Residence (1932)
4772 Adams Avenue, Talmadge Park

Rex McDaniel Residence (1952)
Oceanside

Model Home (1955)
2957 54th Street, San Diego

Model Home (1955)
1074 Merrit Drive, El Cajon

Model Home (1955)
“1.6 Miles East of Vista on highway to Oceanside”

Mrs. George H. Nuckolls Residence (1934)
Camino de la Costa, La Jolla

Col. Arthur O’Leary Residence (1931)
Talmadge Park

Dr. Zane Parzen Residence Remodel (1973)
Camino de la Costa, La Jolla

Mrs. Marie Peacock Residence (1935)
La Jolla

Private Residence (1953)
2021 Diegueno, Borrego Springs

Private Residence (1935)
200 Palm Ave, Coronado

Private Residence (1937)
266 I Ave, Coronado          

Private Residence (1936)
777 G Ave, Coronado          

Private Residence (1955)
521 Avenida Primavera, Del Mar

Private Residence (1955)
1634 Forest Way, Del Mar

Private Residence (1941)
6126 Avenida Cresta, La Jolla

Private Residence (1940)
1488 Gustavo Street, El Cajon

Private Residence (1936)
9291 Lavell Street, La Mesa      

Private Residence (1940)
9434 Sierra Vista Avenue, La Mesa

Private Residence (1936)
3625 Dupont Street, San Diego

Private Residence (1932)
4725 Norma Drive, San Diego

Dick Rollins Cottage (1953)
Rincon Springs, La Jolla

Michael Romagnolo Residence Remodel (1976)
2951 Bessemer Street, San Diego  

Cmdr. Mort T. Seligman Residence (1935)
Coronado

Phil Shipley Residence (1967)
Fallbrook

Allan D. Simons Residence Remodel (1983)
17538 El Vuelo Road, Rancho Santa Fe

Harold Smith Residence (1948)
Spindrift Drive, La Jolla

Hugh B. Styles Residence (1953)
8545 Chevy Chase Drive, La Mesa

M.E. Tait Residence (1935)
Talmadge Park

Marge Thompson Residence (1949)
Del Mar

Col. O.H.B. Trenchard Residence (1936)
La Jolla

Harry F. Tucker Residence (1936)
Presidio Hills

Maj. J.L. Wier Residence (1945)
Warner Hot Springs

Owen Wister Residence (1936)
Grossmont

Col. And Mrs. Frank C. Wolfe Residence (1945)
Valley Center

Cmdr. William Woods Residence (1941)
La Jolla

Dr. and Mrs. Ward Wilson Woods Residence (1952)
La Jolla

James H. Youngblood Residence (1972)
La Valle Plateada, Rancho Santa Fe