A Midcentury California Rambler Ranch Once Owned by Virginia Murchison

The heart and soul of the Midcentury Modern residential architectural movement is the California Rambler Ranch. This rare find in Sunnybrook Estates is a picture-perfect example of everything the movement represented, and we are so fortunate to still have a home like this in Dallas.

The California Rambler Ranch design was created by San Diego architect Cliff May as a blend of the Mexica hacienda and the Southwestern cattle ranch. As a  descendant of the Estudillo and de Pedrorena families of San Diego, he was heavily influenced by his own family’s homes and the local architecture of Old Town, where the original Mexican residents settled in the 1800s.

At the time, it was considered cutting-edge to have an open floor plan, vault the ceilings, and use floor-to-ceiling windows and organic materials like wood, stone, and brick. It rapidly became a timeless design and now carries over to everything we covet today. This home reminds me of a new build I’ve covered at 11345 W Ricks Circle. You can see the same design theory at work on a home built in 2017. The lesson is good design never goes out of style.

Digging through the Dallas Morning News archives often reveals a treasure trove of information, and I hit the jackpot on this Midcentury California Rambler Ranch. Although DCAD shows a 1960 build date, we know they are wrong most of the time. It was built before 1952 because many articles date back to the early 1950s with photos of the home.

The original owner was philanthropist Virginia Murchison. For you newbies to Dallas, Virginia, was the daughter of John and Lucille Murchison. John and Clint Jr. formed the Murchison Brothers Company and enjoyed tremendous success in oil and real estate. Most of the world, however, remembers them for starting the Dallas Cowboys football franchise. 

I have not been able to find the original architect, so if any of you have that information, please put it in the comments. We do know that legendary architect Bill Booziotis sensitively updated and renovated the 9,875-square-foot, five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home in 1998 and 2007.

It’s always been a showplace, appearing on tour for the Dallas Garden Center’s annual pilgrimage in the 1950s and serving as the center for many philanthropic and community events, including the 2003 Preservation Dallas Achievement Awards ceremony. 

Set into almost three acres of mature oak trees, the design principle of architecture framing the view is honored throughout the house. Almost every room has a beautiful view of the landscape or the infinity pool.

Compass agent Travis Cross has 9785 Audubon Place listed for $8.1 million, and you might already be late to the party because this is indeed a one-in-a-million opportunity to own not only an architectural gem but also a piece of Dallas history. I hope the seller has deed-restricted this Midcentury Rambler Ranch so it is never in jeopardy of demolition because it is truly a Dallas treasure.