The 26-facility county parks system includes the Irvine Ranch Open Space, comprising Limestone Canyon, Weir Canyon and Fremont Canyon nature preserves, as well as Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park.
On this page:
Description
Tucked away amidst a live oak grove on the banks of Santiago Creek in Modjeska Canyon lies the century-old home of world renowned actress Madame Helena Modjeska. Named for the grounds’ resemblance to the Forest of Arden in the Shakespearean play, “As You Like It,” Arden is designated a National Historic Landmark.
Docent-led tours of the historic house and gardens are currently offered 10 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, by advance reservation. This walking tour will take you through the years Madame Modjeska resided in her canyon home, and along the rock-lined pathways of what she so fondly called the Forest of Arden. Tours are approximately 1 1/2 hours.
Park patrons are welcome to enjoy the self-guided grounds Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
History
Arden the Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens was the home of the world-renowned Shakespearean actress Helena Modjeska from 1888 until 1906. Helena came to America from Poland with her husband, Charles Bozenta Chlaplowski and friends in 1876 to form an agricultural colony in Anaheim. Their colony failed after only a short time, however, Helena quickly learned English and began performing on the American stage. Helena performed in theatres across the United States with her husband traveling by her side for the next two decades [Helena Modjeska Theatrical Tour Map (1877-1907)]. In the off-season the couple made their home in this wooded canyon where they created an idyllic retreat which they named Arden, for the forest setting of Shakespeare's play, "As You Like It."
Famed New York architect Stanford White designed their rambling white cottage with several porches, a Palladian window and picturesque gables. In 1906, Arden was sold and the romance associated with Madame Modjeska's life there attracted developers who marketed parcels of the property to families seeking vacation homes. In 1923, the Walker family of Long Beach purchased prime parcels in the canyon, which included the Modjeska house and surrounding wooded area. For the next sixty-three years, the Walkers, as owners-guardians of the property, vacationed at Arden.
Their long-term care and sensitivity to the historic buildings and grounds resulted in the ultimate preservation of the site. In 1986, the family sold the property to the County of Orange for the purpose of establishing an historic park. In addition to the native plant life of the canyon, there still remains some of the original plantings from the Modjeska era, such as palms, English yews, white lilac and crown of thorns. There is also a grove of Redwoods planted in the 1930's by the Walker family.
