President Nixon's Western White House (1970-1972)

The Western White House San Clemente, California
The Western White House at San Clemente within Orange County, California
Coordinates:                            33°26′16″N 11°37′13″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Orange
Elevation	208 ft. (71 m)

June 1970 to June 1972 La Casa Pacifica San Clemente California

San Clemente is a city in Orange County, California. As of 2005, the city population was 65,900. Located six miles (10 km) south of San Juan Capistrano at the southern tip of the county, it is roughly, equidistant from San Diego and Los Angeles.

In March 1969, the Nixon’s explored southern Orange County, inspecting properties. Rumor had it that the Nixon’s had looked over a house in Laguna Beach, but the Secret Service had security concerns.

President Richard Nixon had been in the White House three months when rumors arose in San Clemente that the new president might buy the old Cotton estate.

On a visit to Mission San Juan Capistrano, the president invited residents and press to dinner at El Adobe to introduce the media to “one of my favorite Mexican restaurants,” he said. He would return there often over the next five years.

Entrance to La Casa Pacifica from the Compound

In 1969 President Richard Nixon bought the H. H. Cotton estate, one of the original homes built by one of Hanson's partners. Nixon called it "La Casa Pacifica”, (Spanish for "The Pacific House"; translated also as "The House of Peace") is a mansion located on the beaches of San Clemente, California, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The home is known as President Richard Nixon's Western White House, used while working away from the official presidential residence, the White House. During Nixon's tenure it was visited by many world leaders, including Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev, Mexican President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz, Prime Minister of Japan Eisaku Sato, Vietnam president Nguyen Van Thieu (arrival) (departure) and Henry Kissinger, as well as businessman Bebe Rebozo.

In April, the Nixon’s purchased the 20-acre Cotton estate. In June, nearly 4,000 residents were allowed on a Coast Guard station next to what would become known as the Western White House to greet the president. The San Clemente High School band played “Hail to the Chief” as a tanned, relaxed Nixon stepped off a military helicopter, joking with Mayor Wade Lower and asking if he was the one who was going to fix Nixon’s parking tickets.

Then, using words that he’d echo the day he resigned from office and return home to San Clemente in 1974, Nixon said, “We are very happy to be home again in California and have you as neighbors.”

It was one of only two times the public was let into the Nixon compound to greet the president. The other time was after Nixon’s 1972 re-nomination at Miami Beach.

Courtyard at the Western White House

Upon purchasing the estate, Nixon soon made a number of alterations, both for personal preference and needs of the Secret Service. The tennis court was replaced with a swimming pool and much of the estate was wrapped by a 1500-foot C-shaped wall.

Security post on the beach

The property fronts on the Pacific Ocean to the west and includes approximately eight acres of beach. A railroad line owned by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad runs along the western edge of the compound.

Adjoining the southern boundary of the estate is occupied by the navigational facilities of a U. S. Coast Guard Station and is the site of the "Western White House" administration buildings containing offices for the President and his staff, White House dining hall and Press offices a Secret Service command post, and White House Communications Agency (WHCA) facilities at the Western White House

His first 1969 visit was short, but in August the Nixon’s stayed a month at their new seaside retreat.

Meanwhile, the San Clemente City Council wrestled with the first of many groups that wanted to demonstrate during presidential stays. The council denied a parade permit to the Peace Action Council. Undeterred, groups showed up to demonstrate anyway along a street, renamed Avenida del Presidente, that led to the Western White House.

An exterior view of the entrance to the main residence

Nixon’s daughters Tricia and Julie gave him a surfboard. There is no evidence he ever used it. He said he liked watching surfers during long walks on the beach. On this trip he went downtown to purchase three beach balls at the hardware store.

President Lyndon Johnson and wife Lady Bird Johnson were guests in August 1969, as San Clemente residents got used to international notoriety. Foreign ministers conferred with the president. National leaders came and went.

In 1970, a fire broke out in the president’s study. San Clemente’s volunteer fire department put it out quickly as Nixon, clad in pajamas and a bathrobe, watched. Later he visited the fire station to thank the volunteers. That day, he and Pat both cast their first ballots as San Clemente voters at Concordia Elementary School.

President Nixon’s study at San Clemente

In 1971 Nixon ordered the Navy Department to give up 5.5 miles of Camp Pendleton beach for public recreation. The state parks department and the military signed a 50-year lease after a battle between Congress and the military. Camp Pendleton’s commanding general at one point decried turning the beach “over to the hippies.”

1st Marine Division as it returns from Vietnam.

In 1971 the president visited Camp Pendleton to present the Presidential Unit Citation to the 1st Marine Division as it returned from Vietnam.

In 1972 Nixon hosted Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato and announced plans to build the NASA space shuttle. A women’s liberation group picketed the Western White House because Nixon didn’t nominate a woman to the Supreme Court.

Japanese Prime Minister Sato at the Western White House

A 1972 community effort led by San Clemente Inn owner Paul Presley raised $9,000 for a bronze bust of Nixon, and 3,000 residents turned out with Pat Nixon at Plaza Park for its unveiling. At the president’s next arrival in July 1972, Mayor Art Holmes heard Richard Nixon call San Clemente “my favorite place.”

President Richard and first lady Pat Nixon

On July 4 the president spoke to the nation from San Clemente, announcing a bicentennial fete for America’s 200th birthday in 1976. Actor John Wayne paid a visit.

During this seemingly happy Nixon stay in San Clemente, a clandestine effort was being made to cover up a bungled break-in at Democratic Party offices in the Watergate building in Washington.

The Watergate Complex

In August, Nixon arrived from a triumphant re-nomination in Miami Beach, greeted by 15,000 supporters chanting “four more years.” At a press briefing, Nixon mentioned the Watergate break-in only briefly, discounting it and asking voters for a mandate, saying there was a clear choice between him and Democratic rival Sen. George McGovern.

The 1972 Republican Convention nominates the Nixon Agnew Ticket

In November, the Nixon’s voted at Concordia Elementary. The president drew laughs from reporters when he dropped his ballot. He won the election handily.

In 1973, South Vietnam’s president Nguyen Van Thieu visited as demonstrators outside, including actress Jane Fonda, shouted slogans.

Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev stayed overnight at the Nixon home and residents spotted KGB security men ambling up Avenida Del Mar buying playing cards and ballpoint pens at the Corner store. At a reception for Brezhnev, comedian Red Skelton approached the press section and said, “Hey guess what? I asked Brezhnev if he was a card-carrying Communist and you know what? He said yes.” Outside, American Jews protested the treatment of Soviet Jews. Later, Brezhnev went on TV from San Clemente to address the American people.

No sooner had Brezhnev left than Watergate began to close in around Nixon. He laid low during Senate hearings. Each day, the White House press corps pressed deputy press secretary Jerry Warren for answers.

During Nixon’s last San Clemente visit of 1973, he told the media that Watergate was “water under the bridge” and it was time “to move on with the business of the people.” By December, there were reports that the Watergate investigation had reached San Clemente: the Ervin committee subpoenaed records of the San Clemente Inn where many White House staffers stayed.

Sen. Sam Ervin , Sen. Howard Baker and Sen. Fred Thompson 

during the Watergate hearings

Just before New Year’s Day in 1974, Nixon flew to San Clemente, signed some bills and attended San Clemente Presbyterian Church.

President Nixon’s farewell speech to his Staff

His final San Clemente visit as president was routine. Departing for Washington, he boarded his helicopter as he’d done many times before. On his next arrival, the day he resigned, he was home to stay.

Following the President's resignation, Richard and Pat Nixon retired to San Clemente, where the President wrote his memoirs. The home is currently a private residence and closed to the public; however, its legacy as a presidential retreat is still used as a calling card for the city of San Clemente. The road adjacent to Interstate 5 in the area is called Avandia Del Presidente (Avenue of the President).

President Nixon resigns departing the White House for San Clemente

For the next year, Nixon battled depression and a near-fatal bout with phlebitis. Security ratcheted down. Souvenir hunters stole “Home of the Western White House” city limits signs. Nixon appeared rarely in public even as his health returned, playing at Shorecliffs Golf Course, visiting the San Onofre state park he created and attending services at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church.

He met with old friends, former aides and political allies. China’s premier, Zhou Enlai, sent a get-well telegram. The Shah of Iran sent caviar for his birthday.

Nixon worked on his memoirs, eventually selling the San Clemente estate and moving to New York City in 1980.

The White House Communications Agency was tasked with providing and installing the Communications at this facility. Most of the major work at San Clemente was carried out under severe time pressure during July 1969 in order to ready the estate for a month-long Presidential visit that began in early August.

An annotated view of the Western White House Compound at San Clemente (1970)

Communications at the Western White House (San Clemente CA)

Working closely with Pac Tel, installation began on a three-position switchboard, a Comm. Center able to deliver secure voice and secure TTY, also establish an FM radio network with a radio control console capable of supporting the White House Staff, White House Press Corp. and the Secret Service while the President visited southern California.

Also needed was a fully equipped Command Post for the Secret Service which would be manned year-round and operational along with the WHCA switchboard and Commcenter.

FM Radio locations covering the Western White House

After completing radio surveys of the surrounding areas and knowing the specific locations that the staff and other support personnel would be staying the radio network was designed.

The FM radio Network covered all activity from Los Angeles to San Diego in the south, El Toro MCAS, and coastal cities Newport Beach to Laguna Beach as well as Orange Co. FM base stations were installed with the frequencies commonly used on all trips. “Baker” for the Secret Service Field Office, ”Charlie” for the motorcade and Secret Service CP, “Sierra for the Staff”; finally, “Yankee/Zulu” for Air Force One.

Three primary sites were selected:

1. Santiago Peak (Elevation 5,689 ft.) a mountain located in Orange County with coverage from Los Angeles to Oceanside CA including all of the arrivals and departures of Air Force One at El Toro MCAS

Aerial view of Santiago Peak in Orange County

Santiago Peak in Orange County

2. A high-point in San Clemente to cover the Western White House Compound and all local activities that would take place in and around San Clemente.

San Clemente Radio Site

3. Santa Catalina Island to cover the all of coast highway and beach areas where the staff and the Press would stay. Newport Beach to Laguna Beach along Highway 101.

Santa Catalina Island Radio Site on Blackjack Mt

The San Clemente Communications Detachment was downsized in early 1975 and only a few people remained to support the USSS. The San Clemente CCT remained at the El Toro MCAS and continued to provide communications support President Ford and as well as all members of the White House staff as needed! 

The CCT eventually relocated to Washington DC.