Season 2. Episode 2. The Muller House

Step inside one of San Pedro’s most beloved landmarks — the historic Muller House. Built in 1899 and moved not once, but twice, this Queen Anne–style home holds over a century of stories, from its shipbuilder owner William Muller’s handcrafted woodwork to its role today as the headquarters of the San Pedro Bay Historical Society.

In this episode, Joel welcomes back Mona Reddick and Donna Dragich to share the fascinating history of the Muller family, the house’s unique journey across town, and the preservation efforts that keep it a vibrant community treasure. You’ll hear tales of tugboats, mules hauling houses, reclaimed shipyard wood, and a family’s deep connection to San Pedro’s maritime past.

Whether you’re a history buff, a fan of old homes, or simply love a good local story, this episode will transport you straight to the heart of the harbor.

Transcript

Joel: 0:15

Welcome back to the Harbor Area Podcast, the show where history meets the ocean breeze. Today, we’re stepping back in time — but not just any time. We’re headed to a Queen Anne–style home in San Pedro that has seen it all: from horse-drawn carriages clapping past on dusty streets to the hum of the modern port we know today. I’m talking about the Muller House. This isn’t just any historic home — it’s a living time capsule filled with stories of ship captains and harbor pioneers from the early 1900s. We’ll explore how it ended up as the home base for the San Pedro Bay Historical Society and why it remains one of the harbor’s most beloved landmarks. So grab your walking shoes — or maybe your parasol if you’re feeling fancy — because we’re taking a tour through the past you won’t forget. I’m going to reintroduce my guests, who were here for the first episode of Season 2: Mona Reddick and Donna Dragich. Welcome back! Joel: The Muller House — what’s the history behind it? Why don’t you start off with that, Donna? Donna: Okay. It was originally a personal residence built by a gentleman named Mr. Maher in 1899 for his parents. They lived in Wilmington at the time — where the Bannings lived — and I like to say San Pedro was “the sticks” back then, with just a few hundred people. They didn’t want to move here; they said, “Thanks, son, but no — we’re good.” So nobody lived in it until Mr. Muller purchased it in 1901. He moved his family in, and they were the only family that ever lived in the house. That’s why it’s named after them. The Mullers kept it in the family until the oldest daughter, Marguerite, was the last one to live there. She had a stipulation in her will — a quirky one — that if no one in the family lived in the house, she wanted it torn down. We’re not quite sure why. Her two nephews, Mr. Muller’s grandsons, inherited the house. Bill Muller once told me that Marguerite regarded it like a temple to her father’s handiwork — and when you see the beautiful woodwork he created, you’ll understand why. The house belonged to William Augustus Muller, originally from Germany, who was a shipbuilder. We might get into his story later, but first — the house itself was moved twice. Originally, it stood at 129 Front Street on what was called Knob Hill, overlooking the harbor. When the port wanted to expand, the hill had to come down, and people were forced to move their homes. In 1911, the Mullers hired the Bell House Movers of Los Angeles to move it to just below Grand Avenue on 19th Street. Mona: And here’s a funny detail — it was moved on logs, pulled by mules. The family actually stayed in the house during the move, sleeping there at night. Since it was originally one bedroom with no plumbing, they had to knock on neighbors’ doors to use their bathrooms and get water. It took two weeks to move. They bought two lots on a corner for $10 gold pieces each — one for the house and one for a garden. Elsie Muller, William’s wife, later became president of the local Garden Society. People remember the big tree and the little fish pond in the front yard. When Marguerite died, the family didn’t want to see the house destroyed. Bill Olson, a local harbor historian, called the Historical Society president, Art Almao, and asked, “Do you want the Muller House?” Art said yes — without asking the board first. He convinced them to approve it, but they had to move it again because the family wanted to sell the land. Money was raised, partly through sales of San Pedro Pictorial History, and in 1986 — 75 years after its first move — the Bell House Movers moved it again, this time in just four hours. Today, the house sits in its current location, leased from the City of Los Angeles. Volunteers restored it, installing a foundation, sprinklers, and fire alarms, and refinished much of the original woodwork that had been painted over. Many of Mr. Muller’s own cabinets and furniture pieces remain, made from reclaimed wood he collected as ballast from the docks. Joel: Could you tell me more about William and Elsie Muller and why their story matters to San Pedro’s history? Donna: Sure. William was from Prussia. As the second son in a wealthy family, he was expected to join the army or become a priest — neither appealed to him. He loved working with wood, but when his father caught him whittling, he whipped him with a horsewhip. William decided then and there to go to America. The family says he stowed away on a ship, surviving for three weeks on tomatoes, which he never ate again. He apprenticed as a ship’s carpenter, came around South America, and ended up in Oregon, where he stayed at a boarding house run by Elsie’s mother. When he arrived, Elsie — just 16 — cooked him a meal after her mother said the kitchen was closed. Two years later, when Elsie turned 18, they married on Christmas Day, 1891. Eventually, the Bannings met William in San Francisco and hired him to design and build boats in San Pedro. He worked on the steamer Cabrillo, the Hermosa, tugboats, yachts, and the famous glass-bottom boats to Catalina. The Mullers became prominent in the community, though not wealthy. Elsie was active in the Garden Club, and William’s craftsmanship gave the house its unique charm. Joel: What architectural style is the house, and how has it been preserved? Mona: It’s a six-room, wood-sided, Neo-Colonial–style home with Ionic columns on the porch, mirrored in the mantelpieces inside. William built much of the woodwork himself, often from discarded “junk” wood taken as ballast from ships. He made multiple dining sets, furniture, and even math tools for his daughter, Marguerite, who taught at San Pedro High School. Joel: What’s a typical tour like? Donna: It depends on visitors’ interests. If they’re locals, we connect the history to familiar names. If they’re homeowners, we focus on architectural details. We tour the first floor, then — if they can manage the steep original stairs — the bedrooms and bathroom upstairs. The museum is set up as if the family just stepped out for the day — very few ropes or glass cases. Guests can sit on most of the furniture, handle certain objects, and really feel like they’re in a lived-in home from the early 1900s. Joel: What events are coming up? Mona: In the next few months: Wine & Beer Tasting – August 16 ($40 members, $50 non-members, $20 designated drivers). Includes hors d’oeuvres, silent auction. Spooky Night – October, with storytelling, tarot readings, and family activities. Annual Members’ Meeting – November, featuring speaker Richard Foss on holiday food traditions. Holiday Dinner at the Muller House – for members in December. Joel: What does the Muller House mean to you? Donna: It’s personal for me. My mom and I toured historic homes together, and the Muller House became our shared project. She was taught math by Marguerite Muller, so there’s a family tie. I hope others connect with it the way we did. Mona: For me, it’s a house I fell in love with. Visitors often say, “I could live here.” It’s comfortable, charming, and makes it easy to imagine life in San Pedro a century ago. Joel: When is it open? Donna: The first two Sundays of each month, 1–4 PM. Tours last about 45 minutes. We close on holidays that fall on those days, but we also open by appointment for groups like Scouts or historical societies. Joel: Mona, Donna — thank you for sharing this incredible history. Mona & Donna: Thank you, Joel. We love talking about what we do and invite everyone to visit. Joel: Hey folks, thanks for listening to the Harbor Area Podcast. If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. And if there’s a hidden gem you want me to uncover next, shoot me a message. Until next time — keep exploring and keep the stories alive.