121 Live Oak Drive
121 Live Oak Drive
The Spanish Revival on Live Oak
Some houses in Hobson Heights are so cherished that they become timeless. This charming Spanish Revival on Live Oak Drive is one such place. Built in the 1930s, it was owned for decades by the Inman family before passing to its second owners, Robert and Denese Epstein.
The house carries many stories. The living room was designed to hold two pianos, as the original owner was a piano teacher. The built-in ironing board and original iron remain in place, small but wonderful reminders of another era. In fact, the original architectural plans were discovered hidden inside the ironing board cubby — shoved up into the wall for decades before being found. Those plans are on display today.
Local lore deepens the story. The first owner, Mrs. Inman, had three sons. When two were killed in World War II, she became fiercely protective of her last surviving son, Edward Leslie “Les” Inman. Neighbors recall she even scared off girls who came calling, determined not to lose him too. Les grew up here, never married, and remained in the house his entire life. When he died in 2008, he left the property in equal shares to the E.P. Foster Library and the Museum of Ventura County.
Denese purchased the house after Les’s passing. With her eye for history and deep appreciation of original detail, she lovingly preserved the home’s Spanish Revival character, keeping it as close to original as possible while making it a warm and welcoming place. Her devotion gave the house the care it deserved. Robert and Denese were married in the backyard.
And while they both swore they sometimes heard footsteps of the past owner wandering the halls, they weren’t bothered. In fact, they considered it part of the home’s enduring spirit.
Today, Robert continues to live here, honoring both the house’s past and the happy years he and Denese shared within its walls. The home remains a living time capsule: with its one-car garage, its music-filled living room, and its echoes of the Inman family, Denese’s devotion, and Robert’s continued stewardship.
