Sacred Ground, Restless Spirits: The Afterlife of Wayfarers Chapel By Paranormal Expert and Author Brian Clune
The Wayfarers Chapel is one of those places that once visited, is almost impossible to forget. The Glass Church, as it is also known, has become an important icon known not only locally, but around the country as well. This small Swedenborgian (Protestant) church is not simply a neighborhood church, but has become a symbol of peace, tranquility and beauty along the coast of Palos Verdes and the Santa Monica Bay. Unfortunately, this architectural masterpiece designed by Lloyd Wright, (Frank Lloyd Wright, Jr), was built near the geologically unstable Portuguese Bend area and as the landslides expanded, the Wayfarers Chapel finally succumbed to Mother Nature’s whims. Luckily, the Glass Church was saved by being disassembled and a new location has been found for this historic church. But, as the grounds of the chapel were well known for its peaceful spirits, what happens to them when their entire afterworld has been removed?
Narcissa Vanderlip donated 3.5 acres of land to Elizabeth Schellenberg in the late 1920s to build the Wayfarer’s Chapel but WWII delayed the project until after victory was won. By then, the original architect, Ralph Jester had brought Lloyd Wright, son of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright in on the project. Wanting to give the feeling of nature to the project as well as keeping the grandeur of God’s creation at the forefront of the project, Wright began designing his masterpiece on the peninsula. The ground breaking of the Wayfarers Chapel took place on July 16, 1949, with construction beginning almost immediately. The chapel and grounds were completed in 1951, with famed Hollywood actor, Charles Laughton giving the dedication speech. Laughton would not be the last Hollywood celebrity to grace what would come to be called the “Glass Church.”
Over the years, the Wayfarers Chapel has hosted luminary unions. In January of 1958, Jane Mansfield got hitched to Mr. Universe, Mickey Hargitay. In the 1980 movie about Mansfield’s life, the wedding scenes were also shot at the Wayfarers Chapel; a relatively unknown actor played the role of Hargitay, this actor’s name is Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 1971, Gary Berghoff, who played the beloved Radar O’Reilly on the TV show M*A*S*H was married in front of the stone waterfall altar, Beach Boys front man Brian Wilson was married here in 1995 and said this about the Glass Church, “The vibrations in that chapel were so wonderful.” But perhaps the most star-studded union that took place at the Wayfarers Chapel was that of Dennis Hopper and a 22 year-old ballerina who was 31 years his junior. This fourth marriage for Hopper only lasted three years but in attendance were notables such as Carol Kane and Kiefer Sutherland as well as his ring-bearer Roddy McDowall. Astronaut Anna Fisher and Governor Earl Warren recited their vows here; other stars spotted here over the years include Debbie Reynolds, Carroll O’Connor, Pat Nixon and none other than Bob Hope himself have all been guests at the chapel.
The Wayfarers Chapel has become a movie star in its own right having been seen in many films and Television shows. In 1989, the blockbuster movie, “Innerspace” featuring Dennis Quaid, Martin Short and Meg Ryan filmed the final scenes of the movie at the Glass Church. “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” shot a brief scene at the church, along with the 2014 movie “Endless Love.” Hollywood isn’t the only media to have utilized the stunning location either; many television shows have included the chapel’s beautiful grounds. The Fox teen drama, “The O.C.” filmed the wedding of their two main characters, Julie and Caleb here and later, when Caleb died, his funeral was held here as well. The Wayfarers Chapel doubled for the Hamptons in the television series, “Revenge” as it saw the wedding of Emily Thorne to Daniel Grayson in one of the show’s most watched mid-season finales. Season 9 of “The Bachelorette” saw Desiree and new husband Chris off on their dream wedding and the Wayfarers Chapel became the Panticapaeum Institute in season 2 of, “True Detective.” There have been so many television shows filmed on the grounds that it would take too long to list, suffice it to say that the Wayfarers Chapel has appeared in Science Fiction to Westerns, “Sliders” to “Hunter,” and everything in between. But, as fate would have it, no matter how famous a person or place may be, no matter how many folks visit, Mother Nature and Fate, sometimes step in to let us all know that they, not us, are actually in charge.
Portuguese Bend has, as many people know, been a problem for peninsula residents for as long as folks have lived and driven in the area. The land is always moving, with the roadway in constant need of repair. These landslides have finally made their way to Abalone Cove and the Wayfarers Chapel and has forced its dismantling and relocation. A new home has been found for the historic Glass Church, but one thing that has been overlooked are the ghosts that have “lived” and tended to the church and grounds since the first day the grounds were open to the public. For those that say “ghosts don’t exist”, please keep an open mind, and heart for those spirits, both human and animal, that have been a constant presence in this beautiful garden setting that was the Glass Church.
The area was and is sacred to the Gabrielino/Tongva people and some say it’s the beauty of the area itself that makes one want to spend eternity here. But over the years, it was not just the Vanderlip Estate that folks have whispered are haunted (the Vanderlip property has a logical, rather than supernatural reason for the ghost myths) but the Wayfarers Chapel also does. Where there are many reasons the Vanderlip Estate is not haunted, the spirits of the Glass Church may have stories based in legend rather than myth. The Tongva/Gabrielino believe that the Owl is a protractor that helps keep evil away. The Owl and the porpoise have special status within the Tribes and harming them is strictly forbidden. With this in mind, it doesn’t seem odd that one of the most common sights at the chapel was that of a white owl.
This giant white owl would become visible right in front of guests, there would be no sound of wings or the noise of the giant bird settling on the branch or bush it appeared on, it is just simply there. This owl was never threatening, nor hostile, it simply looked at the person or people it was interested in, its head turning slightly from side to side as if listening and then would flap its wings and disappear. It is believed by many to be a good omen and would usually be spotted around the same days as a spectral Tribesman would make his presence known. Others believe that the owl is the Tribesmen’s guardian and that the reason they are seen close together is that the owl is keeping watch over his charge; no one knows for sure. Tongva legend also says that Shamen could transform between animal and human form, so the owl could be a Tongva Shaman.
There are many other stories regarding spirit activity in and around the Wayfarers Chapel, including strange lights, voices calling out to amateur ghost hunters as well as calling their names, all of the things one would expect from thrill seekers. But, if the great white owl, and the Tongva Tribesman are in fact real, what happens to them when their charge has been dismantled and taken from them? If they are attached to the land, they will remain where they have always been, but what would they do without keeping those and the land they have long protected from harm. If the great white owl is indeed the Tongva/Gabrielino spirit as their high esteem for owls suggests, and with a significant spiritual role within their original, nature-integrated belief system, will this seemingly benevolent spirit who is linked to wisdom and serving as a messenger, simply leave, now that it is no longer needed? And what will happen to the Tribesman the owl watches over, who has been seen tending to the plants, garden and other animals that inhabit the old chapel grounds, will he too simply disappear?
The Wayfarer’s Chapel has found a new home on the hill behind the Point Vicente Lighthouse overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The gardens are not there, yet, and the grounds have so far not been manicured, but I imagine that once the chapel has been placed, the beautification will begin in earnest. It is this author’s hope that, as the new location is also a part of the historic Tongva/Gabrielino lands, that the Great White Owl and the Tongva Tribesman will come to the new location and once more begin their work of protecting and keeping the beauty of the Wayfarers Chapel pristine for those of us who remain among the living.
Brian Clune is a historian and the co-founder of Planet Paranormal. His love of history motivated him to volunteer at both the USS Iowa and Fort MacArthur Military Museum. His involvement with Planet Paranormal has led him to work with many TV shows including Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, The Dead Files, and My Ghost Story. He was also the focus of a companion documentary for the film Paranormal Asylum. Find Brian’s books on Amazon.