John Forster, known as Don Juan Forster, immigrated to California from England, where he married Ysidora Pico, the sister of Pio Pico, the last Mexican Governor of California. When Governor Pico decided to sell Mission San Juan Capistrano John Forster and another Englishman, James McKinley, purchased the Mission properties for $710.

The Forster family lived in the San Juan Capistrano Mission until 1864. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill restoring Mission San Juan Capistrano to the Roman Catholic Church; however, the family retained title to the balance of their lands.

John Forster’s grandson, Frank Ambrosio Forster built the Mansion on the hill in 1910. Like most of Frank's family, he was a successful rancher and lived in a small home on the site but decided to build a mansion for his family. He had Train & Williams, an architectural firm from Los Angeles, design a Mission Revival Style home.

Its first floor is solid reinforced concrete with a large basement. This mansion has 6000 sq. ft. of living space which includes a large gracious living room that has a massive rock fireplace. Ysidora was presented to Mr. Forster with a wagon loaded high with traditional dowry gifts and bounty. The arch of this fireplace is made from one of the wagon wheels that carried her belongings. The local stones that make up this beautiful fireplace are from The San Juan River bed. Their shape comes from natural erosion as they travel down Salt Creek from the winter rains. The stones were brought to the site by wagon and set by hand from local craftsmen 100 years ago.

The second floor is wood framed with plaster. The house was the first stucco covered home built in this area. Originally the house had gas lighting throughout. The total cost of the Mansion project at that time was quite hefty at $10,000.

The Forster Mansion is now a National Historic Landmark, and a distinctly recognizable and proud structure located just over the freeway from the San Juan Capistrano Mission. It is a magnificent example of early California Mission Revival architecture. The garden transports you back to slower times. A wall in the garden is part of the original San Juan Capistrano Mission that Frank Forster owned. A magnificent Pine Tree frames and shades the Mission Wall and is recorded as the oldest Pine Tree in Southern California. They are protected, as is the entire Forster Mansion, as a National Historic Landmark.

For years, the Forster Mansion was the social hub of Capistrano Valley. Townspeople flocked to gala barbeques and piano recitals hosted by the Forster family. The Forster Mansion is the sole stately manor of this bygone era.

The house is steeped in local history and lore that includes a resident cigar-smoking ghost, the most famous citizen of the historic old village of San Jan Capistrano. The historic old village of San Juan Capistrano has a most famous citizen residing at The Forster Mansion. Billy Reid, owner of the mansion in 1975, often told about the cigar-smoking ghost who visited him. He was led to believe the uninvited house guest came from the old cemetery located across the street on the hill. Reid often smelled the cigar smoke and would hear door opening and slamming upstairs. He reported many encounters with this mustache wearing house guest.

Martha Gresham (owner in 1983 who restored the house to its original glory) told more expansive stories. She was a bit of a psychic and said she had seen the ghost quite often and gave him the name of George. He was described as being short, stubby, had a mustache, and wore khaki clothing. He made his presence known quite frequently around the mansion. He was always happy and friendly but smelled of cigars, which she adored. She believed that he might have been one of the original builders. One day, Ms. Gresham came down the winding staircase to find a smoldering cigar! A local cigar aficionado tells us that this cigar, seen here under the glass has been unavailable for decades and was rolled in the early 1900’s.

In 1990, she sold the house to internationally famous photographer Phillip Stewart Charis and his wife Maryanne who have faithfully retained its rich beauty. It was planned at the time of purchase that Mr. Charis would run his business from the Mansion. Mrs. Charis had other plans and preserved the beautiful historic mansion. They lived in the house for a short time, and then created the House of Photographic Art. A gallery studio in the Charis Tradition was built next door to the Mansion and Mrs. Charis transformed the house back into a home and later the House of Photographic Art.

In 2008, The Charis family sold the mansion to Arpi Evans who is lovingly preserving its beauty while making The Forster Mansion available to the public for the first time ever as an “Exclusive Events Venue," a place to once again host gala events as it did nearly a hundred years ago. Arpi Evans, a leading businesswoman in Orange County, fell in love with the Mansion much like Martha Gresham and Maryanne Charis and with the blessing of these two incredible women, she has now dedicated herself to preserving the Mansion in grand style, like they had, while transforming it into South Orange County’s premier location for exclusive events.

The Forster Mansion is now available for indoor and outdoor events that can accommodate the small intimate affair for 10 guests on up to a grander affair of 200 guests.