Amy Strong
Irene Amy Schlink was born in 1860 in Peoria, Illinois, to Joseph and Margaret Schlink; she married a Mr. Strong in 1879 and was divorced very shortly after. Amy Strong moved west to California on doctor's orders in 1879, to relieve symptoms of tuberculosis, and recuperated at Woodson's Ranch in Ramona for several years. After significant health improvement, she relocated to San Diego where, by 1897, she was listed in the San Diego business directory as a dressmaker.
Strong, whose business operated on the top floor of her San Diego residence, could more correctly be termed a couturier: she made trips every other year to Europe for fabrics and laces from the Continent. Catering to San Diego's social elite, her sewing and designing skills extended to not only prominent San Diego families but also wealthy eastern families who wintered at Hotel Del Coronado (the latter included the ladies of Armour (meat-packing), Spaulding (sporting goods) and Timken (roller bearing) families.) Additionally, Strong is reputed to have run one of the very first dress factories in San Diego - by her retirement she managed a staff of over 40 employees.
Amy Strong was, by period accounts, a rather private woman, preferring the sanctuary of her residences and close social circle to public life, though she was active in philanthropic and charitable works for San Diego's underprivileged children. Her discriminate focus on her personal space is reflected in the architectural choices she made for her abodes.
In 1906 she commissioned her friend and traveling companion Emmor Weaver to design her home at Fourth Avenue and Olive Street near what is now downtown San Diego. Working closely with Weaver, Mrs. Strong chose the popular early 20th-Century Craftsman style for the house's architecture, emphasizing simple designs in harmony with one's environment, with great attention to detail and craft artistry.
Amy Strong lived at the residence from 1907 - 1912, and continued her property investments in San Diego, on Albatross and Hawthorn Streets, housing members of her family in four structures there. From 1913 - 1921, Strong lived at a further residence on Front Street, while construction was being completed on another Emmor Weaver architectural commission of a larger, more private home at the Woodson property in Ramona (1916-1921).
Amy Strong Castle - Now Mt. Woodson
Constructed to her direct specifications between 1916 and 1921, the Amy Strong Castle at Mt. Woodson (also designed by Emmor Weaver) can best be described as 'Craftsman Eccentric,' utilizing highly personal touches from Strong herself, in the Dutch, European, and Medieval influences throughout the residence. The Ramona location was significantly larger than the Strong House on Fourth and Olive: 12,000 square feet and 27 rooms in a multi-level structure. Amy Strong took great pains to be significantly involved in the work activities, often hand-picking building materials from the local quarry and directing the workers herself. Rumor has it that the painted ceilings were hand-produced by Strong, her maids, and various relatives! Amy Strong purchased the Woodson property in 1901. www.mtwoodson.com