Roy and Guy Lichty - The Subdividers: Centennial Stories #5

Roy and Guy Lichty – The Subdividers

Roy Lichty

San Diego Union September 1945

Roy Lichty was born in 1881 in Ohio. His family moved to Sunnyside, Washington when he was a small child. He met and married Alice Mable in 1906. Together, they raised three children: Jean Lichty May, Jacqueline Lichty Brittan, and Max Lichty.

Alice Lichty from Evening Tribune November 1926

According to Dr. Thomas H. Brumann’s history of Kensington and Talmadge, Roy developed an interest in real estate through his friendship with George Dilling, a former mayor of Seattle who was active in Los Angeles property development. Encouraged by Dilling, Roy and Alice relocated to Los Angeles in 1922, where Roy learned the fundamentals of subdivision development.

An avid golfer, Roy built connections with influential figures, including Joseph M. Schenck, president of United Artists, and I. C. Freud, a prominent capitalist. Through these relationships, Roy was able to attract investment from Los Angeles real estate and motion picture executives. Together, they formed the Southern California Realty Corporation, with Roy serving as business manager for the Talmadge Park subdivisions.

By 1926, Roy was living in Talmadge Park Unit 1 at 4675 Talmadge Drive, at the center of the development he helped bring to life.

Cliff May

Roy’s oldest daughter, Jean, married the famous California Ranch architect Cliff May in 1932. This was just after he built his first California Ranch house at 4725 Norma Drive. May built his second California Ranch, with the help of his father-in-law, in 1937 at 4669 East Talmadge Drive on the Kensington Mesa. Both houses are historically designated in the City of San Diego.

Guy Lichty

San Diego Union January 1941

Guy Lichty, born in 1889 in Nebraska, was eight years younger than his brother Roy. Like Roy, he grew up in Sunnyside, Washington, where he met and married Fern Kramer. They had three children: Francis Lichty Bernard, Calton Lichty, and Lorrian Lichty Bahlla.

After leaving Washington, Guy relocated to Fullerton, California, where he worked in the hotel business. In 1925, he moved to San Diego to assist Roy with the Talmadge Park real estate venture.

Talmadge Park Real Estate Offices

Roy operated his real estate office and Southern California Realty Corporation out of the U. S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. He also had a smaller office at 4301 Highland on the Talmadge Mesa near the entrance to Talmadge Park Unit 3.

Guy ran the office at 4249 Adams Avenue in Kensington. In 1939, they moved the actual office from the Kensington Mesa to the Talmadge Mesa. The address of the relocated real estate office was 4496 Euclid Avenue where it remains today. The move was when Talmadge Park 3 and Talmadge Park Estates were having their Federal Housing Administration (FHA) building boom at the end of the Great Depression. Talmadge Park Estates was completely built out within 3 years between 1939 and 1941.

Where The Brothers Lived

Early on, Roy Lichty was always the face of all 4 subdivisions. His name and his name alone showed up in the papers as the manager of the 4 Lichty subdivisions created between 1925 to 1928.

During this period, Roy lived in a beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival house at 4675 Talmadge Drive.

By 1926, Guy lived at 4628 Van Dyke Drive. The address no longer exists today, yet we assume, based on careful research, the actual house address today is 4656 Van Dyke Avenue. In the mid-1930s the addresses on Van Dyke were changed as the subdivision grew. An interesting note is the house on Van Dyke was owned and built by his brother’s mentor and ex-business partner George Dilling, former mayor of Seattle.

In 1930, Guy Lichty started showing up in the papers associated with the sale of the subdivisions. By 1934 he moved to the Talmadge Mesa and rented the beautiful Spanish house at 4538 Norma Drive.

In 1937, Guy had a house built at 4537 Natalie Drive. This house was featured in the San Diego Union on February 2, 1941.

Death of a Dynasty

Roy died in 1945 at the age of 65 from heart failure.

After Roy’s untimely death, Guy continued in the real estate business they had created together.

Guy died in 1975 at the age of 86. After building out Talmadge, Guy developed the Collwood area next to San Diego State and Franklyn Village in El Cajon.

Both brothers were remembered in their obituaries for being prominent San Diego Realtors who developed Talmadge Park with the help of Hollywood actresses and investors.

Next Chapter

My next story is inspired by a recent interview with Guy Lichty’s grandson, Guy Lichty II, offering a closer look at how the remarkable San Diego legacy of Roy and Guy lived on through their children and beyond.