Part 11/13:
Within weeks of Thompson’s death, Francis Marion sold Enchanted Hill, citing the emotional weight of the place. The estate changed hands multiple times over the next decades. In 1945, it was acquired by Paul Colsman, a German-American inventor and businessman, who kept the estate largely intact, preserving its historic architecture for decades.
The Modern Catastrophe: Demolition of a Hollywood Icon
Fast forward to 1997, when entrepreneur Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, purchased Enchanted Hill. Unlike previous owners who cherished and maintained the estate, Allen decided to demolish the historic mansion and its extensive grounds—an act that sparked controversy among preservationists and Hollywood historians.