Lee Gottfried

Lee Gottfried (July 12, 1896–January 15, 1968) was an American master builder in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. He had a significant influence on the architecture of the Village of Carmel during his career. Gottfried was one of the main local builders in Carmel and responsible for the first major residential designs done using the local Carmel stone as a building material.

Gottfried was born on a farm in Ohio on July 12, 1896. His father was Phillip Gottfried and mother was V. B. Ritenour. After high-school he traveled to Oregon and Montana to learn carpentering and building. He married Bonnie Adele Hale(- June 1967) and they had two children.

Gottfried came out west and worked for the Pacific Telephone Company. On June 27, 1917, he enlisted in the U. S. Army and served in France during World War I. After the war he came to California and in 1919, moved to Carmel-by-the-Sea. There, he worked in the general contracting business. During the 1920s and 1930s, Gottfried was one of the main local builders and responsible for reintroducing Carmel stone as a local building material.

The Vernacular-style cottage known as the La Von "lee" Gottfried House was designed and built by Gottfried himself in 1921. It was situated on Dolores Street in the southwest region of Carmel Point.

In 1920, Gottfried built the Edward Kuster House, a Medieval European-style house at 26205 Ocean View Avenue off of Scenic Drive on Carmel Point. Kuster designed the house to look like a stone castle. The design was similar to his neighbor Robinson Jeffers's Tor House.

Kuster and Gottfried buit the Tudor Revival-style Carmel Weavers Studio for Ruth Kuster in September 1922, and the original Theatre of the Golden Bough in 1923.

In 1922, hewas the contractor and builder for two houses in Carmel Woods near the Serra Circle. That same year, he built the Philip and Marie Gordon House on San Antonio Avenue and 9th Avenue. It is significant as the first major residential designs done with local Carmel Stone.

He constructed the Theatre of the Golden Bough for Edward G. Kuster in .

In 1925, writer and editor Harry Leon Wilson commission Gottfried to build the Tudor Revival-style "Bloomin Basement," a flower shop for his wife, Helen MacGowan Cooke, the daughter of writer Alice MacGowan. The first floor had a restaurant and bar, called Sade's.

Gottfried was an early member of the Abalone League along Fred Godwin, Charley Van Riper, Eddie Burns, Harrison Godwin, and Byington Ford. The games began after World War I on a diamond at Carmel Point.

In addition to his work in the building industry, Gottfried was an active member of the community. He served as a member of the American Legion Post No. 512. Gottfried also participated in local politics and served on the Carmel City Council.

Gottfried died on January 15, 1968, at the age of 72.