About Us

A charming farmhouse blended with contemporary elegance

is close to the amazing amenities and first class lodging in downtown San Juan Capistrano. The bridal party can utilize the entire 2nd floor of The Swanner House, complete with a private bridal suite and dedicated ready room for the entire bridal party, as well as a private restroom, beverage and appetizer room. The groom and groomsman have a private ready room complete with a whiskey bar, billiards room, restroom and kitchen. The manicured grounds of the property consists of a large entry courtyard, complete with fountains and indoor-outdoor bar, reception area for 300+ guests and a ceremony lawn with a majestic oak tree as the back drop for your ceremony.

The team at The Swanner House works with a select group of catering companies and vendors.

Please schedule a time to tour the property and meet with our team for a consultation.

We are excited to help make your dreams come true!

Welcome Guide

Located in San Juan Capistrano

The Swanner House is on 2.5 acres of the Northwest Open Space.

Nearby points of attraction include:

  • The River Street Marketplace (coming early 2024)

  • The Inn at the Mission (4 Star Hotel)

  • The Mission San Juan Capistrano

  • Los Rios Historic District

  • Downtown San Juan Capistrano

  • Doheny State Beach

  • Laguna Beach

  • Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park

    It is 56 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport, 22 minutes from Santa Ana and 12 minutes from San Clemente.

 

The Historic Swanner House

preserved by the city of San Juan Capistrano, is rich in history.

In 1913, Roger Williams and his brother William purchased 347 acres in the northern portion of San Juan Capistrano from Judge Richard Egan, who had owned the property since 1868.  With the assistance of their brother Guy, the Williams planned to grow walnuts on the property and subdivide a portion of the land into family farms.

In 1923, Roger and Lizzie Swanner Williams built their two-story Craftsman house on the 35 acre parcel that was subdivided that year from the larger property. The property includes a garage and tank house that were designed to compliment the style of the residence.  The Williams landscaped the yard around their house with walnut and fruit trees. 

In the 1920’s, Roger and Guy transitioned from walnuts as their primary crop to oranges.  By the end of the decade the brothers had earned recognition for their success in citrus ranching and were featured in a 1929 interview in Overland Monthly magazine.  According to the article, Roger Williams had, “for years been transforming the bean fields and waste stretches of this fertile little valley into a veritable paradise of citrus and walnut orchards”.  In Dos Cientos Anos En San Juan Capistrano, author Patricia Hallan also discussed the Williams’ citrus activities, stating “The Williams’ can be credited with starting the citrus industry in Capistrano which grew into this major business in the 30s and 40s”.

Descendants of the Swanner family owned the residence until 1991 when it was purchased by the city of San Juan Capistrano with the intent of preserving it as a significant example of an intact ranch house.  The Roger Y. Williams home is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the US Department of the Interior.

-text sourced from, “A Stones Throw Winery” website