The ‘Shell House’ in Point Loma Is No More

From CBS8/ April 29, 2024

A Point Loma landmark is now rubble. Seashells torn down from the front yard of a place locals called the “shell house”.

Manny Neves has lived behind the unique house with all the shells in the front yard off Rosecrans for years. He’s Portuguese like the fisherman who lived in the home and built a seashell garden, of sorts.

“Frank was the husband. He traveled. He was a fisherman. Wherever he went he would bring home shells,” Neves said.

Over the years we’re told Frank collected tens of thousands of shells and intricately set each one in concrete. The funky world of mollusks and clam shells has been featured in newspapers, magazines, and on sightseeing lists for years as one of the most unusual gardens in the country.

This is all that remains.

“Everybody comes by. There’s people that would just sit in front and take pictures because it’s different,” Neves said.

But a few days ago, people noticed the shells getting demolished and being thrown in a bin in the driveway. The funky world of mollusks and clam shells has been featured in newspapers, magazines and on sightseeing lists for years

CBS 8 contacted the family and said they don’t want to comment publicly. Neves says Frank’s wife still lived in the house years after Frank passed away. He says Elisa died a few months ago. She was 103 years old.

“It’s sad but people maybe they got to move on as well,” Neves said.

You can still see some remnants. Shells in the rubble. Some pieces are still intact. The rain gutter, was still adorned.

But mostly the cemented shell chunks are in the trash. Another sign of the changing times in Point Loma.

As Neves walked by today, he scooped up a piece of that past. “I took a couple this morning when my wife and I walked. I don’t know where they came from but obviously, they came from far away. From some part of the world, brought this shell,” he said.