Hidden Beverly Hills Treehouse Once Owned by Katharine Hepburn’s Socialite Best Friend Hits the Market for $1.4 Million

A discreet Beverly Hills retreat that was once home to one of the country's wealthiest socialites has hit the market for $1.4 million in the celebrity-strewn community of Benedict Canyon.

The petite property, which features two bedrooms and one bathroom, may be small in size at 1,200 square feet but it is mighty in history.

Built in 1923, the cabin-esque sanctuary sits on a wooded parcel totaling just over half an acre of land, and is shaded by so much mature foliage it all but blends into the leaves, giving it the appearance of a true "treehouse."

Thanks to its secretive location, the home has been used as a very convenient hideaway for more than a century—even serving as a hideaway for A-listers eager to escape prying eyes.

The most famous of its residents is likely Hollywood socialite and philanthropist Laura Harding, heiress to the Smith, Barney & Co. fortune and longtime best friend of actress Katharine Hepburn, who was known to frequent the retreat quite often.

Harding and Hepburn met in the late 1920s when both were fledgling actresses in New York and had the same voice teacher. They became roommates on the East Coast and starred in several stage productions, before moving to Hollywood together to try their luck on the silver screen.

The two women lived together in Benedict Canyon for several years, while Harding put her own career on hold to aid Hepburn's, reportedly helping her with wardrobe design, public relations, and negotiating with producers and directors. 

Harding was even once quoted as jokingly referring to herself as "Miss Hepburn's husband."

Once Hepburn's career took off, Harding returned to her heiress life on the East Coast, but retained possession of the house for many years.

She spent most of her time in New York, supporting causes including the SPCA and various medical facilities and research. But the warm friendship between Harding and Hepburn continued, and Hepburn is reported to have enjoyed visiting Harding often when she was on the East Coast.

The true nature of the friends' relationship sparked speculation among many, but Hepburn dismissed any rumors that there was something romantic between them in her 1991 bestselling memoir "Me."

Still, some people, including screenwriter James Prideaux, and unauthorized celebrity biographer William J. Mann, who wrote "Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn," assert that Hepburn and Harding were lovers.

This storied, forested retreat has been substantially upgraded since those two famous friends enjoyed it, but it retains its cozy, vintage charm. There are original oak details, wood floors and beamed and vaulted ceilings, a working, 1928 Magic Chef stove with ovens, and a stone fireplace that brings to mind days of yore.

It's also craftily curated with numerous creative touches, including colorful stained glass windows, a sea shell shaded hanging lamp, a live edge wood slab island bar, and kaleidoscope kitchen tile.

Newer additions include solar power, skylights, and a large, refinished deck that opens to peaceful canyon views. The '60s folk group the Mamas & the Papas performed there on the current owner's fifth birthday.

The wood paneled bathroom and the plumbing have all been redone, but an antique, claw-foot tub is a reminder of the home's heritage.

One room has been transformed into a modern, yet relaxing office with natural light steaming in through the window.

Although it has long served as a picturesque aerie for artistic souls, the unusually spacious lot offers numerous possibilities for restoration, expansion, or reinvention.

It also offers the opportunity to rub elbows with glamorous neighbors. Although there is only one other house on the street, which is concealed by mature trees, celebrities and moguls including Jay Leno, Bruce Springsteen, Cher, David Beckham, David Geffen, Ron Burkle, Steve Wynn, and a Saudi prince have all called Benedict Canyon home.

Cassandra Levine, with the Compass Gambino Group, has the listing.