Saving the Andrew P. Hill House

In 1995, the Victorian Preservation Association aquired the Victorian home of Andrew P. Hill, an early and important San Jose photographer and painter.

He was also the founder of the Sempervirens Club, a group of environmentalists interested in protecting our coast redwoods. This city landmark building formerly was located on Sheridan Ave., and was moved to the San Jose History Park where the VPA is nearing completion of the restoration.

Donations for the Andrew P. Hill house are greatly appreciated. If you have items that we could use for either the renovation, furnishings or items relating to Andrew P. Hill, please contact us at the address below. Of course monetary donations for the operation and upkeep of the house are just as welcome as any donation of your time to help maintain and share this important piece of San Jose history with the public. All donations are tax deductible.

The Hill House project is funded through generous grants from the Historical Heritage Commission of Santa Clara County and the Victorian Preservation Association.

Exhibit Plan

So now that the Andrew P. Hill House has been successfully moved to the San Jose Historical Museum and restored by the VPA, what's in store for it?

The Hill House is a three bedroom, one bath house, with a central hallway. Entering the house from the front porch on the left, the hallway provides access to the front parlor, back parlor, and kitchen. On the right side of the house, you'll find three bedrooms and the bathroom.

Formal Parlor

The front parlor is what we would now refer to as the "living room". As Victorians were much more formal than we are today, their houses were set up so that guests could be greeted and entertained in the formal parlor. Unless you were a close friend of the family, guests seldom saw any other part of the house. Since this room is the most formal room of the house, it has been decorated and furnished to represent the lifestyle that Andrew Hill might have enjoyed at the turn of the century.

At Christmas time, this room will feature period Victorian Christmas decorations. Don't miss it.

Thanks to the San Jose Historical Archives, we have located many of the original furnishings owned by the Hill family and have placed it back in the house. Having the original furniture back in the house is rare, and we are very excited to be able to present the house furnished very much like it was "in the day" that the family resided in the house.

Second Parlor

Connected to the Front Parlor by a set of pocket doors, the back parlor served as the dining room. This room has been meticulously furnished and decorated to the period of the house.

Some of the aspects of the décor of this room will also change with the seasons, so visit often.

Kitchen

Victorian kitchens were a far cry from kitchens built today. Since kitchens are usually the most renovated room in an old house, it is unusual to find an old house with an intact original kitchen. The Hill House is no exception. The existing kitchen was a bad remodel, probably done in the 1950s or 1960s. We have redone the kitchen and have brought it back to how it may have looked in the 1890s. The pantry is slated to be restored in the near future.

In the kitchen, you will also find information on the VPA, along with membership information. Before and after pictures of member's homes are on display to show visitors how run-down old houses can be turned into the jewels of the neighborhood.

Front Bedroom

This bedroom has been furnished to an example of what an upper-class boudoir looked like. It features a rare walnut Eastlake style bedroom suite.

Middle Bedroom

This bedroom houses both exhibits on Andrew Hill, as well as rotating exhibits that showcase the private collections of VPA members. Visitors can also read about his life and his founding of the Sempervirens Club.

We hope to display some of Andrew P. Hill's paintings and photographs that the museum has stored in their vaults. We'll keep you posted on our progress.

Bathroom

As with kitchens, in the 1890s bathrooms were just being introduced into homes. No longer did you have to make a trip out to the backyard. The VPA has restored the bathroom with period fixtures such as a claw foot tub, high tank water closet, and wall sink.

Back Bedroom

This room is a recreation of Andrew P. Hill's art studio and contains a plethora of interesting items.

Basement

The Hill House originally did not have a full basement, although many homes from that period did. The VPA has incorporated a full basement under the house to provide room for storing salvage materials, a reference library, and a house restoration workshop. The basement is not open to the public.

Please visit us!

We hope that you will come by to see the Hill House on your next visit to San Jose History Park. The park features a fully restored Victorian town square with surrounding buildings and offers a myriad of things to do and see.

Admission to the park is FREE and visitors are invited to take self-guided tours of the grounds & gardens. Each day, two or three of the buildings are open with docents to discuss the Valley's rich history. There are three exhibit galleries to explore. You can hop on a Vintage trolley for a free ride around the park. See the Trolley barn's exhibit of antique Trolleys, cars, and machinery. Visit a working Print shop. Indulge in the savories and sweets at O'Brien's Café and shop in the Museum store and discover books, gifts and other items of interest.

San Jose History Park is open from noon to 5:00PM every day (except Mondays).

History Park hosts many special events, visit their website to get the whole story.

See you there!

Join Us!

Our door is always open to those who wish to get involved.

Docent Team: is responsible for the sharing of the house. This team is the life blood of the house museum. They coordinate when the house is open to the public and are the lucky few who have the opportunity to share the house & its story/history with all who visit.

Garden Team: is responsible for the garden areas of the house. This team will have the power of creation in their hands. They can submit their garden designs for the front, side and back of the house, and upon approval will move forward to make those dreams a reality. They are also responsible for the caretaking of the gardens (once planted).

Please contact Miranda at the email below and specify which team you'd like to be on.