This classic Malibu home was built in 1930 for Rhoda Rindge Adamson and her husband, Merritt Huntley Adamson. The house shares its location with one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California. Read More
Built in 1855 and restored in 1939, the Adobe de Palomares was the 13-room home of Don Ygnacio Palomares and his wife Dona Concepcion Lopez de Palomares. It is listed as a California Historical Landmark (Marker No. 372) and is also registered with the National Register of Historic Places (No. 71000156). Read More
The Ainsley House - Beautifully restored in an enchanting park-like setting, the English Tudor style architecture of the Ainsley House transports the visitor to the bygone era of the 1920s. Built in 1925 as the home for Campbell canning pioneer J.C. Ainsley and his wife Alcinda, the home was moved to its present location in 1990. The exquisitely restored… Read More
A visit to Ardenwood is a journey back to the time of the Patterson Ranch - a prosperous, 19th-century country estate including a beautiful mansion and its elaborate Victorian Gardens. Today the Historic Farm exhibits agricultural practices from the 1870s to the present, demonstrating the transition from horse-powered to horsepower. Read More
The 23-room residence remains the finest example of domestic Greek Revival architecture in Southern California. The house interiors have been carefully restored to their Victorian beauty, and 18 rooms are open to the public. Read More
Bembridge House is a Queen Anne Victorian house that was built in 1906. It has 18 rooms, and has been preserved with its original high ceilings, woodwork, and many of the original furnishings. It is considered the most ornate Victorian residence in Long Beach with hand-carved woodwork, stained and leaded glass, and a tiled fireplace. Read More
The historic Bernhard Museum Complex has seen over 150 years of history roll by. The structure was built in 1851 by George Bishop and John Long as the Traveler's Rest Hotel and is one of Auburn's oldest surviving buildings. During the Gold Rush this rustic establishment hosted teamsters traveling the old Auburn Folsom Road and miners who were working… Read More
Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park is a beautiful, three-story, 26 room Victorian House Museum that stands as a memorial to John and Annie Bidwell. John Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician and philanthropist. Annie Ellicott Kennedy Bidwell, the daughter of a socially prominent, high ranking Washington official, was… Read More
Bodie State Historic Park is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town. Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that once had a population of nearly 10,000 people. The town is named for Waterman S. Body (William Bodey), who had discovered small amounts of gold in hills north of Mono Lake. In 1875, a mine cave-in revealed… Read More
Although now over 150 years old, only two generations have lived in this house. Much of the original furnishings are on display to help tell the story of how the well-to-do lived out west. The collection includes antique furnishings, paintings, rugs, textiles, clothes, silver, and glassware from the period 1849-1910. A tour of the house reveals stories of the… Read More
The Camarillo Ranch was originally a 10,000 acre Spanish land grant created in 1837, patented to Gabriel Ruiz in 1866, then purchased by Juan Camarillo in 1875. His son Adolfo built the Queen Anne Victorian home in 1892. Later the barn and stables were added to support the agricultural work and house the renowned Camarillo White Horses. Today the… Read More
The Camron-Stanford House was built in 1876, the first of many stately homes that once encircled the Lake. During 27 years as a private residence, it was the home of some of Oakland's most notable families. Read More
The uniqueness of this house, what makes it stand out above all others is that it is still lived in by members of the original family. They with the help of the friends and the professionals on the board have made the effort to preserve and protect the original interiors. You will find the furniture, wallpaper, pictures, rugs and… Read More
In August 1908 Colonel Allen Allensworth and four other settlers established a town founded, financed and governed by African Americans. Their dream of developing an abundant and thriving community stemmed directly from a strong belief in programs that allowed blacks to help themselves create better lives. By 1910 Allensworth’s success was the focus of many national newspaper articles praising… Read More
The Davis-Horton House is the oldest building in downtown San Diego, built in 1850. The Saltbox style house was shipped from Portland, Maine to San Diego, which had little wood for construction. The House has a storied history having been Officers quarters pre-Civil War, a hospital, the only surviving home of Alonzo Horton, a boarding house, and even a… Read More
Home to the Doheny family for nearly 60 years, the Doheny Mansion was built in 1899 for the Oliver P. Posey family by architects Theodore Eisen and Sumner Hunt. Its eclectic Romantic Revival exterior unites elements of Gothic, Chateauesque, Moorish and even California Mission styles. The opulent interior reflects the wealth and status of pioneering oil baron Edward L.… Read More
The Rancho San Pedro is the site of the First Spanish land grant in California. The land was granted in 1784 by King Carlos III to Juan Jose Dominguez, a retired Spanish soldier who came to California with the Portola expedition and later with Father Juniperro Serra. The original land grant encompassed 75,000 acres, including the entire Los Angeles… Read More
The park features seven historic buildings including the Kolb House, a 1911 Craftsman Bungalow. The house contains beautiful original Arts & Crafts furnishings that belonged to this German immigrant family. The living room and dining rooms are furnished 1911 and the Kitchen depicts the post-war era with modern electrical appliances. Read More
The Dunsmuir mansion, designed by San Francisco architect, J. Eugene Freeman, is an example of Neoclassical-Revival architecture popular in the late 1800s. The 37-room mansion features a Tiffany-style dome, woodpaneled public rooms, 10 fireplaces and inlaid parquet floors within its 16,224 square feet. Servants quarters in the house are designed to accommodate 12 live-in staff. Read More
Empire Mine State Historic Park is the site of one of the oldest, largest, deepest, longest and richest gold mines in California. The park is in Grass Valley at 10791 East Empire Street. In existence for more than 100 years, the mine produced 5.6 million ounces of gold before it closed in 1956. Read More
Established in 1976, the History Center includes buildings from Escondido's early development that were relocated to Grape Day Park. Read More
Gold Rush pioneers Joseph and Zipporah built Fern Cottage as their family home in 1866. Family members lived in it continuously for over a century. Today, it is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the few homes in California containing the original family furniture and furnishings. Visit Fern Cottage and step back in time… Read More
Recognized as one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20th century, Filoli welcomes the public to this remarkable 654-acre property, including the 36,000 sq. ft Georgian country house and spectacular 16-acre English Renaissance garden. Filoli is a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Read More
The Ford House, located in historic Mendocino Village, offers both historic and current information about the area, with a broad selection of brochures, books, cards and other visitor center items. The Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce designated Ford House as the official Visitor Information Center of Mendocino Village. Read More
Fresno Flats Historic Village and Park recaptures the flavor of 19th Century life in the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains of Central California. Eastern Madera County is the southern end of the historic Mother Lode gold fields, but the people who settled here came not so much for gold but more to build their lives and raise their families,… Read More
The Gamble House in Pasadena, California, is an outstanding example of American Arts and Crafts style architecture. The house and furnishings were designed by Charles and Henry Greene in 1908 for David and Mary Gamble of the Procter and Gamble Company. Read More
The Gibson House is unique because it is the only historic home in Yolo County open to the public. The main themes of the museum are the establishment and development of farming and ranching in Yolo County, as shown through the life and work of William Byas Gibson and his family. The Gibson House is listed in the National… Read More
In 1997, Ruth Quayle Boone bequeathed the 16-acre Boone family farm known as Forest Home Farms to the City of San Ramon for use as a municipal historic park in memory of her husband, Travis Moore Boone. The 16-acre farm is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and Oak Creek divides it in two almost equal… Read More
The Grier Musser Museum is a turn-of-the century historic Queen Anne house which displays fascinating antique collections in monthly holiday exhibits throughout the year. Read More
The exuberant Haas-Lilienthal House is a Queen Anne-style Victorian, and was completed in 1886. It is the only intact private home of the period that is open regularly as a museum, complete with authentic furniture and artifacts. The House has elaborate wooden gables, a circular corner tower and luxuriant ornamentation. Read More
It is the last farm site in the city of Santa Clara and is named for the two families who owned and lived on the property for 125 years. The museum consists of the house, a classic California barn, summer kitchen, tank house and landscaped gardens. The house was built in 1865 in the Italianate style — balanced and… Read More
William Randolph Hearst hired Julia Morgan to build him a little something. They ended up with a mansion that has 165 rooms filled with magnificent artwork and furniture. The estate has 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways. Several different tours are available. Take them all! Read More
In 1897, San Francisco businessman I. W. Hellman began buying property at Sugar Pine Point and by 1913 had acquired nearly 2000 acres. His grand but informal summer home, called Pine Lodge, was completed in 1903 and was considered to be one of the finest in the high Sierra. His daughter, Florence Hellman Ehrman inherited the estate and she… Read More
Heritage Hill Historical Park is composed of 4.1 acres, four historic buildings and associated structures for maintenance and public restrooms. The fully restored and furnished historic buildings span the early history of the Saddleback Valley and El Toro area from the Mexican Rancho era (Serrano Adobe, circa 1863), to the founding of the town of El Toro (El Toro… Read More
Owned by the Museum of Riverside, this elegant 1891 Victorian home imagines life in turn-of-the-20th-century Riverside. It's a reminder of the affluent homes that once graced Magnolia Avenue. Heritage House began as a project of the Riverside Museum Associates, a volunteer support group of the Museum of Riverside. Restored and maintained in a manner reflective of its nineteenth-century construction,… Read More
The Heritage Museum of Orange County is a cultural and natural history center dedicated to providing hands-on educational programs that emphasizw history, heritage, and diversity of Orange County and California. The Museum is also committed to preserving and restoring the historic buildings and artifacts that have been entrusted to our care. Read More
The eight historic structures located at the museum, constructed during the Victorian Era, were saved from demolition and serve as a perfect background to educate the public about Southern California's early development. From the simplicity of the Octagon House to the opulence of the Perry Mansion, the Museum provides a unique look at the lifestyles of the people who… Read More
With 27 original and reproduction homes, businesses and landmarks History Park highlights Santa Clara Valley's past. Complete with paved streets, running trolleys and a cafe, this 14-acre site has the charm and ambiance of times gone by. The VPA's project, the Hill House, can be toured. Read More
Hollyhock House is Wright's first Los Angeles project. Built between 1919 and 1921, it represents his earliest efforts to develop a regionally appropriate style of architecture for Southern California. Wright himself referred to it as California Romanza, using a musical term meaning "freedom to make one's own form""." Read More
The 1883 house is furnished as it was in the late 19th century when it was the home of John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club. Read More
The Kearney Mansion is located seven miles west of downtown Fresno. It consists of two buildings, a main residence and an adjoining servants' quarters. The two buildings are designed in the French Renaissance style, simulated through the use of materials indigenous to the area and through the use of Victorian stock moldings, all built by workers employed by owner… Read More
This historic home and research center are located in Mendocino, California on the scenic north coast. Built in 1861 by William Kelley, the house overlooks the ocean and is surrounded by gardens filled with flowers and lawn. The museum, along with docent-led walking tours of the historic preservation district, invites visitors to step back in time and imagine life… Read More
The Kern County Museum contains over 50 historic structures and exhibits depicting the history of Kern County, California, and the West set amid 16-acres of beautiful grounds. Visitors can explore and discover the past at their own pace in this village like setting. Read More
Kimberly Crest is a picturesque French chateau style home built in 1897. The 7,000 square foot, three-story chateau sits on a six and one quarter acre estate. Read More
La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose is a historic adobe structure built in 1837 in Pomona, California. It is the oldest home located in the Pomona Valley and in the old Rancho San Jose land grant. It was declared a historic landmark in 1954 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in April 1975. Read More
After a 14-year, $22 million restoration and rehabilitation, the Mansion is now open to the public as a museum. It also serves the citizens of California as the state’s official reception center for leaders from around the world. Read More
L.A. Historic Cultural Monument # 1. Built in the Monterey style in the 1840's, it was occupied by Miguel Leonis as early as the 1870's, one of the most colorful, influential and prominent figures of early Los Angeles. Also on the grounds is an barn built in 1912 as well as the Plummer House known as the "oldest house… Read More
Designed by architect Albert Austin Bennett, the Queen Anne Cottage and Coach Barn were built for Elias J. Baldwin, a businessman in 1885, 1880 respectively. Painted red and white the buildings are listed together on the National Register as remarkable examples of Victorian architecture as well as the surrounding landscape which is a rare remnant Victorian landscape in Southern… Read More
Located in the San Fernando Valley, this California rancho includes the original nine-room de la Ossa Adobe, the two-story limestone Garnier building, a blacksmith shop, a natural spring, and a pond. Read More
Exterior is fully of Arroyo Seco river rock, two story with a medieval touch, but primarily rustic craftsman. Read More
Luther Burbank was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, on March 7, 1849. In California, his birthday is celebrated as Arbor Day and trees are planted in his memory. The famed horticulturist made his home in Santa Rosa for more than 50 years and it was here that he conducted plant-breeding experiments that brought him world renown. Read More
The George and Anna Marston House Museum & Gardens is a beautiful estate that has the main house museum, formal gardens, canyon gardens, planned cultural landscape and museum store in the Carriage House. Listed as one of the top 25 Arts and Crafts buildings in the United States by Style 1900 magazine. Read More
The house was a creative adaptation of the Gothic Revival style, designed by one of early Marysville's principal architects and prominent inventors, Warren P. Miller. Miller remained in the house from the time of its construction in 1855-56, until 1863 when it was purchased by Edgar Woodrow, a Marysville carpenter. Read More
The McConaghy family built their 12-room farmhouse, tank house and carriage house in 1886. Tours of the house offer visitors a fun and informative environment to learn more about what life was like for farming families during the Victorian period. Read More
The McHenry Mansion, built in 1883 by Robert McHenry, prominent local rancher/banker, is a fine example of the Victorian Italianate style of architecture. In 1923, it was converted into apartments and remained as such until 1976 when the Julio R. Gallo Foundation purchased it and donated it to the City of Modesto for restoration and for community use. The… Read More
This pioneer cottage was built in the 1850's and is one of the oldest homes in Saratoga. Built by blacksmith Henry Jarboe, the house was sold to another blacksmith, James McWilliams in 1864. The house is made of local redwood using single-wall construction; there are no studs. Read More
The Meux Home is a beautiful Queen Anne Victorian, built in 1888, which still retains original fretwork, chandeliers, fireplaces and mantels, etc. since the youngest daughter lived there over 80 years. Read More
The Meyers House, erected in 1897, is an example of the Colonial Revival style, which was popular around the turn of the century. The home is situated on 3 city lots, and features the original fencing and pergola, three car garage, carriage house, and an architectural studio built in 1935. Read More
Monterey State Historic Park is a collection of significant historic houses and buildings interspersed throughout Old Monterey. The inside of the Stevenson House, Larkin House, Cooper-Molera Adobe, and Casa Soberanes can ONLY be viewed with a State Park Guide. These four guided house tours, the Guided Walking Tour of Old Monterey, the Pacific House Museum and Custom House are… Read More
The Museum is housed in the historic residence of Dr. Thomas Williams, a prominent Palo Alto physician. Designed by noted Bay Area architect Ernest Coxhead, this English County Style home, completed in 1907, features classic Craftsman interiors utilizing native materials and an open floor plan. A large craftsman style garage was built a few years later. One wing of… Read More
Recently restored, the Casa Grande was built in 1854 as the residence for the manager of the New Almaden Mines, the mercury mine that was the first and richest of all mines in California. Located in the New Almaden National Landmark Historic district, the 3-story Casa Grande was designed by prominent San Francisco architect Gordon Parker Cummings as brick… Read More
The Newland House Museum is the oldest residence built in the city of Huntington Beach and is maintained by the Huntington Beach Historical Society for all to see. Read More
Octagon House, with a view of the Golden Gate from its cupola, was built only a few years after the Gold Rush. The house was a family residence until the late 1920s, when it was acquired by a utility company. Its purchase by the California Society in 1952, for one dollar, and subsequent restoration in 1953, saved this charming… Read More
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park pays tribute to the cultural influences that make California special. Restored and reconstructed buildings in central San Diego are now museums, shops and restaurants that capture the energy of Old Town between 1821 and 1872. The central plaza is lined with buildings,some dating back to the 1820s, that offer a glimpse of… Read More
Oakland's Pardee Home is one of the greatest architectural and historical treasures of Northern California. First-time visitors might initially be attracted by the exterior beauty of the house and its gardens, but after entering the house they learn of its outstanding historical importance and of its unique interiors and artifacts from throughout the world Read More
With its original furnishings and art collection, the Fenyes Mansion offers a unique glimpse into life on Pasadena’s Millionaire’s Row. Family heirlooms and a unique California plein air art collection enhance the Beaux Arts-style home of Dr. Adalbert and Eva Fenyes. Read More
The Peralta Adobe is San Jose's oldest address. Built in 1797, the Peralta Adobe is the last remaining structure from El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe. The exquisite Fallon House was built in 1855 by one of San Jose's earliest mayors. The Victorian mansion showcases 15 fully furnished rooms typical of the Victorian period. Read More
The Phillips Mansion is a Second Empire style historic house in Pomona, Los Angeles County, California. It was built in 1875 by Louis Phillips, who by the 1890s had become the wealthiest man in Los Angeles County. Situated along the Butterfield Stage route, the Phillips Mansion became a center of community activity in the Pomona and Spadra area. It… Read More
Ralston Hall Mansion was the country estate of William Chapman Ralston, a prominent and powerful San Francisco financier who founded the Bank of California. Purchasing the property from an Italian nobleman in 1864, Ralston began construction of an increasingly grand mansion, ultimately comprising over 80 rooms. He called his estate "Belmont Read More
The Ranch House at Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch and Gardens is a place for all time. Between 1804 and 1833, in the Spanish or Mexican era, the Nieto family built a four-room adobe on the hilltop in what is now Long Beach, California for their vaqueros and help. Read More
Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site is a public museum open for tours, programs and events. Built in 1844, the adobe home and grounds echo with the rich history of Spanish, Mexican and American California and with the families who helped transform Southern California from its ranching beginnings to a modern, urban society. The two-story Monterey-style adobe is primarily furnished… Read More
Board and batten house built for the station master and stage agent for Yosemite Stage and Southern Pacific Railroad, Charles Miller. The home is listed as a California Point of Historic Interest and contains all local historical items from photographs to artifacts relating to Yosemite travel, ranching, local granite quarries, the early railroad and the house's history. Also of… Read More
The Rengstorff House is Mountain View's oldest historic house. It is one of the finest examples of Victorian Italianate architecture on the west coast. Read More
The park includes several structures built in the 1800s. The four main historic museums are the Plaza Hotel, the Zanetta House/Plaza Hall, the Plaza Stables, and the newly reopened Castro-Breen Adobe. Many of the interiors are arranged as furnished vignettes or with colorful and informative exhibits that help create a unique learning environment for people of all ages. The… Read More
The Sanguinetti House Museum, located in an 1870s adobe home, focuses on the history of the Lower Colorado River from the 1540s to the present. Read More
Hidden in the green oasis of Grapevine Canyon in far northern Death Valley, the Death Valley Ranch, or Scotty's Castle as it is more commonly known, is a window into the life and times of the Roaring 20's and Depression 30's. It was and is an engineer's dream home, a wealthy matron's vacation home and a man-of-mystery's hideout and… Read More
In 1887, Señora Eloisa Martinez de Sepulveda built a two-story Eastlake Victorian style business and residential block on her property between Main and Olvera Street. The Sepulveda House represents the architectural and social transformation of Los Angeles from its early Mexican traditions to a blending of Mexican and Anglo culture. Read More
Built by Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman (1824-1907), the main house on the Shadelands Ranch grounds is a 1903 Redwoood-framed Colonial Revival structure that now showcases numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs, and government records. Read More
In 1850 General Vallejo, now an elected State Senator, purchased some acreage at the foot of the hills, one-half mile west and north of Sonoma’s central plaza. The land surrounded a fine, free-flowing spring that the Indians had called Chiucuyem (tears of the mountain). Vallejo retained this name for his new estate, but translated it into Latin, Lachryma Montis. Read More
Located at 5th and Salem in Chico CA, the Stansbury Home is considered one of the most well preserved buildings in California. Built in 1883 by Dr Oscar Stansbury, the home stands today as it did at the turn of the century. Read More
The Stone House is Calif. State Historical Monument #450, as the oldest building in Lake County. It is a rather small (about 30x36' outside dimensions) cut stone (luppili tuff) house of five rooms. In addition to restoration and maintenance, the Stone House Historical Society has collected donated furnishings, all period pieces unfamiliar in contemporary homes but some common as… Read More
A century ago, what is now the Tallac Historic Site held the "Grandest Resort in the World"" and the summer retreats for three of San Francisco Bay Area`s socially elite families. Read More
Set on 175 stunning acres of open space with 2.5 miles of hiking trails in the midst of Silicon Valley, Montalvo Arts Center occupies a historic Mediterranean-style villa and hosts three performing arts venues, a 10-studio artist residency complex and a formal Italianate garden. Built in 1912 by Senator James Phelan, California's first elected senator, Montalvo was bequeathed by… Read More
If you can look past all the hype about how crazy Sarah Winchester was, and instead concentrate on what she did with the incredible wealth she inherited, what you'll see is an amazing Victorian filled with some of the finest woodwork, lincrusta, and art glass of the period. Then again some of it you won't see because Sarah built… Read More
The site features an 1840s adobe home built by William Workman. The second home is a 1920s Colonial Revival adobe mansion built by Workman's grandson Walter Temple. The site also include El Campo Santo cemetery. Read More
Built in 1891, it is one of the few houses of that era that has not undergone remodeling. It has the mansard roof construction, which makes the house unique in its style of architecture. Read More