Oakland City Landmark The Cupola 1975 National Register of Historical Places Newsletter 1976 of the Alameda County Historical Society Landmark Pardee Home Museum 1985 California Historic Landmark Winter / Spring 2019 1998 The Cameron-Stanford House Cameron and her husband William located in the Warm Springs area By Ron Bachman Walker Cameron were the first which later became Fremont, occupants in 1876. Alice had inherited California. This winery later became a sizable estate from her father, John the Weibel Winery. The Stanfords sold Marsh, who was the first successful the house in 1903. physician in California. Her inheritance John and Terilla Wright purchased the was used for their home purchase. In CS House in 1903 and lived there until 1877 the couple’s youngest daughter, 1907. It was then acquired by the City Gracie, died. Alice no longer felt of Oakland and became Oakland’s comfortable in the house and they First Public Museum which specialized moved. Her husband, William, in History and Anthropology. In 1965 its squandered the rest of her inheritance collection of artifacts were transferred on real estate schemes. They divorced to the collection of the Oakland in 1891. John Marsh and wife, Abigail, The Camron-Stanford House is one of Museum of California that was being along with Alice and daughters Gracie built. the five historic homes in Oakland that and Amy are buried in Mountain View In 1971 the City of Oakland and the can be toured. Dating from its Cemetery. construction in 1876, it has been an Camron Stanford House Restoration integral part of Oakland’s history. As it In 1877 the Cameron’s were unable to Association launched an effort to return is contemporary to the Pardee Home sell their house so it was rented to it to its early charm. While it was a albeit six years younger, it is likely that David Hewes who had made his museum, much of the interior of the Enoch and George Pardee crossed fortune in construction and later the house was altered. Using old paths with the early occupants of the leveling of sand dunes in San photographs as well as homes of the Camron-Stanford Home. Francisco. He was a good friend of the same period as examples, the house “Big Four” (Leland Stanford, Mark Mayor Samuel Merritt invested a great was returned to the time it was Hopkins, Charles Crocker, and Collis occupied by the Camrons and the deal of his own money to form the Huntington) who had invited him to join man-made lake and first wild fowl Stanfords. Original artifacts (e.g. them in the building of the furniture and paintings) now owned by refuge in the United States. Perhaps Transcontinental Railroad. Hewes Merritt was thinking of residential the descendants of the first owners demurred feeling he did not have the were donated to be displayed. development and his financial gain same wealth as the Big Four. Because The Camron-Stanford House is open to when he promoted and funded Lake of this friendship, Hewes donated the the public on Sunday afternoons. For Merritt. Originally he planned to name it two Gold Spikes that were used in the more information: https://cshouse.org/ Lake Peralta, but most every ceremony after the completion of the Oaklander referred to it as Merritt’s Transcontinental Railroad at Additional Notes: Lake and then eventually as Lake Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, • The Cameron family changed their Merritt. 1869. In 1881 the Hewes family moved name to Camron There was one serious problem with seeking a warmer climate for health • the Lake. The city of Oakland emptied reasons. In 1882 the Camron-Stanford William Walker Camron was on the its sewer water into the Lake which led House was purchased by Josiah Oakland City Council in 1877 at the to a serious fecal stench in the area. In Stanford, the older brother of Leland same time Enoch Pardee was 1875 the sewage was redirected and Stanford. He had come to California for Mayor of Oakland with the help of the wide channel which the Gold Rush, but was unsuccessful. • allowed flow in both directions (based He and his brothers developed a In addition to the Marsh family on the tidal levels of the Bay), the odor successful wholesale and retail market (including Alice and her daughters) problem was solved (well most of the in the Sacramento area that the Josiah Stanford Family and the time). specialized in selling merchandise to David Hewes Family are also Samuel Merritt built 30 homes for gold miners. Josiah used the profits to buried in Mountain View Cemetery. speculation on the shores of Lake invest in oil and kerosene production. Merritt. The Camron Stanford House is Later he started the Stanford Brothers the only one remaining. Alice Marsh Winery with brother, Leland. It was Sarah Kidder Joins Pardee Board Pardee Home Maintenance The Power of Tea We are happy to have Oaklander We have always had a priority on Tea was originally derived from the Sarah Kidder as a new board director keeping the Pardee Home up regarding leaves of a previously obscure Chinese at the Pardee Historic Home Museum. maintenance against the travails of camellia bush over 5000 years ago. Sarah Kidder is an event producer and time and deterioration (including bad Tea was later introduced in Japan but it etiquette trainer, experienced in drivers!). We recently had to repair the was not until 500 years ago that running private and public events front picket fence when a driver took Portuguese and Dutch merchants throughout the Bay Area and beyond. out a large part of it in a crash. introduced the drink to Europe, Sarah opened her business, Sarah Fortunately, no one was hurt. The America and Russia. Initially, it was so Kidder Designs in 2000; SKD is an insurance money as well as some from expensive that only the noble houses extension of the family business she our accounts was used to fix the could afford it and Asian porcelain was grew up in, Sunshine and Flowers, damage as well as upgrade the also imported to serve it. It was not which was run by her parents, Sharon construction quality of the entire picket until the eighteenth century that the and John Kidder. They created, portion of the fence. The repair mystery of porcelain manufacture was planned, and teamed on many projects included all of the 11th St. side as well solved in Meissen, Germany. Noted throughout the Bay Area, among them as that on Castro St. We were lucky to silversmiths like Paul Storr and Paul de year-round events at Dunsmuir House have a dedicated contractor, Tomas Lamarie and the ceramic factories of and Gardens, including the holiday Guieon, who appreciated the quality Meissen, Sevres and Wedgewood Christmas at Dunsmuir event .The and uniqueness of the Pardee Home. were commissioned to produce Kidder family as a whole worked on the He went out of his way to find good elaborate pieces to serve tea and show events, shaping Sarah’s interest in wood and put his work crew on shaping off the wealth of the owners. When the historic buildings and event production. pickets with a detailed point spending East India Company established Sarah is a longtime member of the extra labor in securing the post in plantations in India and Ceylon (now Lake Merritt Breakfast Club and has cement and steel. We appreciate his Sri Lanka) the supply increased and deep ties with groups in the commitment to quality and his the price of tea began to fall so that tea community. appreciation of the uniqueness of PHM. could be enjoyed by more than just the A graduate of UC Berkeley with a BA in We believe his work added immensely wealthy. Before that, however, in 1773 English Literature, Sarah’s education to the appearance of the Pardee British settlers in North America, focused on literature, etiquette, history, Home. protesting the tax on their favorite and the ways in which the three Jose Gutierrez of Gutierrez Painting Co brew, dumped 314 chests of tea into overlap and complement each other. in Castro Valley recently returned to Boston harbor during the “Boston Tea The importance and influence of PHM to repair some damage which Party.” Three years later the etiquette has been a consistent part of occurred due to furniture movement. Declaration of Independence was her social and professional life. It grew Jose had painted the first floor of our signed. Such was the power of tea! into the development of etiquette home and came back to do the repair Today, tea is enjoyed as a refreshing, training seminars. Sarah believes that free of charge. relaxing or reviving break. As many of etiquette works as a subtle and We recommend both Tomas and Jose you know, we have a delightful private imperative force behind the success of for their high-quality in any work you afternoon Tea served at PHM. all our interactions and ventures. may need for your home. At the Pardee Home we are looking for When Sarah has time she is walking more volunteers who can help with our the Lake, roller skating or hiking in the Upcoming Events at Pardee Home famous Teas. If you are interested in March 24: Women Pioneers in Oakland Oakland Hills. She has a most lovable being part of a wonderful group, please 4-6pm in Carriage House. See below. cat, Tallulah Bell who is part Bengal leave a message at 510-444-2187 or and “full of personality”. July 4th: Traditional Fourth of July send an email to She looks forward to finding ways to Noon-4pm in back garden.