Camron-Stanford House facts for kids
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Cameron-Stanford House
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 Location in California
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| Location | 1426 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, California |
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| Area | 0 acres (0 ha) |
| Built | 1871 |
| Built by | Will W. Cameron |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000213 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 13, 1972 |
The Camron-Stanford House is a beautiful old mansion in Oakland, California. It's the last of the big Victorian homes that used to stand around Lake Merritt. Many important families lived here. In 1907, it became Oakland's very first museum!
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History of the Camron-Stanford House
The Camron-Stanford House was built in 1876. It has a long and interesting history. Many different families lived in this grand home over the years. Each family added to its story.
The Camron Family Home
The first people to live in the house were William Walker Camron and his wife, Alice. Alice Camron was the daughter of Dr. John Marsh. Dr. Marsh was an important pioneer in California. He helped many settlers come to California. He also played a part in California becoming independent from Mexico.
Alice inherited a lot of money. She used some of this money to buy the Camron-Stanford House. William Camron was a deputy sheriff. He was also active in politics. He served on the Oakland City Council. Later, he became a member of the California State Assembly.
The Hewes Family Residence
After the Camrons, the family of David Hewes lived in the house. David Hewes was a businessman who made and lost several fortunes. He is famous for a special gift. He donated one of the golden spikes. This spike was used to celebrate the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869. This railroad connected the East and West coasts of the United States.
The Stanford Family Era
The Josiah Stanford family owned the house from 1882 to 1903. Josiah Stanford was the brother of Leland Stanford. Leland Stanford was a very important person. He helped start the Central Pacific Railroad. This railroad built a big part of the first transcontinental railroad. It went from Sacramento, California, all the way to Promontory Summit, Utah.
From Home to Museum
In 1907, the city of Oakland bought the Camron-Stanford House. They also bought other private homes near Lake Merritt. The city removed the other homes to create Lakeside Park. But they kept the Camron-Stanford House.
The city turned the house into the Oakland Museum. This museum stayed in the house for about 50 years. Later, the Oakland Museum joined with other museums. In 1965, the museum moved to a new, bigger building.
People really loved the Camron-Stanford House. They wanted to save it. Thanks to public interest and donations, the house was saved! Today, it is an independent museum. You can visit it and learn about its history.
The Camron-Stanford House is a very important building. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since June 13, 1972. This means it is recognized as a special historical place.
