Frank Norris Cabin facts for kids
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Frank Norris Cabin
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Frank Norris Memorial
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | 7155 L Redwood Retreat Road, Gilroy, California |
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| Built | 1902 |
| Architectural style | Log cabin |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000235 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
The Frank Norris Cabin, also called Redwood Retreat, is a historic log cabin. It is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Gilroy, California. This cabin was once a quiet escape for the famous American writer Frank Norris.
Norris owned the cabin only for a short time before he died suddenly in 1902. A stone bench, called the Frank Norris Memorial, was built nearby by his friend Fanny Stevenson. The cabin became a National Historic Landmark in 1962. This was because of its connection to Frank Norris. His books, like McTeague and The Octopus: A Story of California, are very important American novels from the early 1900s.
What is the Frank Norris Cabin Like?
The Frank Norris Cabin is on private land in the Santa Cruz Mountains. You can reach it from Redwood Retreat Road. Then, you follow a steep 1-mile (1.6 km) hiking trail.
The cabin is a single-story building made of logs. It has two rooms and a stone porch. A short distance from the cabin, you will find a semicircular stone bench. This bench has a plaque with a special message. It reads: "FRANK NORRIS, 1870 – 1902. Simpleness and gentleness and honor and clean mirth."
History of the Cabin
Frank Norris bought 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land in the summer of 1902. This land was next to the Redwood Retreat Hotel. The cabin was already on the property when he bought it.
Norris learned about this beautiful area from Fanny Stevenson. She owned a larger piece of land right next door. Frank Norris and his wife, Jeannette, had visited Stevenson's property in 1899. They loved the place so much that Norris wanted to live nearby.
He named his new property "Quien Sabe." This name came from a retreat mentioned in his novel The Octopus. Norris had plans to make the cabin bigger. It only had one room when he bought it. However, he died very suddenly in October 1902.
