Joaquin Miller House facts for kids
|
Joaquin Miller House
|
|
.JPG)
The house in 2008
|
|
 Location in Oakland, California
Location in California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 3300 Joaquin Miller Rd., Oakland, California |
|---|---|
| Area | 14 acres (5.7 ha) |
| Built | 1886 |
| Architect | Joaquin Miller |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000204 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
The Joaquin Miller House is a special historic home in Oakland, California. It is also known as The Abbey or The Hights. This unique house is located inside Joaquin Miller Park.
It was the home of a famous poet named Joaquin Miller. He lived here from 1886 until he passed away in 1913. Miller was one of the first poets in the United States to write about the American West. The property also has several interesting monuments that Miller built himself. In 1962, this house and its grounds were named a National Historic Landmark.
Contents
What Does the Joaquin Miller House Look Like?
The Joaquin Miller House is on the southern edge of Joaquin Miller Park. You can find it where Joaquin Miller Road meets Sanborn Drive. The house is a simple, one-story building. It's almost like three small rooms joined together.
Two of these rooms have pointed roofs, which look a bit like old Gothic buildings. The third part has a flat roof with wide edges that hang over. There's also a small wooden lean-to attached to this section.
Who Was Joaquin Miller?
Joaquin Miller was born in 1837 in Indiana. He grew up in the Oregon Territory and spent time in California during the Gold Rush. Even though he didn't have much formal schooling, he was very good at writing poetry. He also loved to put on shows for people.
Miller used his adventures in the American West for his poems and presentations. He became very popular, especially in England. His most famous work is a book of poems called Songs of the Sierras, published in 1871.
Miller's Home and Monuments
In 1886, Miller bought about 100 acres (40 hectares) of land. He then built this house, which he called "The Hights." He lived there until he died in 1913. Miller planted many trees around his home.
He also built some special monuments on a hill nearby. He even built his own funeral pyre (a pile of wood for a funeral fire), though it was never used. He created monuments to honor:
- Moses
- Explorer General John C. Frémont
- Poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The Japanese poet Yone Noguchi also started his writing career here. He lived in a small cabin next to Miller's house in the late 1890s.
Why Is the Joaquin Miller House a Landmark?
The city of Oakland bought "The Hights" in 1919. It was officially named a National Historic Landmark in 1962. The house is built in a simple Victorian style. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
The landmark area covers about 14 acres (5.7 hectares). This includes the house itself and all the unique monuments Miller built.
Images for kids
-
Joaquin Miller at his home, around 1898
