Kohl Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kohl Mansion
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 Kohl Mansion
Location in San Francisco Bay Area
Kohl Mansion
Location in California
Kohl Mansion
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2750 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, California |
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| Area | 40 acres |
| Architect | George H. Howard, of Howard and White firm |
| Architectural style | English Tudor Revival, Jacobethan Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002258 |
| Added to NRHP | 1982 |
Kohl Mansion, also known as The Oaks, is a beautiful historic building in Burlingame, California. It was built in 1914 and is located at 2750 Adeline Drive. This mansion is special because of its amazing architecture and its important role in the local community's history. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Today, Kohl Mansion is a popular place for public events and weddings.
Contents
History of Kohl Mansion
Building a Grand Home
Kohl Mansion was designed in the English Tudor Revival style. It was built for Charles Frederick Kohl and his second wife, Mary Elisabeth "Bessie" Godey. They wanted a large country home. The famous architect George H. Howard and engineer John White finished the building in 1914.
The mansion is huge, with about 42,000 square feet inside. It has 63 rooms spread across three stories, plus a basement. The estate covered 40 acres of land. It featured beautiful gardens, tennis courts, and even greenhouses. There was also a large building for carriages and a big water tank.
The Kohl Family and Early Years
Charles Frederick Kohl came from a wealthy family. His father, William Kohl, made a fortune as a founder of the Alaska Commercial Company. After his father passed away in 1893, Charles Frederick took over the family business. This gave him access to a lot of money.
Charles Frederick Kohl had some personal difficulties. Because of these challenges, the Kohl family eventually moved out of the mansion. The grand house was left empty for many years, with only caretakers looking after it.
A New Purpose: The Sisters of Mercy
In 1924, a religious group called the Sisters of Mercy bought the mansion. They planned to use it as a convent, which is a home for nuns.
When the Sisters of Mercy moved in, some strange things happened. They reported seeing a white powder appear in the house. Lights and elevators would turn on and off by themselves. They also heard loud footsteps in the upper rooms. People wondered if ghosts were causing these unexplained events. In 1927, the nuns and priests performed a special blessing of the house.
By 1932, the Sisters of Mercy built a new convent building on the grounds. In 1931, they turned the mansion itself into Mercy High School. This gave the historic Kohl Mansion a new life as a place for education.
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