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Lathrop House (Redwood City, California) facts for kids

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Lathrop House
Benjamin Lathrop House
House viewed from the South
Lathrop House is located in San Francisco Bay Area
Lathrop House
Lathrop House
Location in San Francisco Bay Area
Lathrop House is located in California
Lathrop House
Lathrop House
Location in California
Lathrop House is located in the United States
Lathrop House
Lathrop House
Location in the United States
Location 701 Hamilton St., Redwood City, California, California
Area 0.2 acres (0.081 ha)
Built 1863; 162 years ago (1863)
Architectural style Steamboat Gothic
Restored by Redwood City Heritage Society
NRHP reference No. 73000448
Added to NRHP April 11, 1973

The Lathrop House is a very old and famous mansion in Redwood City, California. It's also known as the Lathrop-Connor-Mansfield House. This house is one of the oldest mansions on the San Francisco Peninsula. Mary C. Lathrop, whose husband was Benjamin G. Lathrop, bought the land for this big 11-room house in 1858. The house was finished in 1863. Over the years, this house has been moved to three different spots, all within a few blocks in Redwood City.

The Lathrop House Story

Benjamin Gordon Lathrop was an important person in early San Mateo County, California. He was the first clerk, recorder, and assessor for the county. This meant he handled official records and taxes. He also helped start the railroad that connected San Francisco to San Jose. Because of his success, he and his wife, Mary C. Lathrop, bought a lot of land in Redwood City. They built their house on one of these pieces of land in 1863. The house was first located where the Fox Theatre is today, at 2215 Broadway.

House Design and Style

The Lathrop House was built in a style called Gothic Revival. This style was popular at the time. It features tall, pointed gables and arches with special quatrefoil designs. These are patterns shaped like four-leaf clovers. More specifically, the house is in the Steamboat Gothic style. This design was made to look like the fancy steamboats that traveled on rivers during that era.

Moving the Mansion

Over the years, the Lathrop House had many different owners. One owner was Patrick Edward Connor, who was a General for the Union army during the American Civil War. Later, Sheriff Joel Mansfield bought the house in 1905. He was the one who moved it to a new location at 627 Hamilton Street.

In 1968, San Mateo County bought the house. Their plan was to make it part of a heritage center. The outside of the Lathrop House was carefully restored. This work was done by the Redwood City Heritage Association and the county working together. For a while, the Redwood City Heritage Association ran the Lathrop House as a museum. Visitors could explore the inside of the house twice a month. In 2017, the museum closed because the house was going to be moved again. In May 2019, the Lathrop House was moved to its current spot at 701 Hamilton Street. It is now right next to the San Mateo County History Museum.

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