Interactive Map of Participating Sites

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We’ve provided some downloadable resources and social media promotional tools for you to help spread the word about Doors Open California! Media inquiries can be directed to cpf@californiapreservation.org or by dialing 415.495.0349.

Doors Open California Merch

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Download the schedule of events here, or browse below:

6/11 & 6/12, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM 

Behind-the-scenes Tour of the Women’s Press Building 

Atascadero (1915) – Women

The Women’s Press building was completed in 1915, home of the Woman’s Publishing Company started by E. G and Mabel Lewis, who became nationally known in the Woman’s suffrage movement.  The Lewis’ started the American Woman’s League, later changed to the American Women’s Republic along with Peace University in University City, Missouri.  Many Chapters of the League were formed and a desire came for a Utopian community in the West, with a strong focus on the Arts and Agriculture.  The Lewis’ found a site in a 13,000 acre Rancho called Atascadero in California.  Walter Bliss was hired to design the community, based on the Garden City movement.  The first Civic structure to be completed was a Printery, the Women’s Press Building.  It became the largest rotogravure press facility West of the Mississippi River producing publications of the Illustrated Review, the Atascadero News and color sections of the San Francisco Chronicle and LA Times and others.  The publishing plant was constructed of brick with fine adornments on the exterior, arched front entry and the interior lobby.  Murals painted by Artist and Chicago Art Institute Instructor, Ralph Holmes, line the entire lobby and stairway.

The structure now stands at 19000 square feet.  It was recently purchased by a non profit organization started solely to save the Structure and repurpose it into a Center for Arts and Education.

Those who visit for Doors Open will see the architecture and adornments, displays of the history of the site through many uses and changes.  watch an indepth virtual tour and see the progress and future plans of the restoration of the site as an amazing asset to the community.  Historic printing equipment is on display along with many facets of the printing process and editions of many of the publications produced there over the nearly 50 years it was in operation.

A self guided walking tour of the historic downtown structures and sites will also be a feature of the weekend.  Included in the tour is the City Hall, one of very few double dome structures sin existence.

Hosting Organization

Atascadero Foundation – https://atascaderoprintery.org/building/

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6/11, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Monday Club – Julia Morgan Lecture and tour

San Luis Obispo (1934) – Women

A visit to The Monday Club is a unique opportunity to tour a 1934 vintage women’s club designed by Architect Julia Morgan. During the first quarter of the 20th century Julia Morgan was the first woman granted an architectural license in California, the 19th Amendment granting women a constitutional right to vote was ratified by Congress, and The Monday Club was founded by a dynamic group of women in 1924. Similarly significant contributions by civic-minded women were being made elsewhere in California and in the world.

Visitors to The Monday Club will enjoy viewing original architectural features including murals, hardwood herringbone floors and the open truss system that was a recurring element in many of Miss Morgan’s buildings.

Integral to appreciating the history of The Monday Club is an understanding of what was occurring elsewhere in our country and the world during this period. On display will be an educational timeline that we have created depicting 100 years of history and events in San Luis Obispo, California and the world. Interpretive discussion of the timeline will be part of the docent-led tours that will be ongoing throughout the Doors Open event scheduled lecture by a Julia Morgan historian will also be part of the event.

Hosting Organization

The Monday Clubhouse Conservancy – https://www.themondayclubslo.org/OUR-HISTORY

6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Tour Elk Grove’s Oldest Home

Elk Grove (1853) – Early California

The home was built in 1853 for widow Euphemia Foulks who traveled by covered wagon with 4 of her 5 children from Mansfield, Ohio to Elk Grove, CA. It is one of the last examples of the early California “single frame” construction. There are two rooms down stairs and one room in the attic for sleeping. On the grounds of Heritage Parks also is the San Joaquin Justice Court that was built in 1912 with two of the jail cells that came from the 1850 Sacramento City floating jail, the ship LaGrange. They will also be able to tour the two story full scale replica of the 1850 Elk Grove House that was a stage stop between Sutter’s Fort and the Mexican capitol for Alta California in Monterey. It is completely furnished in the 1880 era.

Hosting Organization

Elk Grove Historical Society – https://elkgrovehistoricalsociety.com/history-foulks-family-and-house/

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6/11, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Stockton Gurdwara: The First Sikh Institution in the United States

Stockton (1912) – Diversity

Stockton Gurdwara, is the first Sikh institution in the United States which served thousands of South Asians throughout the 20th century.

Stockton Gurdwara, or the Stockton Sikh Temple, was established in 1912 and has been operational since then. It is the first Sikh American settlement and gurdwara in the United States and hosted many prominent Sikhs and Sikh Americans. Stockton Gurdwara has operated as a place of worship, acting as a cultural and historical resource for new immigrants and subsequent generations of Sikh Americans. It serves as a combination place of worship, dining hall, rest home, employment information center, meeting place, political forum, and sanctuary. The Stockton Gurdwara is the property most strongly associated with nationally significant figures in American history – Congressman Dalip Singh Saund and Bhagat Singh Thind.

Hosting Organization

Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal – https://pioneeringpunjabis.ucdavis.edu/contributions/religion/stockton-temple/

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6/11, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Chew Kee Store Museum & Home – A Century-long Legacy Frozen in time – Tour and Tea Drinking Experience

Fiddletown – Diversity

The western part of the mining town Fiddletown (Amador County) was once occupied by its sizable Chinese community. The Chinese Gambling House, Chinese General Store, and the Chew Kee Store Museum, all from 1855-1860, cluster together on Main Street, all evocative testaments to the Chinese presence in the Gold Rush and afterwards. By entering the Chew Kee Store museum, virtually through a video or with an in-person tour, the visitor envisions a different world, one in which Chinese immigrants adapted their culture to a new environment. This rammed earth building served as an herb store, a home, and a gathering place for the Chinese community. It was occupied by three sets of residents between 1855-1965, each with their own story. Everything in the building belonged to its Chinese occupants, immersing visitors in their lives, occupations, culture — an authentic experience.

Hosting Organization

Fiddletown Preservation Society – https://www.fiddletown.info/Buildings

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6/11, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Preston Castle – Tour the Nooks of an Historic Reformatory

Ione (1894) – Architectural Gems

A walking set guided tour of the grounds and interior of historic Preston Castle.  Docents will be stationed through out the tour to discuss the history and rehabilitation efforts.  Preston Castle a five story Romanesque Revival brick structure finished in 1894.  Discover the efforts to save and rehabilitate the building by a completely volunteer staffed non-profit foundation.

Hosting Organization

Preston Castle Foundation – https://prestoncastle.org/

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Truckee Jail – A Peek into the State’s ‘longest-running’ Jail

Truckee (1875) – Early California

You see the outside of this historic and unique building and wish you could see inside.

https://www.truckeehistory.org/old-jail-museum.html

One block north of Commercial Row near the corner of Spring and Jibboom Streets

in historic downtown Truckee located at 10142 Jibboom Street, generally opened with a Call, Text, or Email requesting a tour.

Open during Truckee Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

(Open Days and Hours always based upon our Volunteer Docent availability)

Check our Calendar or Events Page for current Season Operating Dates

Truckee’s historic jail museum is one of only a few surviving 19th century jailhouses of its kind in the West and one of the few remaining original buildings in Truckee. The old Bastille was used continuously from 1875 until May 1964, and ably withstood the many fires that swept the town in its early days.

Although jails are usually sturdy, Truckee’s is a virtual strongbox. The original building consisted of just the lower level, constructed of native stone. The walls are 32 inches thick at the lower level, with no windows unless one counts the small vents for each cell, which are set with irregular rows of two-inch steel bars. The ceilings are plate steel, insulated with dirt, and lined with narrow gauge railroad tracks. All doors are riveted steel, weighing an estimated 200 pounds each.

The need for a jail in Truckee was proposed in August 1873. At the time the only place to hold prisoners was a calaboose in the center of Brickelltown that proved inadequate to house the number of rowdy “guests” consigned there by local lawmen.

The area was, at that time, sending an average of one prisoner a day to the facilities at Nevada City. Nineteen citizens donated $25 each toward construction of the jail and the contract was awarded to James Stewart, Truckee’s premier stonemason at bid price of $1,235, exclusive of ironwork. The building began going up August 11, 1875, and was ready for occupancy September 22nd of that year.

The first prisoner was named William Hart, who got himself involved in a nasty brawl on Jibboom Street and was subsequently arrested by Constable Jake Teeter on September 22, 1875. Six days later a friend paid his bail and he was released, only to return a month later after starting another free-for-all in one of the local saloons.

By 1900 through continuous use, the jail had fallen into a state of disrepair. In 1901 the jail was given the addition of a second floor, which served as both a hospital ward and a holding place for female prisoners.

In 1904 two desperados escaped by making a saw from a case knife and removing one of the bars which they used for pounding a hole through the thirty-two inch wall of the larger room. It was no mean feat and called attention again to the need for reinforcement.

For years the town’s peace officers vainly petitioned the Nevada County Board of Supervisors for money to pay for improvements. In 1908, through the efforts of Constable Augustus Schlumpf, they were successful. The jail was reinforced with quarter-inch steel-lined rooms downstairs, and an upper story made of brick was added. Further improvements were made in 1909 by adding a second set of reinforced steel-grated entry doors.

Through the years, the old Bastille has held some of the old west’s most notorious characters (see images below), including “Baby Face” Nelson, “Ma” Spinelli and her gang. Old timers say that “Machine Gun” Kelly spent a night in the “slammer” after being caught shoplifting in the Truckee Variety Store.

Today, the Old Truckee Jail serves a new class of visitors. In 1970 plans were made to restore the building and in 1974 the long awaited restoration began. The Truckee Donner Historical Society asked for and received permission from Nevada County to convert the building into a town museum.

On July 4, 1976, Historical Society President, Roy Baker along with Truckee’s last official constable, Tom Dolley, who served as a lawman for 30 years dedicated the fully restored jail. The building is presently registered as an official Point of Historical Interest with the State of California (Nevada 004).

The Truckee Donner Historical Society offers an interesting tour and has a wide variety of local historical artifacts and photographs on display.

The Museum is open each weekend from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. all summer, until Labor Day. Stop by and see for yourself what a jail from the old west is really like.

You will see relics from other important industries including lumbering, box manufacturing and ice harvesting. Other exhibits pay tribute to the film industry, which thrived in Truckee during the 1920’s along with gambling and bootlegging.

Also exhibited are artifacts from the Truckee’s early winter sports era, including early skiing equipment and many historical photographs.

The Old Jail Museum is truly the gem in the crown of Truckee’s historic district and should not be missed by anyone with a love of history. You can even bring a picnic lunch to enjoy recently dedicated memorial garden behind the jail. The always friendly and often entertaining volunteer docents are always happy to answer any questions you might have.

Visit the Memorial Garden behind the old jail.

Private tours of the Old Jail Museum can be arranged by contacting us by e-mail at oldjailmuseum@truckeehistory.org or by calling the Truckee-Donner Historical Society

at (530) 582-0893.

Hosting Organization

Truckee-Donner Historical Society – https://www.truckeehistory.org/old-jail-museum.html

6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Berkeley City Club – Tour a Julia Morgan Masterpiece

Berkeley (1930) – Women

The club docents will introduce you to Miss Morgan, who was the first woman architect certified by the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and will lead you through the vaulted halls and arcaded courtyards of this medieval fantasy.

The Berkeley City Club is known for its steel-reinforced concrete walls and ceilings (artfully fashioned to look like wood), leaded glass windows, interior courtyards and magnificent indoor swimming pool. The building is a blend of Romanesque and Moorish styles of architecture common to the areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

Julia Morgan’s engineering skills, evident in the seismically solid building exterior, were matched by her attention to the interior designs for furniture, light fixtures, distinctive fireplaces and even dishes.

Constructed in 11 months, this six-story landmarked building opened in 1930 as the “Berkeley Women’s City Club” with a membership of over 4,000.

The Club’s founding group of women, all involved in separate civic, social, athletic and philanthropic causes, wanted to come together in a single, impressive, multi-use building. At the height of her career, Bay Area architect Julia Morgan was the natural choice for their project.

Originally a social club and residence for women, the Berkeley City Club has welcomed both women and men since 1962. Today it serves as a club, hotel, restaurant, events space and conference center.

Hosting Organization

Berkeley City Club – https://www.berkeleycityclub.com/

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Tour a World’s Fair Building & Museum on Treasure Island

San Francisco (1939) – Architectural Gems

Come meet the staff and volunteers at the Treasure Island Museum, visit our exhibits and our stunning Art Moderne Building, remaining from the Golden Gate International Exposition of 1939-1940. Our museum is the island’s collector and “storyteller,” offering programs and exhibitions reflecting the island’s remarkable history–artificial island built by the WPA (1937-38), site of the spectacular Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940), home to Pan American Airways storied “Clipper” flying boats to Hong Kong (1938-1945), and a critical base for the Navy during the War in the Pacific and beyond. The island is now undergoing redevelopment as a new residential and commercial neighborhood for San Francisco. Our building, located at the entrance to the island, is one of the three remaining buildings from the world’s fair, and the home of several original Pacific Unity sculptures that represented this “Pageant of the Pacific.” We will offer images and stories of the fair, films and programs, and our “As Time Goes By” exhibition about entertainment at the GGIE. Docents or staff will be available at all times. The island also offers a two full-service bars and restaurants and a market with a deli. SF Muni provides public transportation, parking is manageable, and ferry service between San Francisco and Treasure Island is now operating.

Hosting Organization

Treasure Island Museum – https://www.treasureislandmuseum.org/island-history

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6/11, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Special Doors Open Access to the Haas-Lilienthal House

San Francisco (1886) – Architectural Gems

Visitors will have the opportunity to walk freely through the rooms of the historic Haas-Lilienthal House while learning about its luxuriant décor and rich history. The house and its furnishings illustrate not only its Victorian origins but also the changes made to it during the 86 years it was occupied by the Haas and Lilienthal families. Visitors will be able to look into the past and see firsthand how three generations of this extended family lived during their time here, 1886 to 1972. Knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and share details of the architecture of this Queen Anne-style home, with its gable roofs, rounded bay windows, and classically derived ornamentation.

The Haas-Lilienthal House is owned and operated by San Francisco Heritage, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of San Francisco’s unique architectural and cultural identity. The house now serves as the organization’s headquarters and as the city’s only Gilded Age house museum open to the public year-round. It is also recognized as a National Treasure in 2012 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and as San Francisco Landmark #69.

Hosting Organization

SF Heritage – https://www.sfheritage.org/

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 6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

A Guided Tour Of Angel Island Immigration Station

Tiburon (1910) – Diversity

During the years that the former US Immigration Station was open from 1910-1940, the site was used to detain, interrogate, and process over 500,000 persons from 80 different countries. Most of these immigrants were from Asian and Pacific countries and were held at Angel Island due to the nation’s exclusionary immigration policies. Now designated as a California Historic Landmark and as a National Heritage Site, the former station holds an important and esteemed place in the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of Bay Area, California, and US immigrants and their descendants. These buildings — and the lives and stories they represent — serve as important reminders of our nation’s willingness to learn from our past to ensure that it keeps its promise of liberty and freedom.

For this Doors Open Program, participants have the option of participating in an onsite tour of the former US Immigration Station at Angel Island (ferry, museum entrance, and ground transportation fees not included) or a virtual program highlighting the history of the site.

Hosting Organization

Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation – https://www.aiisf.org/

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Open Doors at the GLBT Historical Society

San Francisco – Diversity

The GLBT Historical Society collects, preserves, exhibits and makes accessible to the public materials and knowledge to support and promote understanding of LGBTQ history, culture and arts in all their diversity. Founded in 1985, we are recognized internationally as a leader in the field of LGBTQ public history. This special opportunity for free access to the GLBT exhibits is made available thanks to the generous support of Big Run Studios (https://bigrunstudios.com/). Doors Open participants would simply visit the museum within the hours indicated and mention that they are participants in Doors Open California.

Hosting Organization

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6/11, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

SoMa LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Tour

San Francisco – Diversity

Come visit the world’s first LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District, located in San Francisco’s South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood! Since the 1960’s, SoMa has been home to a myriad of bars, restaurants, nightlife venues, publishing organizations, homophile organizations, bath houses, and more putting SF’s Leather scene in the international spotlight. Guided by renowned Leather historian, Gayle Rubin, this walking tour will visit numerous sites which shaped the District’s history, and continue to support SoMa’s living Leather culture. The tour will end with an optional happy hour at the San Francisco Eagle Bar, one of the world’s few Leather bars to receive Landmark designation.

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Shinn Family Homestead and Shinn’s Nurseries

Fremont (1856) – Early California

Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum consists of several buildings (including Sim’s Cottage (1840s), the tankhouse (1875), the Big House (1876), and the bungalow (1910)), gardens, and many historic trees on 4-1/2 acres of land. The Shinn family settled in the Washington Township, now Fremont CA, arriving in 1856. James and Lucy Shinn ran a successful nursery business between 1872 to 1887. They sold seeds, roses, plants, trees, fruit trees, as well as more exotic plants imported from Chile, Australia, China, Japan, and Eastern US. Some of these trees that were planted in the 1870s are still growing here.

They hired Chinese laborers and domestic servants during a time when it was dangerous to do so; the Workingmen’s Party of California was deeply anti-Chinese, and supporters frequently set fire to businesses employing Chinese workers. One remaining building of the Shinn “China Camp” is in the barnyard.

The Shinns were deeply involved with both local, statewide, and nationwide agricultural, horticultural, and political societies. James and Lucy valued education very highly, as evidenced by their children’s accomplishments. Their eldest son, Charles, was a prominent author, historian, and horticulturist, and also served as the first ranger of the Sierra National Forest. Their daughter, Milicent or “Millie”, was a prominent writer and developmental psychologist and was the first woman to receive a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She also was the editor of the Overland Monthly, a prominent literary magazine of the time, between 1883 to 1894. Their youngest son, Joseph, took over the nursery business and became a prominent member of the local community, serving on the Alameda County Water District’s Board of Directors for many years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a Shinn family descendent transcribed letters that Lucy Shinn wrote to her daughter, Millie. These letters are a precious gift, as they provide us with a rare peek into the lives of “common folk” in the early days of California statehood. The letters cover mundane topics (rag carpets, dress collars and cuffs, etc.) to more esoteric realms of philosophy and religion. The letters span Millie’s years as an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, between 1874-1880.

For Doors Open, guests will be able to tour the grounds, Big House, and archive room and examine objects related to the Shinn family and the letters between Lucy and Millie. Docent tours of the house will be offered both Saturday and Sunday 1-4:00pm; please see our website for more details. Online self-guided tour of the grounds also available.

For more information, please visit: https://sites.google.com/view/doorsopen2022fremont

Hosting Organization

Mission Peak Heritage Foundation – http://www.missionpeakreporter.org/index.php

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6/12, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Galindo-Higuera Adobe – Special Programming and Access

Fremont (1839) – Early California

Guests will visit the Galindo-Higuera adobe located on the Rancho del Agua Caliente. This rancho was awarded to Fulgencio Higuera in 1839 by then governor Juan B. Alvarado. It consisted of 9,563 acres or 15 square miles. Our families see the verdant green hills and can imagine what it looked like with no fences and the rancho cattle that dotted the hillsides. This land supported 11,000 head of cattle and several hundred horses. In 1979 the adobe was falling down. Historians, architects, preservationists, and archaeologists agreed that the adobe was significant and worth saving; hence the restoration began. A total of 7,500 bricks had to be made to replace those that were missing. During a visit, children can participate in candle making, learn how to design a brand and practice branding a piece of felt with the Higuera brand, and make an authentic adobe brick the way the Ohlone did so many years ago. Inside the building are displays that describe the hide and tallow trade, a video that shows how the land was used from the Ohlone period to the restoration and a display of Ohlone artifacts. This adobe and its 20 acres represents an important chapter in Spanish-Mexican-California history and we at the Washington Township Museum of Local History are happy to share this gem with the public.

https://sites.google.com/view/doorsopen2022fremont/

Hosting Organization

Washington Township of Local History – https://museumoflocalhistory.org/contact/school-tours-at-the-higuera-adobe-historical-park/

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

California Nursery Historical Park

Fremont (1884) – Early California

Hosting Organization

City of Fremont – https://www.fremont.gov/2896/California-Nursery-Historical-Park

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6/11-6/12, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

A Special Look at the Gonzales/Peralta Adobe & Fallon House Historic Site

San Jose (1797) – Early California

We hope you’ll accompany us on a guided journey and glimpse into the lives of San Jose’s early inhabitants.

Visitors will explore the Gonzales/Peralta Adobe, constructed in 1797, the oldest surviving address in San Jose, and the only structure remaining from El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe. After viewing the Abode visitors will be escorted across the street, to see the Carmela And Thomas Fallon House, one of the earliest Victorian era homes built in the 1850s, during the early statehood of California.

Hosting Organization

History San Jose – https://historysanjose.org/plan-your-visit/peralta-fallon-historic-site/

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6/11, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Special Access to the Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs

Gilroy – Diversity

Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs, a California Historical Landmark and on the list of National Register of Historic Places, is a property near Gilroy, California famed for its mineral hot springs and historic development by early settlers and Japanese immigrants. On the guided tour of the site, you will learn about the 156 year history of this beautiful place, its natural resources and about the restoration efforts that are underway to reopen the site to the public.

For more information on the restoration efforts and opportunities to volunteer, go to www.gilroyhotspringsconservancy.org.

Hosting Organization

California State Parks – https://www.gilroyhotspringsconservancy.org/

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6/11, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM (Pre-Registration Required)

Pond Farm Docent-led Tour for Doors Open

Guerneville – Women

Take a docent-led tour of Pond Farm Pottery and learn about the history of this significant cultural site that is on the National Register of Historic Places and a National Historic Landmark. Learn about the dreams and challenges of the Herr Family and Marguerite Wildenhain, the first woman master potter to graduate from the Bauhaus. Pond Farm was Marguerite’s home, school and studio for over 30 years and she taught hundreds of her students in the traditions of the Bauhaus.

Please arrive promptly at 9:30 am.

The tour begins at the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods office/Volunteer Center which is located to the right beyond the picnic area in Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. After a brief presentation, participants will carpool up the hill to Pond Farm Pottery, which is located in Austin Creek State Recreation Area, about 1 mile away.

Cost is $0 per person. Donations are accepted. Reservations are required.

Hosting Organization

Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods

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Fort Ross

Architectural Gems

I will host an open door event at Fort Ross and talk about the history of dog-hole ports and the importance of cultural landscape in preservation.

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6/11, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Special Access to the Warnecke Architectural Archives

Healdsburg – Architectural Gems

Warnecke Architectural Archive will be welcoming the public to tour our archives on Saturday, June 11th!

Tours will begin at 11:00 am and at 2:00 pm. Tours will last 30-45 minutes. Space is limited to 25 people per tour. Current Covid guidelines will be followed.

The Architectural Archive, located at Warnecke Ranch in Sonoma County CA, contains significant, primary source materials by and about noted California architects, John Carl Warnecke and his father Carl I. Warnecke. Over 100 years of architectural plans, drawings, sketches, photographs, personal papers, journals, project files, and correspondence make up one of the most extensive, remaining architectural archives still in one family.(1911-2012). The archive contains irreplaceable and comprehensive materials from JCW and his architectural firm, John Carl Warnecke & Associates. Notable projects include Mid-Century Modern masterworks like the Hawaii State Capital, Asilomar Conference Grounds, Mira Vista Elementary School, the UC Santa Cruz master plan and library, and the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame. The collection includes the work of 48 different architectural photographers including Morley Baer, Nathaniel Lieberman, Moulin Gabriel Studios, Rondal Partridge, and Gerald Ratto.

For more information about Warnecke Archive visit: https://www.warneckearchives.com

Hosting Organization

https://www.warneckearchives.com/

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6/12, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Peek into the Saratoga Foothill Club Clubhouse by Julia Morgan

Saratoga (1915) – Women

Docents will conduct tours of the clubhouse and provide background on its history, construction, and preservation.

The Saratoga Foothill Club members are stewards of a treasured building designed by Julia Morgan and built in 1915 for the Foothill Study Club, now known as the Saratoga Foothill Club. Julia Morgan was the first woman to graduate from the School of Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France, as well as the first woman architect licensed in California. She designed more than a thousand buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area during the first half of the 20th century and is known for her significant contribution to the development of the Bay Area Tradition.

Miss Morgan proposed building a redwood structure nestled in the wooded area of the village green where “Your majestic oaks will give a dappled effect with charming appeal. Dark wood, a rose window to bring in westerly light and open beams will create a distinctive look.” The moderately scaled Bungalow-style redwood building blends with the nearby residential area. It reflects Miss Morgan’s hallmarks of carved trellises with projecting brackets, open beamed ceilings and many windows, including a large circular paned rose window and a glass paned folding wall that allows light to pour through the building. She also included a motion picture projection booth (a half door into the pantry) opposite an alcove where the screen could be pulled down. The building served as Saratoga’s first movie theater.

Hosting Organization

Saratoga Foothill Club Historic Landmark Foundation – http://www.saratogafoothillclub.com/

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6/11, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Filoli Mansion and Grounds – Special Behind-the-Scenes Greenhouse Tour and Museum Access

Woodside (1921) – Architectural Gems

Filoli offers a behind-the-scenes tour of its historic greenhouses, designed by Arthur Brown, Jr. of Blakewell & Brown, San Francisco. These greenhouses were built in 1921 and have been in use since their inception, by both families who resided at Filoli when it was a private home, and today as an integral part of preservation of historic plants and propagation to support 16 acres of formal gardens. Before and after your private tour of the greenhouses you are free to enjoy Filoli’s grounds and self-guide through the formal gardens, nature preserve, and historic Filoli mansion.

Hosting Organization

Filoli – https://filoli.org/

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6/11-6/12, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Pescadero (1872) – Architectural Gems

The free field trip will include a 30-minute guided history walk and a behind-the-scenes visit to the base of the lighthouse which is closed to the public until restoration can be completed. While in the tower, learn about the restoration efforts at the park, at ground level and for the tower. The group will visit the museum to see the first order Fresnel lens on display as well as view the exhibits in the oil bunker.

Please note the ground around the lighthouse is uneven and there are a number of steps into the lighthouse base and several steps into the oil bunker.

Each tour will be approximately 60 minutes in length, with a maximum of 10 people per tour.

Tour times each day will be at 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00.

Hosting Organization

California State Parks – https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=533

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6/11, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Rancho San Andreas Castro Adobe – Special Programming and Access

Watsonville (1849) – Early California

This two-story restored adobe structure was built around 1849 by Juan Jose Castro whose roots go back to the 2nd Anza expedition who were among the first Spanish pioneer families to settle in Alta California from Mexico back in 1776. It sits on Rancho San Andres which was originally an 8,800-acre land grant awarded to Juan Jose’s father, Jose Joaquin by the Mexican Governor of California in 1823. This was during the Mexican Rancho period when prominent Spanish families made their fortunes from herds of cattle, selling hides and tallow. The tours will include all of the interior rooms featuring the famous Fandango Room where celebrations were held, one of the very few indoor cocinas, and a tour of the exterior gardens. We will discuss the ongoing restoration and the creation of 2400 adobe bricks that made it possible. Additionally, the tours will include the history about the Castro family, the vaqueros who worked the rancho and background on the Rancho Period when the Castro Adobe was built.

Hosting Organization

California State Parks – https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22271

6/12, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Restoration tour/CPF rehabilitation films
Eureka (1939) – Architectural Gems

This is the last theater built by George Mann on the coast of northern California. It is an ultra modern, neon-brilliant 1939 movie house made of concrete. George had an art deco three bedroom apartment on the second floor lounge/balcony where he could go with friends to watch a movie. (second floor is not ADA accessible) Theater seats 400. It is in the process of restoration. Non accessible tours would go into  projection area, on to the roof to see the structure of the blade sign, etc. Films from the CPF collection could be shown on the screen with tours arranged before and after filming. Website: The Eureka Theater in Eureka, CA. has photos.

Hosting Organization

Eureka Concert & Film Center – https://eureka-theater.org/

6/11 – 6/12, 11a, 1p, 3p

Presidio de San Diego – At The River’s Edge And Through The Presidio Grounds

San Diego – Early California

This walking tour focuses on the Presidio de San Diego, buried underground below the Serra Museum. Learn about the historical significance of this site going back to deep time, how the unique river and marine environment attracted people to the site since time immemorial.

Discover how archaeologists and historians have been able to understand what buildings and structures were there, and reconstruct what they may have looked like. Afterwards, browse around the new exhibition inside the Serra Museum.

Hear from Kumeyaay people today,the people that lived along the river’s edge since time immemorial, as well as the stories of people that came to settle the area, and why the Presidio continues to be a significant site.

Led by SDHC staff or volunteers, this tour is offered monthly at the Serra Museum, and is also available for booking for private parties.

Please note that Presidio Park and the Serra Museum, as a historic building designed in 1928, do not meet current standards for accessibility. This walking tour will cover multiple elevations, that include uneven surfaces and paths, some sloped or with stairs, and few with handrails. Appropriate footwear is recommended.

Hosting Organization

San Diego History Center – https://sandiegohistory.org/

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6/11, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Behind-the-scenes at the Historic Hotel del Coronado

Coronado – Architectural Gems

Bring to life the iconic resort’s rich heritage through an in-depth, architect-led walking tour of the Queen Anne Victorian building and lobby, including stories of the recently-completed restoration. The main facade and veranda just underwent an extensive restoration to restore it to its original 1888 appearance.

Hosting Organization

David Marshall, AIA

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Tour the Last Intact Farm in San Diego County

National City – Early California

The Stein Family Farm is the last intact farm located in the middle of National City.  Originally Rancho de la Nacion was the last Spanish land grant of 27,000 acres and went from the border of San Diego down to Mexico and out to San Miguel Mountain to the east.  The farm is approximately 3 acres of an original 10 purchased by the Steins in 1900 and remains unchanged except for the addition of animal pens.  It is owned by the City of National City who purchased it after our Chairperson gathered local support and marched on City Hall noting the importance of keeping it for the education of children and adults as to how people lived a hundred years ago.  The farm is totally volunteer run and is celebrating 30 years of historic education and dedication to the public this year!

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Tour of the historic Villa Montezuma – Historic Victorian mansion

San Diego – Architectural Gems

The Villa Montezuma, is San Diego’s amazing Queen Anne Victorian house museum and cultural center. The Villa is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned by the City of San Diego. Visitors to this beautiful landmark will get a glimpse into the past of the lavish lifestyle of eclectic pianist and composer, Jesse Shepard, who held many seances and performances at the home. Its wonderful stained glass windows and exceptional woodwork, showcases the level of detail incorporated into Queen Anne style architecture.

6/11, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Crystal Cove – Vernacular Cottages on the Beach – Behind-the-Scenes Look

Laguna Beach – Architectural Gems

Tours will include an update on the award-winning Crystal Cove National Register Historic District Restoration Project, currently in construction for Phase III.  Visitors will be introduced to the successful restoration and public use already completed in earlier phases, along with the currently in process work to complete the 17 remaining North Beach Cottages. We will provide access to recently restored and period furnished cottages soon to be added to the overnight rental program, as well as “behind the gates” looks at cottages under restoration currently.  Some elements of the tour will not be ADA accessible.

Hosting Organization

California State Parks/Crystal Cove Conservancy – https://crystalcove.org/

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6/11-6/12, Tours at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM

Union Station – Special Access Tour

Los Angeles (1939) – Architectural Gems

Built in 1939, Los Angeles Union Station is an architectural gem in the heart of downtown L.A. The historic Ticket Concourse features a restored 110-foot-long ticket counter crafted from American black walnut, a hand painted, stenciled acoustic ceiling adorned with massive bronze, chandeliers, towering 43-foot windows, quarry tile flooring traversed by a multi-colored marble runner, glazed polychromatic “Deco” tiles from Gladding McBean Co., and much more. While this space is not typically open to the public, the “Hidden Gems” tours will offer Angelenos a behind the scenes look at this breathtaking treasure.  Union Station is designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and California Register of Historical Resources. Additional historic public spaces include the grand Waiting Room, the Entry Vestibule and the view of the façade with its iconic clock tower, followed by a stop at the original Fred Harvey restaurant, now a brewpub frequented by travelers and patrons alike.

Hosting Organization

Union Station – https://www.unionstationla.com/

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Hollywood Heritage Museum, Lasky DeMille Barn

Los Angeles (1895) – Architectural Gems

Located in the Lasky DeMille Barn, site of the filming of the first full length feature filmed in Hollywood, join our curators on an exploration of the archives of Hollywood Heritage inc, Hollywood’s oldest and premier historic society and museum. Guests will have the opportunity to view unique and rarely displayed items and documents from our collection, which help illustrate the world of the early film industry. Small groups will join our curators in the attic of the barn for a look at the archives and then will be given a guided tour of the museum’s permanent collection on the ground floor. So please join us for Doors Open California at the Hollywood Heritage Museum!

Hosting Organization

Hollywood Heritage Inc – https://www.hollywoodheritage.org/

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6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Backstate Tour of the Ebell Woman’s Club

Los Angeles (1926) – Women

The Ebell Club of Los Angeles was founded in 1894 by a small group of women determined to advance women’s opportunities in education, civic improvement and “in every branch of culture.” In 1926, the 3,000 members realized an audacious plan to construct the elegant Italian Renaissance clubhouse and the 1,200 seat Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Wilshire Boulevard, designed by architect Sumner P. Hunt. The Ebell is honored to be included in the National Trust’s Women’s Initiative.

The Ebell continues to operate as a women-led, women-centered philanthropic organization dedicated to arts education and service. Stewardship of our historic campus and theater are central to our role as an artistic hub for all Los Angeles. Our organization has been at the center of many events of historical importance during our long residence at 743 South Lucerne Boulevard. Amelia Earheart delivered her final speech here before disappearing over the South Pacific in 1937. Igor Stravinsky premiered “Danses Concertantes,” his first major work composed entirely in the United States, in 1942. Judy Garland was discovered on our stage by MGM producer George Sidney when she was still known as Baby Frances Gumm.

During the weekend of June 11, we will be hosting a celebration of the centennial of Garland’s birth. Part of the festivities will include a display of some of her most famous costumes. The Ebell’s Doors Open event would include an exclusive backstage tour of our historic theater, a discussion of our connections to famous historical women like Garland, and a guided viewing of the costumes.

Hosting Organization

The Ebell of Los Angeles – https://ebellofla.com/club/

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6/11, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Behind-the-Scenes Tour and Gallery Access to the USC Pacific Asia Museum

Pasadena (1924) – Diversity

Built in 1924, USC Pacific Asia Museum is housed in a unique three-story Chinese Imperial-style residence. The serene garden courtyard provides a calm space for reflection and meditation in the heart of Pasadena. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the museum was designed by the architectural firm of Marston, Van Pelt & Maybury at the request of pioneering collector and entrepreneur Grace Nicholson (1877-1948). Ms. Nicholson, a noted authority on Native American and Asian Art and artifacts, supervised the design of her combination gallery and museum, which was completed in 1929. Designed in the style of a Chinese imperial palace and featuring a central courtyard with a garden, koi pond, and decorative carvings, it has been called an outstanding example of 1920s revival architecture and is unique for its use of Chinese ornamentation.

Doors Open California guests will be invited to experience a tour of the historic landmark including the downstairs galleries and upstairs living quarters which now accommodate museum staff offices. Visitors will be given an in-depth look at the rich history of the museum as well as plans for the museum’s path forward to increase cross-cultural understanding and exchange.

Hosting Organization

USC – https://pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu/

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6/11-6/12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Peter J. Weber House – Special Doors Open Access

Riverside – Architectural Gems

Designed by architect Peter J. Weber in the 1930s as a family residence and conceptual showcase of his work, The Weber House is a recognized City of Riverside Landmark. Built between 1932 to 1938, the house features an abundance of recycled and reclaimed materials, hand-carved details, innovative finishes, and some ahead-of-their-time systems.

Hosting Organization

Old Riverside Foundation – https://oldriverside.org/the-weber-house/

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Doors Open Riverside

The City of Riverside in partnership with Riverside Downtown Partnership and the Mission Inn Museum and Foundation are hosting the City’s fourth annual Doors Open event. Doors Open events began over 30 years ago in France and has since spread across Europe, North America, and Australia. These events provide free access to captivating historic sites that are often closed to the public. By opening the doors to these architectural gems, event organizers hope to increase awareness of historic architecture and the community’s collective heritage in California’s only Doors Open event.

Hosting Organization

City of Riverside

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6/11-6/12, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

The Palm Springs Hotels of Herbert W. Burns  – Walking Tour led by Steven Keylon

Palm Springs – Architectural Gems

This will be a walking tour showcasing the small apartment hotels designed by architectural designer Herbert W. Burns along West Arenas Road in Palm Springs Tennis Club Historic District. Designed in Burns’ signature Late Moderne style, these apartment hotels and condos remain popular tourist destinations. Tour leader Steven Keylon has written a book “The Design of Herbert W. Burns” for the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation and will talk about Burns’ interesting life and work. This walking tour will be exteriors only.

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 6/11, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Lassie House Tour – led by owner Ray Adamyk of Spectra Company

Architectural Gems

Built in 1900, The Lassie House is a historic landmark that was once the childhood home of Jon Provost – famously known as ‘Timmy’, from the television series Lassie. In 1927, the home was moved, from the original site, across Pomona on rollers pulled along by a team of mules. Provost, aka ‘Timmy’, lived in the home in its current location from 1955-1960, and would commute to Hollywood for his starring role in Lassie. The home was purchased in 2017 by Ray & Michelle Adamyk who extensively restored it to its original grandeur, with lots of Lassie touches, and invite you for a tour. Ray will be on-site and leading tours of the house intermittently between 10 am and 2 pm on Saturday, June 11 only. www.lassiehouse.com

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Cabot’s Pueblo Museum – Special Doors Open Access

 Architectural Gems

Doors Open California participants will receive free and special access to this marvel of a museum in Desert Hot Springs. Cabot’s Pueblo was built beginning in 1941 and was always intended to be a museum in addition to the residence for Cabot and Portia Yerxa. The Hopi-inspired building is hand-made and created from reclaimed and found materials from throughout the Coachella Valley. Cabot used recovered lumber from his original homestead built in 1914 on the other end of Miracle Hill. Additionally, he purchased abandoned cabins and dismantled them to use the materials for the pueblo, going so far as to straighten out used nails. Filled with Native American art and artifacts, souvenirs of Cabot’s travels around the world,  and Cabot’s own works of art, the Pueblo Museum officially opened to the public in 1950. The Pueblo has four stories, is 5,000 square feet, and includes 35 rooms, 150 windows, 30 rooflines, and 65 doors.

Your Doors Open California registration includes the following exciting perks. 

• Complete access to more than 75 sites across the state of California in six regions
• Access to our special Doors Open California virtual map of participating sites
• Self-guided and virtual tours made available from Doors Open partners
• Special experiences and unique curated content, accessible only to Doors Open participants.