After meeting everyone in the group at dinner the night before and a good night sleep, we officially started our excited tour.
I can only describe 38 years (1884 – 1922) of non-stopping construction as ‘crazy’! A humble farm house turned into a mansion of approximately 24,000 square feet of living space. As a trained draftsperson, being in the house was a little uncomfortable. There was no logic to the design. However, I enjoyed learning about history and witness the craftsmanship of a century ago. Back then, this house was ahead of its time with plumbing and electricity. The number 13 and the spider web motif were used throughout.
Most of the people don’t know this charming little town was the State Capital of California for a short time. We spent some time at the capital building and learned a little bit about the history.
Led by Paul Duchscherer, we were shown part of the printing process. This changed what I thought about wallpaper.
Opened in 1915 and revamped by Phillippe Starck. The legendary Art Deco style Redwood Room is paneled with wood from a single redwood tree. Check out this blog article for some vintage images of the Redwood Room.
MICHELLE CHIANG 
Pingback: San Jose / San Francisco Victorian Themed Tour with Eleanor Schrader | MICHELLE CHIANG