North Star House (alternate: Foote Mansion) is a house located roughly a mile south of

Grass Valley A grass valley (also vega and valle) is a meadow located within a forested and relatively small drainage basin such as a headwater. Grass valleys are common in North America, where they are created and maintained principally by the work of b ...

, Nevada County, northern

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. The building served as the superintendent's house for the

North Star Mine The North Star Mine and Powerhouse are located on Lafayette Hill a short distance south of Grass Valley in the U.S. state of California. It was the second largest producer of gold during California's Gold Rush. In 1898, the largest Pelton wheel ...

. Commissioned by Superintendent

Arthur De Wint Foote Arthur De Wint Foote (1849–1933) was an American civil engineer and mining engineer who impacted the development of the American West with his innovative engineering works and entrepreneurial ventures. In Northern California in the late 189 ...

and his wife,

Mary Hallock Foote Mary Hallock Foote (1847–1938) was an American author and illustrator. She is best known for her illustrated short stories and novels portraying life in the mining communities of the turn-of-the-century American West. Biography Overview Mar ...

("Molly"), an author and illustrator, it was designed in 1905 by the architect

Julia Morgan Julia Morgan (January 20, 1872 – February 2, 1957) was an American architect and engineer. She designed more than 700 buildings in California during a long and prolific career.Erica Reder"Julia Morgan was a local in ''The New Fillmore'', 1 Febr ...

. This was her first significant, large-scale, residential project. The house is notable for its relationship to the literary career of Molly Foote and the master architect, Morgan.

Geography

The house is located at 12075 Old Auburn Road, near the Nevada County Fairgrounds. Situated on a site, the property is on a hillside that overlooks foothills and a valley. To the south is Quail Valley Golf Club.

History

The North Star Mine was the second largest producer of gold during the

California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...

. The Footes originally lived on the mine property for 10 years with their three children in a cottage. When Foote and his wife decided they needed a home to entertain the investors, dignitaries and celebrities that were coming to the

Gold Country The Gold Country (also known as Mother Lode Country) is a historic region in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, that is primarily on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. It is famed for the mineral deposits and gold mines ...

, they hired Morgan to design it. Built in 1905, it was one of her first projects. While living in the house Mary Foote wrote her lifetime reminiscences which form her published memoirs, ''A Victorian Gentlewoman in the Far West''. From the time of construction to 1968, the residence was occupied by the Foote family. In 1968, the property was purchased and served as a private religious school for boarding students during the 1970s, and as a school for troubled youths from 1970 through the early 1980s. It attracted youths as far away as Michigan after it became known as a non traditional Christian church. It was operated by a renegade Baptist preacher called Rev. Bill. By the late '70s rumors were circulating about unorthodox dealings with the youths at the school. The school eventually closed. Rev Bill was never heard from again. Local legend says that there was ritualistic practices going on, locking up children and brainwashing them into occult practices. To the locals this place is known as The Devil's Mansion. Now operated as an event center by a non-profit organization, it is currently the home of the weekly Nevada County Growers Market. The North Star House was the setting for

Wallace Stegner Wallace Earle Stegner (February 18, 1909 – April 13, 1993) was an American novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and historian, often called "The Dean of Western Writers". He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and the U.S. National Book ...

’s

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

winning novel, ''

Angle of Repose The angle of repose, or critical angle of repose, of a granular material is the steepest angle of descent or dip relative to the horizontal plane to which a material can be piled without slumping. At this angle, the material on the slope fac ...

''. The house eventually became derelict. From the mid-1980s until April 2002, it was owned by Terra Alta Development. During this time Penelope Curtis founded the Julia Morgan Conservancy which began restoration plans for the house. By November 2002, Sandy Sanderson, an Oregon developer, obtained a binding contract on the property. Restoration was begun by the North Star Historic Conservancy after the Nevada County Land Trust hired Bruce Conklin to oversee the site's restoration in 2003. Listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

on February 1, 2011, it is still undergoing restoration.

Architecture and fittings

The mansion, with 22 rooms, is an early example of the California Arts and Crafts style. The style, dubbed the

First Bay Tradition First Bay Tradition (also known as First Bay Area Tradition or San Francisco Bay Region Tradition) was an architectural style from the period of the 1880s to early 1920s. Sometimes considered a regional interpretation of the Eastern Shingle Style, ...

, included natural materials and site-sensitive design such as local waste rock from the mine, hand-peeled logs and redwood shingles. Exemplifying Morgan's style, the house features exposed beams, strong horizontal lines, the use of shingles, and earth-toned colors. The building is oriented west and u-shaped in plan. An entry courtyard is situated on the east side, while a sprawling stone terrace is on the west side. Framed in wood, the walls are of stone masonry at the first level, and redwood shingle sheathing at the second level. The low pitch gable roof features wide overhangs and eyebrow vents, the original wood shingle replaced in 2004 with fireproof composite shingles. The foundation is of quarry stone and cement, while the chimneys are of brick. There are several entry doors which access the living room, library, study, and dining room. Original features, such as doorknobs and light fixtures, are no longer on the property. On the second level, an open air sleeping porch is situated above the terrace. A courtyard is situated between the building's two wings. A small garage, which was added at the northeast corner of the building ca. 1968, is being removed.

Grounds

The grounds feature a Great Lawn and other distinct areas for community events. There are giant

ponderosa pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is the ...

s, sloping lawns, and plantings that date to the late 1800s. The hybridized fruit trees that resulted from Foote's collaboration with

Luther Burbank Luther Burbank (March 7, 1849 – April 11, 1926) was an American botanist, horticulturist and pioneer in agricultural science. He developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants over his 55-year career. Burbank's varied creations incl ...

are evidenced in the surrounding heritage orchard. Historically, the property included hydrangeas, magnolias, and crepe myrtle. There was a fern grove to the south and landscaping to the north included Japanese quince, peonies, cedar, and tulip trees.

References

External links