The William R. Thorsen House, often referred to as the Thorsen House, is a historic residence in

Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and E ...

. Built in 1909 for William and Caroline Thorsen, it is one of the last of four standing

ultimate bungalow An ultimate bungalow is a large and detailed American Craftsman-style home, based on the bungalow form. Overview The ultimate bungalow style is associated with such California architects as Greene and Greene, Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan. ...

s designed by Henry and Charles Greene of the renowned architectural firm

Greene & Greene Greene and Greene was an architectural firm established by brothers Charles Sumner Greene (1868–1957) and Henry Mather Greene (January 23, 1870 – October 2, 1954), influential early 20th Century American architects. Active primarily in Cal ...

and the only one located in

Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...

. Since 1942, it has been home to the Sigma Phi Society of the Thorsen House (alternatively Thorsen or the Sigma Phi Society of California), which hosts communal dinners, organizes small concerts, and offers tours for other students and members of the public, welcoming thousands of visitors a year. Thorsen can be toured throughout the week on an informal basis; one can simply knock on the door to visit.Official Thorsen House Website
''(Sigma Phi Society)'' access date: 1/4/2010

History

Namesake

The Thorsen House is named after William Randolph Thorsen (1860-1942), a lumber baron from

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

who retired to and purchased a lot in

. His wife, Caroline Canfield Thorsen (1858-1942), was the younger sister of Nellie Canfield Blacker, owner of the

Robert R. Blacker House The Robert Roe Blacker House, often referred to as the Blacker House or Robert R. Blacker House, is a residence in Pasadena, California, United States, which is now on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1907 for Robe ...

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. ...

. The couple resided in the house following its construction and until their deaths in 1942.

Design

The house embodies the American Craftsman style of the Arts and Crafts Movement, a style

is known for incorporating in their projects (as is the case with Gamble House and Blacker House, both in Pasadena). The entry hall is paneled in Burmese Teak while the living and dining rooms are paneled in

Honduras Mahogany Honduras mahogany is a common name for several trees and may refer to: *''Swietenia humilis ''Swietenia humilis'' is a species of tree in the family Meliaceae. It is one of three species in the genus ''Swietenia'', all three of which are regard ...

with

ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when ...

pegs covering the screws. The fireplace in the living room is encased in mauve tile from the

Grueby Faience Company The Grueby Faience Company, founded in 1894, was an American ceramics company that produced distinctive American art pottery vases and tiles during America's Arts and Crafts Movement. The company was founded in Revere, Massachusetts, by Willi ...

. The front door contains leaded art glass in the pattern of a gnarled grape vine, executed by Emil Lange, who also worked on the Gamble House. The Greenes were originally commissioned to make furniture for the dining room, but were later called back to make additional pieces.

References

External links

Official Thorsen House Website
(Sigma Phi Society - Tours)

{{National Register of Historic Places in California Houses completed in 1909 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in California History of Alameda County, California Arts and Crafts architecture in California Buildings and structures in Berkeley, California Historic house museums in California Bungalow architecture in California American Craftsman architecture in California Houses in Alameda County, California Museums in Berkeley, California Fraternity and sorority houses National Register of Historic Places in Berkeley, California Sigma Phi Greene and Greene buildings

History

Namesake

Design

See also

References

Related reading

External links