The Lathrop House, also known as the Lathrop-Connor-Mansfield House, was built in

Redwood City, California Redwood City is a city on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area of Northern California, approximately south of San Francisco and northwest of San Jose, California, San Jose. The city's population was 84,292 accor ...

and is one of the

San Francisco Peninsula The San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On its northern tip is the City and County of San Francisco. Its southern base is Los Altos and Mountain View, ...

's oldest mansions. Mary C. Lathrop, wife of Benjamin G. Lathrop, bought the land for the 11 room house in 1858 and construction was completed in 1863. The museum has historically existed in three locations, within a few blocks radius in Redwood City.

History

Benjamin Gordon Lathrop was the first clerk, recorder, and assessor of

San Mateo County, California San Mateo County ( ), officially the County of San Mateo, is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 764,442. Redwood City, California, Redwood City is th ...

, as well as one of the original investors in the

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

to San Jose railroad. This wealth allowed his wife, Mary C. Lathrop and him, to buy up many parcels of land in Redwood City, one of which they constructed the house upon in 1863. It was originally located where the Fox Theatre is now constructed, 2215 Broadway, Redwood City. The house was constructed in the

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

style was becoming more popular at the time with tall gables and arches pierced by quatrefoil designs. More specifically it was designed in the Steamboat Gothic style designed to resemble the

steamboats A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...

of the era. Lathrop House passed through many owners over the years including

Patrick Edward Connor Patrick Edward Connor (March 17, 1820Rodgers, 1938, p. 1 – December 17, 1891) was an Irish American soldier who served as a Union general during the American Civil War. He is most notorious for his massacres against Native Americans dur ...

, who had been a Union General, and Sheriff Joel Mansfied, who purchased the house in 1905 and moved it to 627 Hamilton Street. San Mateo County acquired the house in 1968 to make it part of a heritage center. The Lathrop House was restored on the exterior through joint efforts of the Redwood City Heritage Association and the county. The Lathrop House was operated as a museum by the Redwood City Heritage Association and was open to visitors twice monthly to view the interior of the house. In 2017, it was closed in advance of a planned move of the structure to be adjacent to the

San Mateo County History Museum The San Mateo County History Museum is located in downtown Redwood City, California. Housed inside the former courthouse built in 1910 for the San Mateo County Superior Court, the museum showcases the rich history of San Mateo County and the su ...

. In May 2019, the house was moved to nearby 701 Hamilton Street.

Gallery

References

External links

* {{National Register of Historic Places in California Redwood City, California National Register of Historic Places in San Mateo County, California Gothic Revival architecture in California Residential buildings completed in 1863

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links