History is Our Story

Main Street Walk, Ferndale, California

East Side - Even Numbers		West Side - Odd Numbers
Enjoy the Victorian architecture along Main Street, Ferndale, California. It's lined with late 19th and early 20th Century redwood storefronts. Many have false fronts, others abut each other so closely there are rumors of secret passages connecting them. Main Street is visually dominated by the Wildcat Hills, and local tradition draws the south end of the street at the top of the page. This is continued in this table which flows from South to North. South of Ocean, Main becomes Francis Street.
	212 Francis -- The 1891 Masonic Temple is an example of Eastlake-Stick architecture.	207 Francis -- This Victorian cottage was built for Dr. Alford in 1884.
	230 Francis -- The 1899 Thomas H. Faulkner House adjoins the temple.	219 Francis -- a commercial false-front that was built in 1881 as an office for The Ferndale Enterprise. A parking lot separates this building from US Bank.
	248-250 Francis -- the 1899 Faulkner Building was altered in 1926, the 1960s, and 2010.
	400 Ocean -- The Victorian Inn was built as the Ira Russ Bank Building in a style described as Eastlake-Stick. It was designed by T.J. Frost, Architect in 1891.	330 Ocean -- The U.S. Bank Building is a 1977 neo-Victorian built to complement the rest of the buildings. (Bill McBride for scale.)
<--- walk this way to visit Ferndale Cemetery------ *Ocean Avenue* ---------drive this way to go to Centerville Beach --->
	300 Main --The moderne 1949 Larsen's Dodge Service Station	315 Main -- The 1875 commerical Victorian has been the Robert's Hotel and the Ferndale Hotel at different times in its history. It is now the Hotel Ivanhoe.
	334 Main -- The modernistic Enterprise Building was built in 1923, and is unique in its concrete construction and moderne styling.	325-327 Main -- This pair of 1898 storefronts known as the Taylor Building has housed many things over its history including the post office in 1889.
	344 Main --In 1900 T.J. Frost designed the Eastlake-Stick facade Ferndale Reliable Store. 350 Main -- The Victorian False-front was built in 1902 as T.H. Brown's Office Building.	339 Main -- The Valley Grocery is the former site of the Brick Store, newly constructed in 1906, then damaged by the earthquake which destroyed San Francisco. It was rebuilt, but taken down after three local 'quakes in 1992.
	358 Main -- a Modernistic style, was built in 1928 for Rose Mullady's Millinery and has been ornamented to match the rest of Main Street.	353 Main -- The 1902 M.H. Donnelly Building is a Victorian False-front with street and alley entrances. The Palace Saloon holds the distinction of being the farthest west tavern in the continental U.S.
	362 Main -- was built as the business it now is, Ring's Pharmacy. It was designed by T.J. Frost, Architect, in 1896 in an Eastlake-Stick style. The upstairs apartment was designed for the pharmacist's family home.	361 Main -- The 1902 D. A. Branstetter Building was built as a Victorian False-front. It once was the gallery of Viola Russ McBride. Gutted by fire in 2007, it has been completely restored and houses the Ferndale Clothing Company.
	376 Main - The 1902 Z. Russ and Sons Meat Market was designed by T.J. Frost, Architect, in an Eastlake-Stick style.	The Ferndale parking lot was once the site of the Gilt Edge Hotel. Stones mark the 1952 Centennial and the Viola Russ McBride Dedication Plaques. "The Majestic" movie palace was staged there.
	394 Main -- The 1911 Neo-Classical Ferndale Bank building adjoins the 1915 Ferndale Fire Hall on Brown Street. A siren is on the roof of the fire hall.	385-389 Main -- This building was started in 1894 as the Dan A. Branstetter Building and added to in 1947. In front is the Town Clock, added in 1923.
*Brown Street* <--- walk this way to the Gingerbread Mansion		393 Main -- was built in 1896 in the Eastlake-Stick style for P.F. Hart. It has been at various times a stagecoach stop, saloon, gambling hall, house of prostitution and art gallery. The Kinetic Sculpture Race was founded from this building in 1969.
	406 Main -- The Newell and Lentz Department Store was built in 1897 and then changed to Streamline Moderne in 1948. It is now the Lentz Deparment Store.	399-405 Main -- The New Hart Building was built in 1924 in Mission Revival Style. 409 Main -- A tiny Italianate storefront built in 1887 for Alford's Drug Store is a breakfast / lunch eatery.
	424 Main -- This Victorian false-front was built in 1894 as the James Mullady Building and currently houses a day spa.	421 Main -- Now The Golden Gait Mercantile, the H.J. Mueller Building was built in 1893, and modified in the 1930s and the 1970s.
	430-436 Main -- was built in 1891 as a Victorian False-front known as the M.P. Meng Building.	425-431 Main -- the Victorian False-front building was built as Ferndale's first Masonic Hall in 1875 and later became the I.O.O.F. Hall (International Order of Oddfellows).
	444 Main -- An 1876 commercial false-front was built as the Gill House and the Blackburn Building. It has a lovely yard.	*Theatre Alley*
	452 Main -- is an 1870 residence joined to an 1918 storefront. The building is called the Gangreen / Ward / Gill House.	441-451 Main -- The Hart Theatre was designed by F. Georgeson, Architect, in 1920 and currently houses the Ferndale Repertory Theatre.
	460 Main -- was built in 1924 in Mission Revival style to house the Eel River and Southern Telephone Company.	455 Main -- The G.W. Williams Building was built in 1888 and modified in 1954. It now houses The Blacksmith Shop.
	468 Main -- is a modernistic storefront built in 1936 for F. Dahlquist Plumbing and Electrical. A side court leads to a café.	475 Main -- was built in 1898 as the New York Cash Store in the Eastlake-Stick style by T.J. Frost, Architect.
	476 Main -- The Gill/Hiller Building was built as a commercial false-front in 1891.	491 Main -- The Williams Building was begun in 1895 and modified in 1954.
	484-492 Main -- The S.H. Paine Building was built as a commercial Victorian in 1901.	505 Main -- This 1900 Italianate storefront, the Old Red Front Store, now houses Abraxas.
*Washington Street* <--- walk one block to see Assumption Church		513-525 Main -- The Mission Revival Kemp Building was finished in 1930. One of its storefronts was the pet store in "Outbreak."
	524 Main -- The Modernistic Tipple Motors Service Station was built in 1930.	535 Main -- The R.H. Edwards Building was finished in 1902. For most of its Main Street commercial life, it was a grocery store.
	Ferndale Public Restrooms were built in 1982, and received a facelift in 2011.	543 Main -- The Hiram Hatch Building was erected in 1901.
	536 Main -- Doe's Hall was built in 1888 as a commercial False-front. Modified in 1946, it serves as Ferndale's Post Office.	553 Main -- Built in 1950, the Home Café Building.
	554 Main -- Another Doe Building, this commercial False-front was built in 1895 and altered between 1901-09 and again in 1945.	561-563 Main -- a Neo-Classical storefront built for Charles A. Doe in 1901 and modified in 1948.
	580 Main -- The 1927 commercial False-front was the S&E Garage and Ford Dealership. Now the Ferndale Art and Cultural Center, it is home to the Kinetic Sculpture Museum and many artists and artisans.	577 Main -- The Pixley-American Hotel was torn down and the "new" Red Front Store was built in 1960, then modified in 1987.
*Shaw Street* --- walk one block this way to the Ferndale Museum --->
	606 Main -- low commercial building--Once part of a blacksmithing shop, this site, set back from the street, was a Ford dealership and car repair shop in the '50s and '60s.	607 Main -- was the site of Ferndale's Pythian Castle, which suffered damage in the 1906 'quake and was torn down. The site became a gas station before being remodeled into the Ferndale Pizza Company.
	Many Victorian age buildings line Main Street all the way to Van Ness Avenue.	613-619 Main -- The Carpenter Gothic R.F. King Home was built in 1882.
	Ferndale Community Church is at the intersection of Main and Lewis.	703 Main -- The Shaw House is the oldest building in Ferndale, dating to 1854 with additions beginning in 1866. It was built by town founder Seth Shaw and called "Fern Dale." The building housed the post office and is now a bed and breakfast.
Sources: ^. The Ferndale Enterprise Souvenir Editions, 2004 and 2009 ^. Images of America Ferndale. ^. Historic plaques on some of the buildings.			Thanks to Ellin Beltz and Ken Mierzwa for helping with this page, and to Alberta Harlow for suggesting it.