Ferndale Main Street Historic District

Ferndale Main Street Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Ferndale's Historic Main Street view to north at Ocean Avenue.
Location	300-580 Main, 330 Ocean and 207-290 Francis Sts. Ferndale
Coordinates	40°34′35.79″N 124°15′49.46″W / 40.5766083°N 124.2637389°W / 40.5766083; -124.2637389Coordinates: 40°34′35.79″N 124°15′49.46″W / 40.5766083°N 124.2637389°W / 40.5766083; -124.2637389
Architect	includes T.J. Frost
Architectural style	Italianate, Stick/Eastlake, Queen Anne commercial and mixed use buildings
NRHP reference No.	93001461
Added to NRHP	January 10, 1994[1]

The City of Ferndale was designated as a State Historic Landmark (No. 883) in 1975 by the California State Parks Office of Historic Preservation. Ferndale's Main Street Historic District was established in 1994 by the National Park Service and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[2][3]

Architecture[]

Two distinct architectural phases are represented: late 19th century Victorian architecture, 1880 to 1890 and the early Modern period of the 20th century, 1920 to 1936. Eastlake-Stick style buildings by Architect T.J. Frost are particularly well represented as are Italianate, Queen Anne, Neo-Classic, Bungalow, and Mission styles.

The Ferndale Main Street Historic District covers 46 acres, includes 39 contributing buildings and one object, the Town Clock.^[3][4]

.	Name[5]	Image	Date built	Location	Summary
1			1884	207 Francis St.	Cottage built for Dr. Alford in 1884.
2	Masonic Temple		1891	212 Francis St.	Eastlake-Stick architecture.
3			1891	219 Francis St.	Currently residential.
4			1899	230 Francis St.	Built for Thomas H. Faulkner.
5			1881	248-250 Francis St.	Commercial false-front.
6			1891	290 Francis St. and 400 Ocean Ave.	Eastlake-Stick - T.J. Frost, Architect
7			1875	315 Main St.	Currently Ivanhoe Hotel. Oldest building in historic district.
8			1898	325-327 Main St.	The red building on left is part of the Taylor building which has housed the Post Office and a drug store.
9			1923	334 Main St.	Concrete moderne.
10			1889	337 Main St.	The grey part of the Taylor building at right has been the Post Office and a drug store.
11	Palace Saloon		1902	341-353 Main St.	The Palace Saloon is the westernmost saloon in the conterminous 48 U.S. states.
12			344 Main St.	Eastlake-Stick - T.J. Frost, Architect.
13			1902	350 Main St.	Built as T.H. Brown's Office Building by putting up what is known as a Victorian False-front in 1902.
14			1928	358 Main St.	Modernistic building with added Victorian ornament.
15			1902	361 Main St.	Victorian False-front.
16			1896	362 Main St.	Eastlake-Stick - T.J. Frost, Architect
17			1900	376 Main St.	Eastlake-Stick - T.J. Frost, Architect.
18			1923	385 Main St.	In front of Dan A. Branstetter building.
19			1896	393 Main St.	Former gallery of Hobart Brown.
20			1911	394 Main St.	Neo-Classical - still a bank.
21			1924	399-405 Main St.	Mission Revival Style.
22			1877	409 Main St.	Italianate storefront.
23			1894	424 Main St.	Victorian False-front built for James Mullady.
24			1875	425-431 Main St.	Victorian False-front.
25			1891	430-436 Main St.	Victorian False-front.
26			1920	441-451 Main St.	F. Georgeson, Architect, currently Ferndale Repertory Theatre.
27			1876	444 Main St.	Victorian False-front.
28			1870	452 Main St.	1870 residence joined to a 1918 storefront.
29			1888	455 Main St.	Modified in 1920, 1948, and 1954. Upper floor subsequently rebuilt and restored by Ferndale Blacksmith Company.
30			1924	460 Main St.	Mission Revival.
31			1936	468 Main St.	Eastlake-Stick style - T.J. Frost, Architect.
32			1891	476 Main St.	Victorian False-front.
33			1901	484 Main St.	Queen Anne Style built for S.H. Paine.
34			1900	505 Main St.	Italianate (modified late 1940s).
35			1930	513-525 Main St.	Mission Revival.
36			1930	524 Main St.	Modernistic/Streamline Moderne
37			1901	535 Main St.	Victorian False-front.
38			1901	543 Main St.	Victorian False-front.
39			1901	561-563 Main St.	Neo-Classical.
40			1927	580 Main St.	Modernistic False-front.

Six other Historic Landmarks, the Shaw House, the Berding House, the Catholic Church of the Assumption Rectory, Ferndale Public Library and the Alford-Nielson House are within the city limits, and the and F. W. Andreasen–John Rossen House are slightly out of town.

Popular culture[]

Some of Ferndale's historic buildings at Legoland, California. Left to right top: Abraxas Building, Victorian Inn, NVB Bank Building, Hobart Galleries, and the IOOF hall. The order of the buildings is not the same in reality.

Legoland Model Replica[]

Many of Ferndale's buildings have been recreated at the Legoland California theme park - the only American small town represented alongside New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas and other nationally known locations. Ferndale was settled by many Danes, and Lego is a Danish company. In 1995, Legoland staff took hundreds of photos in Ferndale, and used over 1 million Lego bricks to recreate the town in the Miniland section of the park.^[6]

Films and Movies[]

Ferndale's historic Main Street has been shown in television and movies since the 1960s. The street is featured in movies like The Majestic, Outbreak, Salem's Lot and A Death in Canaan.

References[]

External links[]

• National Register of Historic Places digitized photos, January 10, 1994
• National Register of Historic Places digitized text, January 10, 1994