Palo Alto Stanford Heritage |
 |
| Inventory photo | Photo taken October 11, 2015 |
The following is from the Historic Buildings Inventory as revised in 1986:
This building is a good example of a restrained Queen Anne design. The outside stairs were added in 1923.
This two-story house with its circular window in the second floor at one side, is a good example of a restrained Queen Anne design. A patterned shingle surface differentiates the second floor from the shiplap-sheathed first floor.
The house was built for W. W. Truesdale, who, in 1893, owned property in this and two other blocks in the city (but not in the block where a building is erroneously listed for in the Palo Alto Times reports for 1893 construction). Truesdale and his wife Emeline were early residents, who built their family home at 327 Lytton Avenue in 1895 (M. P. Madison, contractor).
Among the city offices he hold were town marshal, tax collector, street superintendent, and trustee.
Few tenants of the rental property stayed for more that a year, and in 1922 it became an apartment house (Ramona Apartments, Park Apartments). Commercial offices and studios were included from 1948 onward, including the studio of Elise and Roland Wolfe, well-established local photographers.
The owner at the time of the Inventory was Kermit Knopf.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Photos taken c. 1985 by Historic Resources Board when surveying downtown for additions to the Inventory. (PAHA Archive) | Location map |
The following is from the Centennial Buildings Tour, prepared by The City of Palo Alto Historic Resources Board for the Centennial Building Celebration, April 16, 1994. The houses included on the tour were all identified as at least 100 years old:
This house, with its idiosyncratic turned columns, circular window, and patterned shingle surface was built by Field and Ledyard for W. W. Truesdale who was at various times town marshal, tax collector, street superintendent, and trustee. It was a rental property, and in 1922 became Ramona (later Park) Apartments. Starting in 1948, commercial offices were included.
This house was built in 1893 and is a Category 3 on the Historic Buildings Inventory. The architect is not known and the builder was Field and Ledyard (possibly M. P. Madison). The property measures 54 by 63 feet.
Sources: Palo Alto City Directories; Palo Alto Times, 1/5/94, 1/2/96, 3/3/20, 1/1/24; P. A. Assessor's Books, 1984-1900
E-mail us at either webmaster@pastheritage.org or president@pastheritage.org.
Palo Alto Stanford Heritage—Dedicated to the preservation of Palo Alto's historic buildings.
Copyright © 2016 Palo Alto Stanford Heritage. All rights reserved.