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Palo Alto Historic Buildings Inventory

356 Kingsley Avenue

Professorville Historic District

inventory photo 2005 photo
Inventory photo Photo taken July 14, 2010

The following is from the Historic Buildings Inventory as revised in 1985:

Physical appearance:   This is a straight-forward 19th Century vernacular building whose imagery has been altered from time to time. The porch, ground floor windows and fanlights appear to be among the later changes. The house exhibits strong Greek Revival influence in the return of the eaves, flat corner boards, and slab-like window moldings. The fish scale shingles and rosettes on the barge board are Victorian.

Significance:  Built for Mrs. L. Chandler, who presumably occupied it until 1897, when Mrs. Charlotte Dingley leased it and with her sister's help ran a boarding house "for Stanford Professors only." Mrs. Dingley, a widow, was active in community affairs, charter or early member of the Congregational Church, Woman's Club, and Fortnightly Club. From 1905 to 1914 the owner was river-boat captain W.L. Cooley. For over 25 years (1927-1954) it was the home of the Frederick Thorild family. Thorild, a native of Sweden, was a realtor. Walter and Paula Weber acquired the home in 1962.

 

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 straight-forward vernacular building exhibits strong Greek Revival influence in the return of the eaves, flat corner boards, and slab-like window moldings. The fish scale shingles and rosettes are Victorian. It was built for Mrs. L. Chandler who presumably occupied it until 1897, when Mrs. C. Dingley ran a boarding house "for Stanford Professors only."

Whitman view view from rear
From Whitman Court Taken from Whitman Court
2002 photo map
2002 photo Location map

This house was built in 1893 and is a Category 1 on the Historic Buildings Inventory. The builder was H. B. Adair of Pescadero. The property measures 50 by 190 feet.

Sources: Palo Alto City Directories; Palo Alto Times 4/2/93, 8/26/98. 12/26/51, 11/3/53; Palo Alto Live Oak, 8/25/97; Palo Alto AAUW, ...Gone Tomorrow?, p. 44

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