Governor's Mansion State Historic Park

Last updated

California Governor's Mansion
Governor's Mansion State Historic Park - exterior 1 (cropped).JPG
Location map Sacramento.png
Red pog.svg
USA California location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location1526 H St, Sacramento, California
Coordinates 38°34′48″N121°29′05″W / 38.58000°N 121.48472°W / 38.58000; -121.48472
Built1877
ArchitectNathaniel D. Goodell
Architectural style Second Empire-Italianate
NRHP reference No. 70000139 [2]
CHISL No.823 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 10, 1970
Designated CHISLAugust 10, 1974

The California Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the governor of California, located in Sacramento, the capital of California. Built in 1877, the estate was purchased by the Californian government in 1903 and has served as the executive residence for 14 governors. The mansion was occupied by governors between 1903–1967 and 2015–2019. Since 1967, the mansion has been managed by California State Parks as the Governor's Mansion State Historic Park.

Contents

History

A depiction of the mansion in 1880. Historic American Buildings Survey Thompson and West Illustrator in History of Sacramento County Photo Copy 1960 NORTH ELEVATION (1880) - Albert Gallatin House, 1527 H Street, HABS CAL,34-SAC,19-1 (cropped).tif
A depiction of the mansion in 1880.
The Governor's Mansion in 1907. Californiabluebo1907cali 0067 Governor's Mansion, Sacramento (cropped).jpg
The Governor's Mansion in 1907.

The thirty-room, three-story Second Empire-Italianate Victorian mansion was built in 1877 for local hardware merchant Albert Gallatin, who sold it to businessman Joseph Steffens, the father of journalist Lincoln Steffens, in 1887. In 1903, the State of California purchased the house to serve as the governor's mansion. [3] [4]

Many furnishings remain from former governors, including Pardee's 1902 Steinway piano, velvet chairs, and sofas belonging to Governor Hiram Johnson, and Persian rugs bought by the wife of Earl Warren.

State park

In 1967, ownership of the mansion was transferred from the Governor of California to California State Parks, establishing the Governor's Mansion California State Historic Park. Governor Reagan lived in the mansion for a few months while making arrangements for his own residence. He leased a home in East Sacramento's "Fabulous 40s" neighborhood at 1341 45th Street. [5] Reagan set a precedent that was adopted by all subsequent California governors until 2015.

In 1970, the mansion was designated as a "historic house museum" and opened to the public. [6]

From 1974 to 1975, during Reagan's tenure, a new executive mansion was constructed in the Casa de los Gobernadores neighborhood of Carmichael, a suburb of Sacramento. Reagan never resided in the mansion, as it was completed after his tenure as governor ended, and the mansion was subsequently sold by Reagan's successor, Jerry Brown. Brown, during his first two terms as governor from 1975 to 1983, lived in a sparsely-furnished two-bedroom apartment at the Dean Apartments at 1400 N St. [7]

A drawing room in the mansion. Governor's Mansion State Historic Park - second parlor.JPG
A drawing room in the mansion.

Governors George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson, and Gray Davis all lived in different Carmichael residences. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ordinarily commuted each day by private plane from his home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles. When he would need to stay in Sacramento overnight, he would take a hotel suite at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento which is across the street from the California State Capitol. [8]

When Brown became governor again in 2011, he opted to live in a 1,450-square-foot (135 m2) downtown loft. [9]

In July 2012, the Governor's Mansion was one of 70 California State Parks proposed for closure as part of a deficit reduction program. [10] Previously, it was also one of several state parks threatened with closure in 2008. These threatened closures were ultimately avoided by cutting hours and maintenance system-wide. [11]

Renewed executive residence

In 2015, the mansion once again became the official residence of the governor of California as well as being a museum, when Governor Jerry Brown and his wife, Anne Gust Brown, moved into the governor's mansion after it underwent $4.1 million in renovations to update electrical and plumbing systems, as well as to remove lead-based paint and install a fire sprinkler system and other security features. [12] [13]

In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom and his family lived briefly in the mansion before taking up residence in a house purchased in the Sacramento suburb of Fair Oaks. [13] [14] [15]

Stanford Mansion

The Leland Stanford Mansion is also used by the Governor of California for official purposes, including the reception of foreign dignitaries. Leland Stanford Mansion (3).JPG
The Leland Stanford Mansion is also used by the Governor of California for official purposes, including the reception of foreign dignitaries.

The Leland Stanford Mansion, the former residence of Leland Stanford (8th Governor of California and founder of Stanford University), serves as the official reception house for the Californian government. It is often used by the governor for official receptions of foreign dignitaries and for ceremonial purposes. [16]

The Stanford Mansion also hosts an official office and working space for the governor.

Casa de los Gobernadores

Casa de los Gobernadores was built in 1974-75, in the Sacramento suburb of Carmichael, to serve as the new official residence of the governor. [7] Reagan never resided in this new governor's mansion as it was completed after his term ended. Jerry Brown, who succeeded Reagan, refused to live in the mansion. [7] In 1982, mansion was sold by the state and is now a private residence.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of California</span> Head of government of California

The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leland Stanford</span> American politician and railroad tycoon (1824–1893)

Amasa Leland Stanford was an American attorney, industrialist, philanthropist, and Republican Party politician from California. He served as the 8th Governor of California from 1862 to 1863 and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1885 until his death in 1893. He and his wife Jane founded Stanford University, named after their late son.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Brown</span> Governor of California (1975–1983; 2011–2019)

Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 34th and 39th governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected Secretary of State of California in 1970; Brown later served as Mayor of Oakland from 1999 to 2007 and Attorney General of California from 2007 to 2011. He was both the oldest and sixth-youngest governor of California due to the 28-year gap between his second and third terms. Upon completing his fourth term in office, Brown became the fourth longest-serving governor in U.S. history, serving 16 years and 5 days in office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavin Newsom</span> Governor of California since 2019

Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician and businessman serving since 2019 as the 40th governor of California. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leland Stanford Mansion</span> Historic house in California, United States

The Leland Stanford Mansion, often known simply as the Stanford Mansion, is a historic mansion and California State Park in Sacramento, California, which serves as the official reception center for the Californian government and as one of the official workplaces of the Governor of California.

William Alfred Newsom III was an American judge, administrator of the Getty family trust, and the father of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pío Pico State Historic Park</span> State historic park in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Pío Pico State Historic Park is the site of El Ranchito, also known as the Pío Pico Adobe or Pío Pico Mansion, the final home of Pío Pico, the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule and a pivotal figure in early California history. Located in Whittier, California, at 6003 Pioneer Blvd. near Whittier Blvd. and Interstate 605, it is California Historical Landmark No. 127, listed as "Casa de Governor Pío Pico". Just west of the park is the San Gabriel River. Across the river is the city that bears his name—Pico Rivera. The park consists of the adobe and about three acres of surrounding land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 California gubernatorial election</span> Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of California

The 2010 California gubernatorial election was held November 2, 2010, to elect the governor of California. The primary elections were held on June 8, 2010. Because constitutional office holders in California have been prohibited from serving more than two terms in the same office since November 6, 1990, incumbent Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger was term-limited and thus was ineligible to run for re-election to a third term. Former governor Jerry Brown, to whom the term limits did not apply due to a grandfather clause, defeated Meg Whitman in the general election and was sworn into office on January 3, 2011. As of 2023, this is the last time the governor’s office in California changed partisan control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Siebel Newsom</span> American actress and filmmaker (born 1974)

Jennifer Lynn Siebel Newsom is an American documentary filmmaker and actress who is the current First Lady of California as the wife of Governor Gavin Newsom. She is the director, writer, and producer of the film Miss Representation (2011), which premiered in the documentary competition at the Sundance Film Festival. The film examines how the media has underrepresented women in positions of power. The Mask You Live In (2015), her second film which she wrote, produced and directed, scrutinizes American society's definition of masculinity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 California gubernatorial election</span> Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of California

The 2014 California gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of California, concurrently with elections for the rest of California's executive branch, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heilbron House</span> United States historic place

The Heilbron House is a historic mansion in Downtown Sacramento, California. Built in 1881, it was initially the home of August Heilbron, a cattle rancher, merchant, and landowner who came from Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 California gubernatorial election</span> Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of California

The 2018 California gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of California, concurrently with elections for the rest of California's executive branch, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jerry Brown was ineligible to run for re-election for a third consecutive term due to term limits from the Constitution of California. The race was between the incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and businessman John H. Cox, a Republican, who qualified for the general election after placing first and second in the June 5, 2018, primary election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Glazer</span> American politician

Steven Mitchell Glazer is an American politician and former political advisor serving as a member of the California State Senate from the 7th Senate District, which includes most of Contra Costa County and eastern portions of Alameda County in the East Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First ladies and partners of California</span> Spouse of the governor of California

The first lady of California or first partner of California is the spouse of the governor of California. The role of the spouse of the governor of California has never been codified or officially defined. The spouse figures prominently in the social life of the state, and some spouses have been assisted with a staff in the Executive Office of the Governor. As of 2023, all the state's governors have been men, and not all of them were married while in office.

Samuel Newsom was a Canadian-born American architect. Together with his brother Joseph Cather Newsom founded the architecture firm Newsom and Newsom, practicing in Northern and Southern California. Their most celebrated house is the Carson Mansion in Eureka, California.

The government of California initially responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in the state with a statewide lockdown, the first of its kind during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. As the pandemic progressed in California and throughout the rest of the country, the California government, following recommendations issued by the U.S. government regarding state and local government responses, began imposing social distancing measures and workplace hazard controls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casa de los Gobernadores</span> Building in Carmichael, California

The Casa de los Gobernadores is a mansion that was originally built to serve as the official residence of the Governor of California, located in Carmichael, California, in Greater Sacramento. Today, it serves as a private residence.

References

  1. 1 2 "Governor's Mansion". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  2. "California (CA), Sacramento County: California State Capitol". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 20, 2010. Archived from the original on November 13, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  3. "The Historic Governor's Mansion of California". California State Parks. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  4. "Guide to the Governor's Mansion State Historic Park Photographic Collection". Online Archive of California. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  5. Lundquist, Ryan (September 17, 2012). "Where Ronald Reagan lived (and almost lived) in Sacramento". Lundquist Appraisal Company. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  6. Creamer, Anita (November 4, 2013). "California's historic governor's mansion reopens with flair". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved December 2, 2010. The third floor of the California governor's mansion reopens to the public. . .after being closed to visitors for decades
  7. 1 2 3 "Remembering Carmichael's "Taj Mahal" executive mansion". Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. June 28, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  8. Halper, Evan; Rothfeld, Michael (March 7, 2008). "This puts your commute to shame". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 1, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  9. Goldmacher, Shane (December 22, 2010). "Jerry Brown chooses a trendy loft near the Capitol". The Los Angeles 2300 California Ave. Times. Archived from the original on January 23, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
  10. "State Parks Announces Closures" (PDF) (Press release). California State Parks. May 13, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  11. McGreevy, Patrick; Sahagun, Louis (September 26, 2009). "State parks to stay open, but with cuts in hours, staffing". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Archived from the original on December 30, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  12. Adler, Ben (December 17, 2015). "First Family Moves Into California Governor's Mansion". Capital Public Radio. Archived from the original on December 21, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  13. 1 2 Goldmacher, Shane (December 22, 2010). "Gov. Gavin Newsom and family to pass on the governor's mansion, head to Sacramento suburbs". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  14. "California governor skips historic mansion for suburban home". Associated Press. January 18, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  15. Bollag, Sophia (January 17, 2019). "Gavin Newsom's family plans move to $3.7 million Fair Oaks mansion". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  16. "Leland Stanford Mansion SHP". California Department of Parks and Recreation. November 3, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2014.

Further reading