Travel Back In Time To This 19th Century Victorian Mansion

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Picture Credit: The Stansbury Home Website via Jason Weinrich

Picture Credit: The Stansbury Home Website via Jason Weinrich

Located on the Southwest corner of 5th and Salem Street the Stansbury mansion is a piece of local history that stands out due to its iconic beauty and architectural design. Built in 1883 by Dr. Oscar Stansbury the home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and in 1991 the Stansbury home was listed as supporting the South Campus Historic District. The home is now owned by the city of Chico and is open for tours on Saturdays and Sundays.

Picture Credit: Jason Weinrich

Picture Credit: Jason Weinrich

Picture Credit: Jason Weinrich

Picture Credit: Jason Weinrich

Dr. Stansbury had his elegant home built for his wife and growing family. Together the parents had three children, Middelton Pemberton, Angeline Hardcastle, and Ellen Gilder Stansbury. The Victorian home stayed in the Stansbury family from the time they built the home in 1883 until the death of the Stansbury’s oldest daughter, Miss Angeline Stansbury. Angeline passed away on Christmas Day in 1974.

1889 Ellen with Angeline and MiddletonPicture Credit: The Stansbury Home Website

1889 Ellen with Angeline and Middleton
Picture Credit: The Stansbury Home Website

The Stansbury Family Picture Credit: Calisphere.org

The Stansbury Family
Picture Credit: Calisphere.org

1923 Oscar Stansbury seated, Middleton Stansbury and Middleton P. StansburyPicture Credit: The Stansbury Home Website

1923 Oscar Stansbury seated, Middleton Stansbury and Middleton P. Stansbury
Picture Credit: The Stansbury Home Website

The Stansbury House was designed in the 19th Century by Sacramento architect, A.A. Cook. The house is a classic example of the design style, Italianate Victorian. The Italianate style was inspired by Italian farmhouses, stone and brick materials, informal details, and square exterior features.

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Picture Credit: Jason Weinrich

The exterior of the Stansbury home is decorated with molded and arched windows each beautifully crafted with carved rosettes at the peak. There are angled bay windows scattered across, each placed between colonettes. The entrance porch is designed with thin fluted columns and decorated pediments. Centered on the roof is a low wrought iron fence that is accentuated by a fleur-de-lis design.

The original quarter block that the home was built on cost $1,000 and the cost to construct the 10-room home was roughly $8,000.

All Information for this newsletter came from the Stansbury Home website. The Stansbury Home is located on the corner of 5th & Salem Street (307 W 5th Street, Chico, CA 95928). The Stansbury home is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00-4:00pm—with tours beginning on the hour at 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm.