Hinds House

Infobox_nrhp | name =Hinds, A. J., House
nrhp_type =


caption =
location= Santa Cruz, CA
lat_degrees = 36 | lat_minutes = 58 | lat_seconds = 24.95 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 122 | long_minutes = 1 | long_seconds = 48.4 | long_direction = W
locmapin=California
area =
built =1888
architect= John H. Williams
architecture= Stick/eastlake
added = August 25, 1983
governing_body = Private
refnum=83001241 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

The Hinds House is a historic landmark in Santa Cruz, California. It was built in 1888 and 1889 by Colonel Alfred J. Hinds and his wife Sarah. Its classical Victorian style has been preserved and it is the largest surviving Stick Eastlake house in Santa Cruz County. Today the Hinds House is a historical inn with rooms rented out to guests visiting or relocating to Santa Cruz.

Construction of the Hinds House

When the Hinds House was built in 1888 and 1889, Alfred Hinds hired an architect named John H. Williams. Williams was a well known Santa Cruz architect. He designed over sixty local buildings between 1876 and 1892, including the Branciforte School building in Santa Cruz which is still in use today. Williams was known for his Stick-Eastlake style buildings, a popular form of Victorian architecture. In the 1890’s, one of the first electric lights in Santa Cruz was installed in this Victorian house. The electricity came from Fred Swanton’s new power plant fifteen miles up the coast from Santa Cruz in Davenport, California. The fixture was put in at the base of the grand stairway, where it remains in use today.

Colonel Alfred J. Hinds and Family

Alfred Hinds was a shopkeeper in Downtown Santa Cruz, and later became involved in real estate development. While he was involved in real estate, Alfred Hinds was also active in the local community. He was the secretary of the First Congregational Church and was Trustee of the Santa Cruz Public Library.Alfred Hinds and his wife Sarah had four children who were all lost in the diphtheria epidemic that swept Santa Cruz in 1876. In 1878, they decided to start a new family and had five children, four of which survived. Alfred died in 1921 at age seventy six.

The House after the Hinds

After Alfred’s death, his children and grandchildren eventually moved away from Santa Cruz and nobody lived in the home. In 1930 the house was bought by two female school teachers. They operated the house and rented out rooms to guests until 1960. Between 1960 and 1980 the house continued to function as an inn under the ownership of two more people. The interiors of the house were also fixed up in this time, including the renovation of the sitting room and parlor on the first floor as apartments. In 1981, Sandra and Stan Mock bought the house and restored it to its original Stick-Eastlake style, making it an example of the Victorian influence in Santa Cruz.

Recognition

In 1982, the Santa Cruz Historical Society designated the Hinds House a historic landmark. One year later in 1983, the house was put on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.

The Hinds House Today

The Hinds House has been a historic inn since 1982 and today it is the best example of William’s Stick-Eastlake style buildings. It is the largest surviving Stick-Eastlake style house in Santa Cruz County. The current innkeeper of the Hinds House is Brion Sprinsock and the house has ten rooms for guests. Even the attic is furnished and is now guestrooms with sloped ceilings. The ground floor has the common rooms for all guests, including the dining room, the sitting room, and the parlor. The original woodwork throughout the house is intact and polished. Outside, to either side of the house, there is a large Norfolk Pine and a 125 foot tall Coastal Redwood. The guestrooms can be purchased with rates by the week. The largest percentages of guests (33%) who stay at the Hinds House are in town for University of California in Santa Cruz (UCSC). This includes visiting faculty, researchers, and lecturers. Other guests at the Hinds House are in Santa Cruz visiting family and friends, for workshops and conferences, on business, on vacation, or they are relocating to Santa Cruz and are staying at the Hinds House while they get settled. The location of the Hinds House is appropriate for guests visiting Santa Cruz because it is only three blocks away from the center of Downtown Santa Cruz.

Related Sites

* http://www.hinds-house.com/santa.cruz.info.html

Sources

* http://www.hinds-house.com/santa.cruz.info.html
* http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g33048-d595032-r4365850-Hinds_Victorian_Guest_House-Santa_Cruz_California.html
* http://www.iloveinns.com/bed_and_breakfasts/california/hindsvictorianguesthouse.htm