880 South2021 Alameda Ave., (510) 521-1233. Open 4th Sat of month; tour 1-4pm, last tour starts at 3pm. $5 cash.
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| exterior of Meyers House and Garden Museum in Alameda, California |
Designed as his family home by architect Henry H. Meyers and built by his father Jacob Meyers in 1897, the construction cost to build the two-story Meyers House then was $4,000. Now a house museum, it is an example of the Colonial Revival style that was popular around the turn of the century. The house was considered an upper middle-class residence at that time, and rooms are small, as was usual then.
Located on a long, tree-lined residential street, the Meyers House is now one of the largest estates in Alameda. It is situated on three city lots, and includes a three-car garage, a carriage house, and an architectural studio. It is a City of Alameda Landmark and a designated Historical Monument.
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| bedroom at Meyers House and Garden Museum in Alameda, California |
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| docent Jay Marlette at Meyers House and Garden Museum in Alameda, California |
Though some of the furniture is original to the house, most of the furnishings are
from other historic Alameda residences. A lovely collection of oriental carpets is displayed throughout. A “gout chair” with a footrest to raise and soothe a sore toe is of particular interest in the front room. An upstairs bedroom holds a marbled-walnut bedframe (original) as well as his and hers chairs covered in dark horsehair, and another bedroom displays dolls and a hand-painted magic lantern. (
Director Francis Ford Coppola collects magic lanterns and displays his extensive collection at his Inglenook winery in Rutherford.) Hand-cut floral wallpaper strikingly covers part of the ceiling in a bathroom.
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| kitchen at Meyers House and Garden Museum in Alameda, California |
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"gout chair" at Meyers House and Garden Museum in Alameda, California
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bathroom with handcut floral decor on ceiling at Meyers House and Garden Museum
in Alameda, California |
In the basement--reached via a narrow, winding back staircase--a display of lovely vintage clothing includes some pieces worn by family members. And in the carriage house you’ll find a lovely collection of pastels--many featuring the local salt-water marshes--by Alameda-born artist Edwin Siegfried (1889-1955). A three-car garage built in 1917 features the original tongue-and-groove redwood ceiling and displays an elaborately painted Sicilian pony cart shipped home during a trip to Sicily. Attached to the back of the garage, an adobe mission-style architect’s studio designed by daughter Mildred in 1935 features file cabinets built into the walls among its many charms.
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dressy capelet displayed at Meyers House and Garden Museum
in Alameda, California |
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Edwin Siegfried pastels displayed at Meyers House and Garden Museum
in Alameda, California |
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| docent Virgil Silver at Meyers House and Garden Museum in Alameda, California |
The garden invites strolling and includes the original fencing and pergola, some well-tended roses, and a very large redwood tree grown from a seedling brought home by the family from a trip to Santa Cruz.
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| red rose blooms in garden at Meyers House and Garden Museum in Alameda, California |
Docents are stationed throughout the house so that you can walk through at your own pace. It is a good idea to arrive for your visit soon after the house opens to allow plenty of time to peruse the exhibits. Allow about an hour and a half. No one is admitted after 3 p.m., and it closes at 4 p.m.
Henry Meyers, and his wife Bertha, were born in the U.S., and all three of their children were born in Alameda. All three daughters attended U.C. Berkeley. Mildred was an architect, Edith was a pediatrician, and Jeanette managed the family properties. None married, and all lived in the house until they died. The three Meyers sisters bequeathed the house and grounds to the City of Alameda for use as a house museum and a passive park. Overseen by the
Alameda Museum, the house is also available for private group tours.
