{"nrhp_refnum":"83001180","name":"Berding, A., House","other_names":["The Gum Drop Tree House"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"455 Ocean Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Ferndale","county":"Humboldt County","state":"CA","lat":40.57561945000003,"lon":-124.26389975199999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1983-01-04","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A one-and-a-half-story wood-frame Victorian Gothic cottage at 455 Ocean Avenue in Ferndale, Humboldt County, California, built in 1875 and still used as a private residence.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic architecture from Humboldt County's settlement period, with an unusually high degree of historical and architectural integrity. It was identified as a contributing building in Ferndale's 1975 State Historical Landmark designation and was praised in Gebhard's 1973 architectural guide. It has also remained in the Berding family throughout its history.","narrative":"Built in 1875 at 455 Ocean Avenue in Ferndale, this one-and-a-half-story wooden cottage combines Gothic Revival form with Victorian details. Steep gables carry open-work bargeboard, and a square Italianate bay, corner quoins, arched and triangular window pediments, and an open porch with decorative arches add to its character. The house sits behind five coast cypress trees pruned into rounded shapes, along with old-yard plantings, statuary, and an Eastlake fence and gate. Merchant A. Berding, a German-born Argonaut who opened Ferndale's first store in the late 1860s, bought the lot in 1868 and built the house. It has stayed in the family for generations. Changes have been minor, including a woodshed added before 1900 and a garage from the mid-1940s. The parlor decor dates largely from 1889. The house was listed as an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic architecture from Humboldt County's settlement period and for its contribution to Ferndale's historic character.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Victorian Gothic (Gothic Revival form with Italianate bay and windows, Eastlake fence)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied private residence in good condition, altered only slightly; the carriage house was split from the property in 1981.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:27.698122-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/83001180.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83001180/7af7854f8a-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83001180/7af7854f8a-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Ellin Beltz","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ferndale_CA_Berding_House_Gum_Drop_Trees.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Ellin Beltz</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ferndale_CA_Berding_House_Gum_Drop_Trees.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123858725","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Berding_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4647587"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/humboldt-county/berding-a-house-83001180/"}