Meek Mansion and Carriage House
Why it's listed
Built in 1869 on the south bank of San Lorenzo Creek in Hayward, this 19-room wood-frame mansion was the centerpiece of William Meek's estate, which grew to about 3,000 acres of orchard land. The house is mainly Italian Villa in style, with Second Empire touches such as a mansard roof, a bull's-eye window in the central tower and paired arched windows. Inside are oak floors with mahogany inlay, plaster medallions, a winding staircase and six marble fireplaces. A two-story carriage house nearby once held horses, tack and quarters for grooms, and now serves as a small theater. Meek is described as a pioneer orchardist and model farmer who brought grafted trees and Bing and Royal Anne cherries to California, giving the area the name Cherryland. After the estate was sold off in parcels, the park district bought the last ten acres in 1964 and restored the house and grounds for public use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the estate is significant for agriculture, architecture and landscape. William Meek was a pioneer orchardist and model farmer who helped establish the commercial fruit industry in California and the area known as Cherryland. The house is presented as an outstanding late 19th-century example characteristic of the affluent agricultural society of Victorian California.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73000393, listed June 4, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 240 Hampton Rd., Hayward |
|---|---|
| County | Alameda County |
| Listed | June 4, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000393 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | William Meek (planned and built the mansion; the form says no source states whether an architect was hired) |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa with Second Empire features (Victorian) |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Agriculture, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good; altered, on original site. Owned by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District and used as a public park, historic house museum and, in the carriage house, a little theatre. The third floor is closed to the public. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 37.68492, -122.11352 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73000393.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6807513
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.