Eddy Tree Breeding Station
Also known as: Institute of Forest Genetics
Why it's listed
Sixty-five miles east of Sacramento, in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the Institute of Forest Genetics occupies a research campus of sixteen buildings, a nursery and an arboretum. Seattle lumberman James G. Eddy founded it in 1925 as the Eddy Tree Breeding Station, funding it personally for ten years before giving it to the United States in 1935. It is described as the first institution in the world devoted solely to forest genetics and tree breeding. The arboretum holds about 70 percent of the world's pine species and some of the oldest man-made pine hybrids. Between 1935 and 1938, Civilian Conservation Corps crews working with Works Progress Administration support built most of the present facilities, including the brown-sided, cedar-shingled administration building, staff house, superintendent's house and rubble-stone pumphouse. Stone curbs, circular drives and a formal landscape plan tie the buildings together. The station still carries out the research for which it was founded, and its buildings retain their original appearance despite repairs made around 1975.
Significance in brief: It was the first institution in the world devoted solely to forest genetics and tree breeding research, and it still does that work. It is also a well-preserved example of Depression-era Forest Service architecture, built largely by the Civilian Conservation Corps with Works Progress Administration support.
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 87000485, listed March 31, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2480 and 2500 Carson Rd., Placerville |
|---|---|
| County | El Dorado County |
| Listed | March 31, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000485 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1925 to 1938 |
| Architect / builder | F. Schumacher - landscape architect; buildings constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps |
| Architectural style | Vernacular frame and rubble-stone buildings with neo-Colonial detailing; Depression-era Forest Service architecture |
| Areas of significance | Science, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in excellent, largely unaltered condition; still operating as a tree breeding research station under the U.S. Forest Service. |
| Acreage | 73 |
| Coordinates | 38.73839, -120.74023 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 87000485.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q126616554
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.