Cottrell, John A., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1902 at 1228 C Street in Eureka's Clark Addition, this Queen Anne house was erected by John A. Cottrell, a lumberman and mill owner. Cottrell, born in New Brunswick, came to Eureka in 1884, worked as a mill foreman, and later ran his own moulding and sash mill, which produced the turned columns and balusters common on Victorian buildings. He had earlier built an Italianate house next door at 1202 C Street, where his family lived until the larger home was finished. The main facade combines projecting and inset porches, a third-story balcony with a sunburst arch, decorative vergeboards, scroll-cut brackets and patterned shingles. Inside, original lath and plaster, wallpapers, redwood woodwork, some faux painted, and Eastlake hardware survive. A carriage house from 1998 and a greenhouse from 1999 are compatible but non-contributing. The house was listed as an outstanding example of Queen Anne architecture.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated under Criterion C as an outstanding example of Queen Anne style architecture in Eureka. It keeps elaborate exterior woodwork and original interior finishes, including wallpapers, woodwork and Eastlake hardware. It is also tied to Cottrell, a Canadian-born mill owner who ran a moulding and sash mill that made porch columns and balusters used in local buildings.
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 05001084, listed September 28, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1228 C St., Eureka |
|---|---|
| County | Humboldt County |
| Listed | September 28, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001084 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John A. Cottrell (builder) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling; the form lists domestic/single dwelling as both historic and current function. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.79517, -124.16884 (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 05001084.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133266977
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.