Tower House District
Why it's listed
Along Highway 299 near Whiskeytown, this 20-acre district preserves the remains of a gold rush-era stop for travelers and the farm that supplied it. Levi Tower built the Tower House hotel in the early 1850s to serve those moving among Shasta, Yreka, Weaverville and French Gulch. The hotel burned long ago and its exact location is unknown. Charles Camden, who married Tower's sister, later built the two-story wooden Camden House, and he also mined gold and built a toll road to Shasta. Surviving features include the house and outbuildings, a foot bridge, an old apple orchard, Tower's grave, barns, a farm house, bridge supports, an irrigation system and the Bickford Mine with its working one-stamp mill. Much is in deteriorated condition after vandalism and neglect. The district was recognized as representative of travel, gold mining and farming in this part of California during the 19th century.
Significance in brief: Levi Tower built the Tower House, first called the Free Bridge House, in the early 1850s to serve travelers on roads linking Shasta, Yreka, Weaverville and French Gulch. The district typifies traveler accommodations on the route to the gold fields and the Old California-Oregon Trail. Its farming, gold mining and travel activities represent settlement of the area.
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 73000257, listed July 2, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Address restricted by the NPS (common for archaeological sites and some private homes) |
|---|---|
| County | Shasta County |
| Listed | July 2, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000257 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Levi Tower (Tower House); Charles Camden (Camden House) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked deteriorated; the Camden House has been vandalized. The Bickford Mine's one-stamp mill is still operable and the irrigation system is in active use. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 40.66400, -122.63600 (Wikidata) |
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 73000257.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q123134614
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.