Lumsden, W. H., House
Also known as: "The Belvedere"
Why it's listed
Built around 1901-1902 at 727 Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, this two-story Queen Anne house is known as "The Belvedere" for its large round corner tower, which has a wraparound first-floor veranda and an open pavilion beneath a conical roof. Architect Brainerd Jones designed it, and Simpson Roberts built it. Its entrance has round columns, a feature the nomination calls a signature of Jones's work. The main staircase and lobby retain original grained wood paneling and carved work. The house was built for William H. Lumsden, superintendent of the DeTurk Winery, which had become one of the largest wineries in California. A 1902 newspaper article counted it among the handsomest new dwellings in the county. The nomination describes it as the only Queen Anne in the Santa Rosa area with an open belvedere and one of only a few in the city with a tower. It has since been adapted to restaurant and bed-and-breakfast use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its architecture as one of the finer remaining homes in Santa Rosa. It is the only Queen Anne in the Santa Rosa area with an open belvedere, and one of fewer than six Queen Annes in the city with a tower. It is also tied to Brainerd Jones, the major architect in Sonoma County in the early 1900s, and to W. H. Lumsden, superintendent of the DeTurk Winery.
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 83001245, listed August 11, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 727 Mendocino St., Santa Rosa |
|---|---|
| County | Sonoma County |
| Listed | August 11, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001245 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Brainerd Jones, Architect; Simpson Roberts, Builders |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; adapted to a restaurant and bed and breakfast, with a 100-seat restaurant in the above-ground basement. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 38.44643, -122.71794 (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 83001245.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q56562750
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.