Tower House District
The National Park Service has not published a boundary polygon for this district; the map shows the listed properties inside it and the district's reference point.
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.
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) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
|---|---|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, Transportation |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Boundary source | not published |
| Full listing page | Tower House District (property record) |
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.