# Ferndale Main Street Historic District

A portion of the City of Ferndale was designated a State Historic Landmark (No. 883) in 1975 by the California State Parks Office of Historic Preservation. Ferndale's Main Street Historic District was established in 1994 by the National Park Service and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

## Architecture

Two distinct architectural phases are represented: late 19th century Victorian architecture, 1880 to 1890 and the early Modern period of the 20th century, 1920 to 1936. Eastlake-Stick style buildings by Architect T.J. Frost are particularly well represented as are Italianate, Queen Anne, Neo-Classic, Bungalow, and Mission styles.
The Ferndale Main Street Historic District covers 46 acres, includes 39 contributing buildings and one object, the Town Clock.
| . | Name | Date built | Location | Summary |
| 1 | Alford House | 1884 | 207 Francis St. | Cottage built for Dr. Alford in 1884. |
| 2 | Masonic Temple | 1891 | 212 Francis St. | Eastlake-Stick architecture. |
| 3 | Enterprise Office | 1891 | 219 Francis St. | Currently residential. |
| 4 | Faulkner House | 1899 | 230 Francis St. | Built for Thomas H. Faulkner. |
| 5 | Faulkner Building | 1881 | 248–250 Francis St. | Commercial false-front. |
| 6 | Russ Bank Building | 1891 | 290 Francis St. and 400 Ocean Ave. | Eastlake-Stick – T.J. Frost, Architect |
| 7 | Robert's Hotel/Ferndale Hotel | 1875 | 315 Main St. | Currently Ivanhoe Hotel. Oldest building in historic district. |
| 8 | Taylor Building | 1898 | 325–327 Main St. | The red building on left is part of the Taylor building which has housed the Post Office and a drug store. |
| 9 | Enterprise Building | 1923 | 334 Main St. | Concrete moderne. |
| 10 | Post Office/ Drug Store Building | 1889 | 337 Main St. | The grey part of the Taylor building at right has been the Post Office and a drug store. |
| 11 | Palace Saloon (M.H. Donnelly Building) | 1902 | 341–353 Main St. | The Palace Saloon is the westernmost saloon in the conterminous 48 U.S. states. |
| 12 | Loewenthal's Ferndale Reliable Store | 344 Main St. | Eastlake-Stick – T. J. Frost, Architect. |
| 13 | Brown's Office Building | 1902 | 350 Main St. | Built as T.H. Brown's Office Building by putting up what is known as a Victorian False-front in 1902. |
| 14 | Rose Mullady's Millinery & Art Needlework Store | 1928 | 358 Main St. | Modernistic building with added Victorian ornament. |
| 15 | D. A. Branstetter Building | 1902 | 361 Main St. | Victorian False-front. |
| 16 | Ring's Pharmacy | 1896 | 362 Main St. | Eastlake-Stick – T.J. Frost, Architect |
| 17 | Russ & Sons Meat Market | 1900 | 376 Main St. | Eastlake-Stick – T.J. Frost, Architect. |
| 18 | Town Clock | 1923 | 385 Main St. | In front of Dan A. Branstetter building. |
| 19 | P.F. Hart Building | 1896 | 393 Main St. | Former gallery of Hobart Brown. |
| 20 | Ferndale Bank | 1911 | 394 Main St. | Neo-Classical – operated as a bank until 2022 (now a retail store). |
| 21 | New Hart Building | 1924 | 399–405 Main St. | Mission Revival Style. |
| 22 | Alford's Drug Store/Michel Drug Store | 1877 | 409 Main St. | Italianate storefront. |
| 23 | Mullady Building | 1894 | 424 Main St. | Victorian False-front built for James Mullady. |
| 24 | Masonic-Odd Fellows Hall | 1875 | 425–431 Main St. | Victorian False-front. |
| 25 | Meng Building | 1891 | 430–436 Main St. | Victorian False-front. |
| 26 | Hart Theatre | 1920 | 441–451 Main St. | F. Georgeson, Architect, currently Ferndale Repertory Theatre. |
| 27 | Gill House/Blackburn Building | 1876 | 444 Main St. | Victorian False-front. |
| 28 | Grangreen-Ward-Gill House | 1870 | 452 Main St. | 1870 residence joined to a 1918 storefront. |
| 29 | G. W. Williams Building | 1888 | 455 Main St. | Modified in 1920, 1948, and 1954. Upper floor subsequently rebuilt and restored by Ferndale Blacksmith Company. |
| 30 | Eel River & Southern Telephone Company Building | 1924 | 460 Main St. | Mission Revival. |
| 31 | Dahlquist Plumbing & Electrical Shop | 1936 | 468 Main St. | Eastlake-Stick style – T.J. Frost, Architect. |
| 32 | Gill Building/Hiller Building | 1891 | 476 Main St. | Victorian False-front. |
| 33 | Paine Building | 1901 | 484 Main St. | Queen Anne Style built for S.H. Paine. |
| 34 | Old Red Front Store | 1900 | 505 Main St. | Italianate (modified late 1940s). |
| 35 | Kemp Building | 1930 | 513–525 Main St. | Mission Revival. |
| 36 | Petersen's Service Station | 1930 | 524 Main St. | Modernistic/Streamline Moderne |
| 37 | R. H. Edwards Building | 1901 | 535 Main St. | Victorian False-front. |
| 38 | Hiram Hatch Building | 1901 | 543 Main St. | Victorian False-front. |
| 39 | Charles A. Doe Building | 1901 | 561–563 Main St. | Neo-Classical. |
| 40 | S&E Garage and Ford Dealership | 1927 | 580 Main St. | Modernistic False-front. |
Six other Historic Landmarks, the Shaw House, the Berding House, the Catholic Church of the Assumption Rectory, Ferndale Public Library and the Alford-Nielson House are within the city limits. The Fern Cottage Historic District and F. W. Andreasen–John Rossen House are slightly out of town.

## Popular culture
### Legoland Model Replica

Many of Ferndale's buildings have been recreated at the Legoland California theme park – the only American small town represented alongside New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas and other nationally known locations. Ferndale was settled by many Danes, and Lego is a Danish company. In 1995, Legoland staff took hundreds of photos in Ferndale, and used over 1 million Lego bricks to recreate the town in the Miniland section of the park.

### Films and Movies

Ferndale's historic Main Street has been shown in television and movies since the 1960s. The street is featured in movies like The Majestic, Outbreak, Salem's Lot and A Death in Canaan.