Benicia Historical Society

Page 4 WALSH HOUSE ~ c.1850 235 East L Street History: This well known residence is a prime example of a Gothic Revival Cottage and is considered to be the earliest of this style structure on the West Coast. The house was prefabricated on the east coast, shipped around the Horn to Benicia, and assembled within three months to meet contract requirements. The agreement for its construction was signed between Eleanor Walsh and Theodore Shillaber (on behalf of Everett & Co.); Eleanor being one of the few extraordinary women listed in the Solano County Record Book under “Married Women Doing Business in Their Own Names.” It was completed in 1850, and then rented for a period of two years to John J. Frisbie and his bride Epiphania (Fanny), daughter of General Mariano Vallejo. After Frisbie left for Vallejo the Walsh’s took up residence in the home until they sold it in 1879 to General Thomas McGregor of the U.S. Army. Later owners included Elinore Bowman, who sold the home to Paul Wetmore, owner of the Benicia Canning Company in 1931. The Wetmore family resided there until 1976. The building was extensively restored in the late 1980s having been rescued from a long period of neglect. Architecture: Gothic Revival architecture came to America from England; achieving widespread popularity in a country with an expansive supply of wood. Pattern books by Davis & Downing, noted Gothic Revival architects, served to spread the style across the rapidly growing nation. Gothic Revival is distinguished by the pointed arch, combined with lacy barge boards, bay window and neo-Gothic tracery. The Walsh Home is a prime example of the style. As early as perhaps the 1860s, an addition was made to the back of the house. This changes the original T-shaped plan to a cross shape, but has done little to diminish the stylistic importance of the building. All the bargeboard deco- rations, siding and windows are original to the house.