A visit to the Campbell House in Truckee, California, is a journey into the rail town’s past.
Set on Donner Pass Road, the Queen Anne Victorian was built in the late 1800s in what today is known as the Brickelltown Historic District. This central commercial hub lies alongside the transcontinental railway line built by the Central Pacific Railroad Co. Passengers on the Overland Route traveled through from points East to San Francisco during the waning days of the Wild West.
Many of the early businesses in the 100-acre district have been lost to fire over the years, but among those built from 1870 to the late 1920s are brick commercial structures and homes in various overlapping styles, including Italianate, National Folk, Greek Revival and Craftsman.
As a contributing structure to the downtown’s historic designation, the Victorian-inspired Campbell House retains many of its original details.
The entry to the five-bedroom, two-bathroom home is up a flight of stairs and through a glass-enclosed front porch. The windows of the sunny space are topped with filigree in a nod to its design roots.
Two separate entrances access the east and west portions of the house, making it suitable for multigenerational or multifamily living arrangements. The mixed zoning would even allow for a downstairs business and a rental.
The west side has 10-foot ceilings, refinished wood floors and Douglas fir trim. A door from the west half allows access to the main kitchen.
The main bedroom suite includes a kitchenette with new appliances, a two-burner induction cook-top and a sink. Recent updates include a forced-air furnace and new hot water heater.
The east part of the house takes in 180-degree bird’s-eye views of the streetscape from the living room window seat. A gas fireplace, the eat-in kitchen and a laundry closet are among the features. The kitchen opens to a deck, patio space and gardens.
Doug Flynn and Michael Montalbano of Tahoe Mountain Realty are the listing agents for this piece of history at 10230 Donner Pass Road, Truckee. The asking price of $1.499 million includes some furnishings.
One of the few residences remaining in the commercial core, the restored and updated home is near shopping, restaurants and transportation.
Campbell House is about 20 minutes from Lake Tahoe, 5 minutes from Donner Lake and 15 to 20 minutes from the Squaw/Alpine and Northstar ski areas.
Tahoe Mountain Realty is a founding member of Forbes Global Properties, a consumer marketplace and membership network of elite brokerages selling the world’s most luxurious homes.