Links
Quick link to:
Historical & Preservation Resources: Local, State, and National
House: General Restoration, Salvage,  Products,  How-to guide
Garden: Victorian garden links
People that can help you
Victoriana related links
Costuming     Themed Events     Victorian Groups
Other stuff: Bocce ball

 HISTORICAL & PRESERVATION RESOURCES
LOCAL
City of San Jose Historic Preservation
Preservation Action Council of San Jose
History San Jose: Great research center open Wednesdays 1-4 or by appt.
 Hensley Historic District (HHD) A federally recognized historical area.
Northside Neighborhood Association: The oldest in San Jose.
Santa Clara County Planning Office:  A wealth of information about programs available to the historic home owner. Also has info on Historical Heritage Commission.
Victorian Preservation Association (VPA) A local group dedicated to Victorian preservation.
STATE
California State Historical Building Code: The SHBC allows for performance tradeoffs in historic buildings to allow retention of original features even if they
aren't code compliant. Lots of good info here that benefits people with historic homes.
Mills Act Project: The Mills Act is a state-sponsored economic incentive program offering a reduction in property taxes for owners of "qualified historical properties" who pledge to preserve, restore, rehabilitate, and maintain the historical and architectural character of their properties.
California Office of Historic Preservation:
NATIONAL
Historic American Buildings: can view historic properties by county, very cool!
Historical & Cultural Resources: Historical landmark how-to, city history pages, National Register of Historical Places.
The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
National Register of Historical Places Publication: How to apply, forms, video, researching, a must for those wanting to register their homes.
Grant Funding Opportunities: An extensive list.
Heritage Preservation Services: Grants, tax credits and technical preservation services for historic buildings, landmarks and landscapes.

 Victoriana
 The Victorian Emporium: A wonderful site packed with information on Victorian life, customs, etiquette, and more.
The Victorian Web: Extensive site, so much to feast on. Must visit.
Victoriana.com: A interesting mix of articles and merchandise.
Victorian Station: from Architectural designs to interior decorating, to lifestyles & literature... I especially enjoyed the Interior Design pages.
Miss Mary's Victorian Links: Fab articles, well organized and over 450 links to Victorian sites. Pour a cuppa and spend the afternoon!

19th Century Mourning practices
Shopping
Victorian Era Mall: over 130 links to Victorian merchandise
Nana Antiques: beautiful pieces.

 Victorian groups
Costumers
GBACG list of Costumers Where to find a seamstress that specializes in your era.
GBACG's list of Costume Organizations: whatever your era, you'll find it here.
Tea
The Ladies Tea Guild: A national organization dedicated to providing an oasis for women who have a passion for the past and/or a love of tea in all its dimensions.
Ladies Tea Society:
Victorian Tea Society of Orange County:
The Northern California Ladies Tea & Discussion Society: An "alternative" approach to Ladies tea.
A list of local Tea Rooms
Etiquette
Tea Time
Brittania House
Japanese Tea Ceremony Etiquette
Tamera Bastiaans
Maureen Ingraham's Etiquette
Calling cards
Victorian Bazaar: A useful and thoughtful article on the art & act of using calling cards.

The Proper Victorian House
Victorian Domestics: A lively dissertation of a small town in England.
Domestic Service, The "Mute and Forgotten" Occupation
Domestic Servants
The life of a Victorian Maid: The life of a Victorian Maid
The Victorian Mistress:
great list of resources on Domestics
Lady's Maid: good fictional read
How to care for fabrics:

The Victorian Society in America:The only national organization dedicated to the protection, understanding, education, and enjoyment of our nineteenth century heritage

 Themed Events
Dicken's Christmas Faire: Held in San Francisco every Nov-Dec.
Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild: Events with a theme happen every month. Superb events, wonderful group of folks.
PEERS Period Events & Entertainment's Re-creation Society: Sponsor events, classes, perform in various living history events, historic dance, drama, music, literature and costume. Great events, fun people.
The Victorian Society in America: National Victorian events calendar
Victorian Front Porch Christmas: This would be a terrific activity to strengthen your neighborhood, build relationships, and foster a sense of community. This could even be a great fund raising idea.

 Costuming
Alter Years: 1-(818)585-2994 Catalogue $5.00
Amazon Drygoods: Patterns, accessories, and other essentials.
Folkwear Patterns
La Mode Bagatelle: Gracefully rendered Historical Patterns
Harper House: Vintage Costuming Pattern Catalog
Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild: Their resource list is extensive!
Thistledown: Quality Victorian inspired nightwear
Victorian Costume: A great list of reference to Victorian Costume, accessories, and where to get what.
Victorian Costume (UK): See what all classes were wearing.
Corsets
Corsets & ANY type of Victorian costuming custom made for you: I cannot recommend anyone better - Victoria Ridenour 1-(650) 962-0882 (her webite is under construction).
Long Island Staylace Association: Advocates of Corsetry (and extensive links)

 Victorian Gardens
Victorian Gardens: what was popular.
Victorian Carpet Bedding Plans: how to make your own "living" carpet (shown right)
Virtual Tour of John Steinbeck's house which is exactly like ours (save the turret) (must have Quicktime)
OurCityForest: Urban tree grants (free shade trees for your park strip), programs and general tree information.

 Other
Bocce at Backesto Park:  
Bocce Court Hours: dawn to dusk daily.
Backesto Park is located at Jackson & Empire Street
at N 13th - 15th Street.
Contact: Mary Collins (408) 971-3042
Balls are available for check-out at Bronco's Restaurant - corner of 13th and Empire. ID and deposit required.
Rules & How to play Bocce
ibocce.com: good all around info

other restorationists stories
Rachel's House in Philly:  http://home.ucwphilly.rr.com/rweeden
Gordon Povey's house in Scotland: http://mysite.freeserve.com/The_Poveys


 House
 Tips & How to
This Old House: How to's, products & suppliers, features, and bookstore. Great place to educate yourself before you call the contractor for a quote.
Old house Journal: THE place to find information on old homes, resources, how-to's ,ect.
Victorian Preservation Association: a wonderful list- from Artists to Wallpaper. Great contractor & business recommendations as well. Highly recommended!
How to care for wood floors
How to care for Marble, Stone surfaces: HGTV marble care.
Heritage Preservation Services: An Illustrated online guide to restoring
historical buildings

 General Restoration
Furnishings & Accessories
Victorian Source: a private website with very specialized and unusual links.
Water Structures: "Daddy, can I get a Turkish spa for Christmas pleeeeeeease?

Lighting
Rejuvenation Lighting: 2550 NW Nicolai Street Portland, OR 97210 888-401-1900
Steve Handelman Studios 716 N Milpas St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 805-962-5119
Victorian Lighting Emporium
Luminaria: original fixtures restored that are marvelous to look at

Millwork
White Brothers Mill 4801 Tidewater, Oakland, CA  94601  1(800)322-2767 www.whitebrothersmill.com  They supply millwork, mouldings, flooring, paneling, and lumber. They've been in business since 1872.
Agrelle & Thorpe LTD "Brilliant work, and they turned it around in a week". www.agrellandthorpe.com

SF Victoriana 3070 Newcomb San Francisco, CA 94124 (415) 648-0313 Interior & exterior millwork.
Beronio Lumber: if it's wood, they've got it. Molding, sills, casting, cornices. 2525 Marin St San Francisco,CA 415-824-4300

Paint
Doug Yeargain Painting 408 293-0427 Excellent job, references, and results. We highly recommend him.
Paint & Decorating retailers advertising index (a gem of a list!)
Dumond Chemicals: Peel Away 1 Superior over it's competitors, safe to use, fume-free, and could handle this many layers of paint without damaging the substrates.
Brian's stripping page: some good sound advice from a regular joe.
Victorian House Painting: a list of books to help you plan the exterior paint schemes.

Wallpaper
Bradbury&Bradbury: We drool over these wallpapers!

Windows
Gibson Wood Products will restore or create an exact replica. 643 Burnell St Napa, CA 94559-3420 255-6211

 Restoration Products
Abatron wood epox and liquid filler is the best way to save rather than replace. Liquid wood consolidant. Reinforces, rebuilds, water- and insect-proofs wood by hardening after penetrating. Regenerates rotted windowsills, frames, structural and decorative parts, furniture, boats, columns, floors. Primer for WoodEpox.
Structural adhesive putty and wood replacement compound. Most versatile, high-strength no-shrink adhesive paste to fill, repair and replace wood and other materials in structures, walls, floors, furniture, sculptures. A new standard in workshops, plants, buildings, museums, shipyards and homes. Unaffected by water and insects.
With LiquidWood, a piece of deteriorated wood that would crumble under finger
pressure can be impregnated and restored to rigidity, durability, water, insect and
weather resistance superior to that of the original wood. Best of all you can sand, drill, carve, paint it.

 Salvage
Rummaging Through Northern California: The guide to salvage, thrift, consignment, and other places to get deals.
Bay Area Salvage Guide
Artefact Design & Salvage – 245 McEvoy St., San Jose, CA 95126. (408) 279-8766.
Columns, iron gates, building ornaments, funhouse mirrors, statuary, fountains, lighting, ruins & fragments, doors, windows, mantels, garden ornament, www.artefactdesignsalvage.com
Berkeley Architectural Salvage - 1167 65th St., Oakland, CA 94608; (510) 655-2270.
Doors, windows, hardware, moldings, columns, gingerbread, corbels, lighting, plumbing, marble, granite. M-Sat. 10-5pm.
Beyond Waste – 605 W. Sierra, Cotati; (707) 792-2555. Manufactures and sells flooring
made from old-growth Douglas fir rafters; custom makes flooring or paneling; carries
entire sets of home windows in casement, including Victorian double-hung windows. www.beyondwaste.com
Building Resources - 701 Amador Street (near 3rd St) San Francisco; (415) 285-7814. Lumber, plywood, marble, bricks, tiles, glass, mirrors, lighting fixtures, plumbing
supplies. M-Sun. 9-4:30 pm.
C&K Salvage - 718 Douglas Avenue (near Edes Avenue), Oakland; (510) 569-2070.
Lumber, large timber, siding, flooring, bricks, doors, plumbing. M-F 8-5
Caldwell Building Wreckers - 195 Bayshore Boulevard (near Oakdale Avenue), San Francisco; (415) 550-6777. Lumber, flooring, wood trim, bricks, marble, plumbing;
specializes in factory seconds and overruns of new doors and windows.
www.caldwell-bldg-salvage.com
Crossroads Recycled Lumber -PO Box 928, North Fork, CA 93643. (559) 877-3645. Specializes in resawn timbers and remanufactured flooring. Recycled lumber from
buildings, bridges, and railroad lines. www.crossroadslumber.com
East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse – 6713 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley; (510) 547-6470.
Depot Annex, 6610 San Pablo Ave., Oakland; (510) 923-1531. Nonprofit agency that
collects materials and redistributes them to community at low cost. Specializing in art materials, books, small furniture, frames and garden artifacts. www.eastbaydepot.org
Ohmega Salvage - 2407 San Pablo Avenue (between Dwight Way and Channing Way) Berkeley; (510) 843-7368. www.ohmegasalvage.com. Doors, windows, stained glass,
pedestal sinks, claw-foot tubs, lighting fixtures, mantels, wrought iron, marble, Victorian hardware, architectural elements.
Omega Too - 2204 San Pablo Avenue (near Allston Way), Berkeley; (510) 843-3636, www.omegatoo.com. Antique and reproduction lighting, plumbing, doors, windows,
garden ornaments.
Recycle Town - 500 Mecham Road (near Stony Point Road), Petaluma; (707) 795-3660
The Reuse People – 2615 Davis St., San Leandro, CA 94577. (510) 567-8525. Cabinets,
doors, fixtures, lumber, plywood, sinks & tubs, windows, bricks, ceramic tile, flooring,
garden art & more. M-F 9-5, Sat-Sun 9-4
Savvy Salvage – 4385 Piedmont Ave., Oakland; (510) 655-8877. Lots of garden ornaments and architectural elements. W-Sat 11-5. www.savvysalvage.com
The Salvage Yard – 697 5th Street, Oakland 94607, (510) 625-9227. Specializing in
industrial salvage including lockers, benches, cabinets, shelving, industrial sinks plus
some claw foot tubs and sinks. Sun 12-5, T-Sat 10-5, Closed Mondays.
The Sink Factory - 2140 San Pablo Avenue (near Bancroft Way), Berkeley; (510) 540-8193. Specializing in new and used basins. The full-service company will repair, rebuild,
rechrome or customize a new or salvaged sink. www..sinkfactory.com
This & That – 1701 Rumrill Blvd., San Pablo; (510) 232-1273. App. 40,000 square feet of recycled materials, including bi-fold and louver doors, wrought iron, fireplaces, door moldings, windows, sinks, granite, marble, and brick building materials.
Urban Ore - 1333 Sixth Street (near Gilman Street), Berkeley; (510) 559-4455 and 7th &Ashby, Berkeley (510) 559-4460. Doors, windows, lumber, marble, bricks, tiles, glass, mirrors, molding, lighting fixtures and hardware. Also a general store with secondhand household items.
Whole House Building Supply – 1955 Pulgas Rd., East Palo Alto, CA 94303. (650) 328-
8731. Doors, cabinets, windows, bricks, roof tiles, gates, heaters, lighting, plumbing fixtrs, solar & pool equip, marble, fireplace mantles, hardware. www.driftwoodsalvage.com

 People that can help you
Rebekah Owen: The best real estate agent we've ever worked with. Tell her we referred you. Rebekah@Benchmarkpropeties.com (408) 260-9877

Mountain Coast Mortgage: Bruce L McCoy is the guy whose responsible for
working the magic it took to get the house approved. Our house did not fit into
any of the regular categories and therefore was out of normal bank parameters. Bruce knows the in's-and-out's of dealing with special cases. He ROCKS! Please
let him know you found him here: Mountain Coast Mortgage in Scotts Valley  
(831) 438-7130 email: bruce@ mountaincoast.com

Elizabeth Pidgeon: An architect that specializes in Victorians and has many years
of experience dealing with historical and heritage issues. Meridian Architects,
PO Box 2112, Vallejo CA  94592 707-562-2113

Sacred Places: More than just landscape design, Jeff took the time to interview us on our
favorite scents, colors, needs, and dreams. The plans for the front garden are spectacular!
We can't wait until the garden goes in. His company give superior service and is a dream
to work with. Contact Jeff at 408 280-5675 Email: Jeff@sacredplaces.com  Website coming
soon: www.sacredplaces.com