Clark District Neighborhood Tour
By 1870 Eureka was firmly established as a lumber town, and a burgeoning merchant class provided for the growing needs of the townsfolk. The homes of this new middle class were representative of their newfound prosperity; homes that were stylistically in the mainstream but not as large or as elaborate as those of more affluent Eurekans. The homes in this tour, particularly on Clark Street, are good examples of a style somewhere between the vernacular and high style. The houses, while not grand, are small-scale replicas of full-blown high style designs, both in form and in ornamentation. Gothic Revival, Italiante, Stick/Eastlake, and Queen Anne are all represented. Many of the homes are sited on large lots and enlivened by vigorous if not overly elaborate ornament. (text taken from “Eureka: An Architectural View”)
Hillsdale Street Tour
The houses along Hillsdale Street, particularly the 200 block, create what may be the most important streetscape in Eureka. Constructed at the pinnacle of Eureka’s most prosperous and stylistic period, the homes here are testimonials to the artistic confidence of their designers and craftsmen as well as the pride and affluence of their owners. Individually each of the buildings is of architectural merit, but when taken as a group, the streetscape acquires even greater significance. The Queen Anne and Stick/Eastlake styles predominate, but each structure explores nearly endless variations of these stylistic themes. The result is a unique streetscape embodying homogeneity of intention, yet diversity of form and color. (text taken from “Eureka: An Architectural View”)