San Diego in the 1880s was a city booming with growth, a burgeoning population, and infinite possibilities.
It was even touted as a rival of San Francisco, not only because of its natural harbor and trading opportunities, but also because of the new transcontinental railroad, which brought investors to San Diego. Its growing population and its proximity to “exotic” Mexico served as the catalyst for tourists, opportunists, and those looking for a healthy climate and a fine place to settle down.
There was, indeed, something for everyone. What had begun as a modest waterfront gathering of frame buildings was now becoming a cosmopolitan city.
Many who had come west to make a fortune had succeeded and were now in a position to exhibit their success and prosperity.
One popular way to show off at that time, as now, was to build an impressive house and grow their family. Many, if not most, of these elaborate new houses of that time were built in the ornate and imaginative Queen Anne style.
These multi-storied wonders featured exquisite excesses of color, stained glass, porches, balconies, roof finials, gargoyles and statuary, cantilevered upper stories , patterned shingles and brackets and decorative chimneys. Most also boasted turrets or towers.
More was always better
In a Queen Anne house, more was always better.
There was no such thing as “too much.” They were intended as a joy to behold from any angle, and a smooth wall was to be avoided at all costs.
Dr. Frederick C. Sheldon, successful, wealthy, and the father of nine children, selected master architects Comstock and Trotsche to design his high-style residence. He was rewarded for his efforts, as the resulting structure is easily one of the most exceptional examples of the grandeur of the Queen Anne in all of San Diego County.
The residence is a three-story frame structure with an asymmetrical facade and a stunning wrap-around corner entry porch. There are several steeply pitched gabled roofs, many dormers, and tall vertical windows.
In addition to the abundant use of cutwork shingles, elaborate spindle work, and ironwork, the most defining feature is the use of stained glass in every window in the house.
This was rather extravagant even for a Victorian Queen Anne house.
Different colors of paint were used to further define the decorative elements of the home. Muted shades of terra cotta, brick red, dark green, tan, and mustard served as the palette for the structure.
Unfortunately, Dr. Sheldon did not get to enjoy his fine new home for long, as he died shortly after construction was completed. In fact, his funeral was the first event to be held in the house.
The doctor catches pneumonia
According to local lore, the good doctor caught pneumonia while taking his family on a celebratory cruise down the coast of Mexico.
Aboard the ship, he and his family met a young couple, possibly on their honeymoon, who were sleeping on the deck. The kind and noble doctor thoughtfully gave the couple his room.
Unfortunately, no good deed goes unpunished. A storm came up, and Sheldon was reportedly forced to sleep in the wind and rain all night. He returned home with a terrible cold, which developed into pneumonia that proved to be terminal.
Mrs. Sheldon, the grieving widow, was now left with nine children and no means of supporting herself and her brood. However, she did have a brand new, nine-bedroom, three-bath home, complete with two fireplaces. She quickly converted it into a boarding house. It rapidly became a lucrative business.
As her fortune increased, she eventually had the house moved by the Palmer Brothers House Movers to its present location on Island Avenue. The original location was on 11th and D Streets.
With the remainder of her profits, Mrs. Sheldon had another home built at the location originally chosen by her husband.
Throughout the years, this lovely building has had many owners. According to records, it is currently owned by the Island Partners.
Although it appears uninhabited, the property is beautifully maintained. The appraised value is listed at $1,639,895.00. As it now also provides parking for eight cars and a two-bedroom guest house, that seems a bargain for such a stunning edifice.
Think of how lovely it would look decorated in Victorian Christmas splendor.
A ghost of Christmas past!
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