Mountain View in Santa Clara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Rengstorff House

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, July 28, 2013

1. Rengstorff House Marker

Caption: Mrs. Rengstorff in one of the parlors. (left); Henry Rengstorff (center).

Inscription.

Rengstorff House. . A Pioneer Family. Henry Rengstorff grew up in Germany. Like so many others of his generation, Henry was lured to California by stories of the Gold Rush. He left home at the age of 21, sailed around Cape Horn and arrived in San Francisco in 1850 with $4.00 his pocket. Too late to join the Gold Rush, he took a job on a bay steamer traveling between San Francisco and Aviso. , Later, Rengstorff left shipping to work as a farm laborer in Santa Clara Valley, where he saved enough money to purchase squatter’s rights to 290 acres of land in San Jose. Just three years later, he added another 290 acres to his holdings. As Rengstorff’s fortune grew, so did his land holdings. He raised grain and hay near Milpitas, kept cattle in San Mateo and planted fruit trees in Los Altos. , In 1864, Rengstorff bought the 164 acres of land, which are now part of Shoreline Business Park, located a quarter mile north of Bayshore Freeway on Shoreline Boulevard. There he built the Rengstorff House. , He met and married Christine Hassler, also a native of Germany. The Rengstorff home reverberated with the sounds of their children: Mary, John, Elise, Helena, Christine, Henry and Charles. , Near where the house stands today, Rengstorff built a ship landing and warehouse. Rengstorff Landing played a significant role in the economic development of Mountain View and the passengers and prospering farmers’ lumber and grains from his landing. Returning ships brought hardware and supplies for the growing region. , Restoration. In 1959, Perry Askam, grandson of Henry Rengstorff, sold the family home to a land development company. A succession of owners held the property over the next 20 years. , In 1979, the house was purchased by the City of Mountain View for $1.00 and moved to unused property at Shoreline. The next move was to its present site in 1986, but it was not until 1990 that the contract for its restoration was awarded. The restoration architects were Page and Turnbull and the general contractor was Mayta and Jensen, Inc. Total cost of the restoration was just over $1,250,000. On a windy March 2, 1991, Mountain View’s oldest house, a fine example of Victorian Italianate architecture, was officially dedicated and opened for the public to view. , The house has 12 rooms, 3955 square feet. There is a marble fireplace in each of the four front parlors and a larger fireplace with a wooden mantel in the dining room. The downstairs rooms are decorated in Bradbury and Bradbury wallpaper, cove molding, picture rails, push-button light switches and chair rails. Upstairs rooms house Shoreline staff. The kitchen is modern to accommodate the rental program.

A Pioneer Family Henry Rengstorff grew up in Germany. Like so many others of his generation, Henry was lured to California by stories of the Gold Rush. He left home at the age of 21, sailed around Cape Horn and arrived in San Francisco in 1850 with $4.00 his pocket. Too late to join the Gold Rush, he took a job on a bay steamer traveling between San Francisco and Aviso.

Later, Rengstorff left shipping to work as a farm laborer in Santa Clara Valley, where he saved enough money to purchase squatter’s rights to 290 acres of land in San Jose. Just three years later, he added another 290 acres to his holdings. As Rengstorff’s fortune grew, so did his land holdings. He raised grain and hay near Milpitas, kept cattle in San Mateo and planted fruit trees in Los Altos.

In 1864, Rengstorff bought the 164 acres of land, which are now part of Shoreline Business Park, located a quarter mile north of Bayshore Freeway on Shoreline Boulevard. There he built the Rengstorff House.

He met and married Christine Hassler, also a native of Germany. The Rengstorff home reverberated with the sounds of their children: Mary, John, Elise, Helena, Christine, Henry and Charles.

Near where the house stands today, Rengstorff built a ship landing and warehouse. Rengstorff Landing played a significant

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role in the economic development of Mountain View and the passengers and prospering farmers’ lumber and grains from his landing. Returning ships brought hardware and supplies for the growing region.

Restoration In 1959, Perry Askam, grandson of Henry Rengstorff, sold the family home to a land development company. A succession of owners held the property over the next 20 years.

In 1979, the house was purchased by the City of Mountain View for $1.00 and moved to unused property at Shoreline. The next move was to its present site in 1986, but it was not until 1990 that the contract for its restoration was awarded. The restoration architects were Page & Turnbull and the general contractor was Mayta & Jensen, Inc. Total cost of the restoration was just over $1,250,000. On a windy March 2, 1991, Mountain View’s oldest house, a fine example of Victorian Italianate architecture, was officially dedicated and opened for the public to view.

The house has 12 rooms, 3955 square feet. There is a marble fireplace in each of the four front parlors and a larger fireplace with a wooden mantel in the dining room. The downstairs rooms are decorated in Bradbury & Bradbury wallpaper, cove molding, picture rails, push-button light switches and chair rails. Upstairs rooms house Shoreline staff. The kitchen is modern to accommodate the rental

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, July 28, 2013

2. Rengstorff House Marker

program.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical date for this entry is March 2, 1867.

Location. 37° 25.893′ N, 122° 5.235′ W. Marker is in Mountain View, California, in Santa Clara County. Marker can be reached from North Shoreline Boulevard, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3070 North Shoreline Boulevard, Mountain View CA 94043, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Spirit of the Times (within shouting distance of this marker); First Commercially Practicable Integrated Circuit (approx. 1.1 miles away); Semiconductor Planar Process and Integrated Circuit (approx. 1.1 miles away); Star Steel Windmill (approx. 1.3 miles away); Immigrant House (approx. 1.3 miles away); Computer History Museum (approx. 1.3 miles away); Moore’s Law (approx. 1.3 miles away); DIALOG Online Search System (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mountain View.

Rengstorff House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, July 28, 2013

3. Rengstorff House

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 8, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 677 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 8, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.