Impecibly Restored English Manor in Alexander Valley
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Impecibly Restored English Manor in Alexander Valley

305 North Washington Street Cloverdale CA

Elegance & Luxury in the Heart of Sonoma Wine Country

Over 100 years ago at the turn of the century, Alexander Valley was at the end of the railroad line coming north from San Francisco. There were natural hot springs all around the area helping to draw people here as a holiday destination for people living in the city. At that time a local banker named Charles Shaw decided to build a home in this beautiful area, helping to establish what is now known as Cloverdale located just north of Healdsburg. After the 1906 Earthquake hit San Francisco and leading up to around 1910 when this home was originally built, things began to boom in Cloverdale. This undoubtedly gave Mr. Shaw confidence to invest in such a grand home in what was then a largely uninhabited part of Sonoma County.

Since then, the Alexander Valley, and the rest of Sonoma and Napa Counties, have become quintessential wine country of the United States competing against historic regions of Europe and other parts of the world with renown and praise for the quality of the wines we produce here. The romance of wine country has created a vigorous tourist and affluent second home industry throughout Sonoma County. In fact, Smithsonian Magazine and Fodor’s both recently voted Healdsburg one of the 10 best small towns in America located just minutes down the road from Cloverdale and this grand estate.

According to locals, Mr. Shaw traveled to Europe, which influenced his tastes for design as well as the amenities he incorporated into building plans for this home. The design of this manor was fashioned after an English Manor with many windows, fireplaces, and “modern” design components.

As you enter this home, one of the most outstanding features you will note is the breathtaking spiral staircase leading upstairs. Because no expense was spared during the construction of this home, there were many state of the art technologies incorporated into the home for the period. Mr. Shaw incorporated venting into cabinets for vegetable storage. He also had the ingenuity to create food storage on the North facing walls away from the elements. He had the forethought to install extra redwood plank boards in the attic and walls for additional insulation. Even the windows were placed to gather as much sunlight as possible in winter, making this an original “green” home for the era.

By the 1920’s the home became the social center of Cloverdale with the grand living room hall large enough to host noteworthy parties of the day. By mid-century the home was purchased by a contractor who then added the pool and upstairs den, now the media room, by enclosing the original porch. Today this home is still warmly referred to as the Shaw Manor by local residents.

The current owners bought the manor in 2006 and uncovered many treasures in the construction. After stripping the floors and having them restored to their original luster, they found special carvings upstairs that add an air of mystery and wonder to the home. They also painstakingly and artistically restored wood moldings from scratch around windows and door frames among many other projects needed to bring the original majesty of this home back to being. In 2007 a new 30 year roof was installed on the main house. A four zone heating/air conditioning system was installed keep the home comfortable all year round. The kitchen is a must see! The gas stove is a 1951 O’Keefe Merritt “Estate” stove, and the refrigerator is a top of the line Sub Zero the owners installed during the restoration project. The bathrooms also have been lovingly restored with original claw foot bathtubs.

As the home stands now, it offers roughly 4,850 square feet of living space including 3 large bedrooms and office upstairs, and an au pair wing on the main entry level. There are a total four full baths and one half bath along with a fabulous formal dining room, butler’s pantry, formal living and family rooms, a breakfast room and below ground basement. The au pair suite is private and has its own family room with fireplace, kitchen and breakfast area looking out over the back yard and pool.

In addition to the main house, there is a carriage house. This contains an apartment with its own kitchen, bedroom, full bath, and family room. Adjoining the guest apartment is a large redwood construction storage room that would make for a stunning game room, studio, or gym. There is also a second large storage room upstairs above the guest apartment that has more than enough room for multiple family members to use for their personal belongings.

The grounds to this gorgeous property are framed by entry and exit gates with two porticos, one in front at the formal entry and the other along the side between the main house and the guest apartment in the carriage house. The front yard is adorned with formal English rose gardens lined with green hedges and lush lawns. The rear offers a refreshing pool and spacious patio lounge complete with an outdoor fireplace and additional lush lawn area.

This property is truly unique and arguably a great investment when compared with similar properties selling just down the way in Healdsburg for as much as double the asking price of this property. And with the SMART train in development with plans to link Cloverdale and Healdsburg once again with each other and to San Francisco, the future is bright for investment in the Alexander Valley Northern Sonoma Wine Country, just as it was when Mr. Shaw first built his stately English Manor.

Contact Doug Swanson

Telephone number(s): 707-636-4440
Withdrawn Properties
$ 1,595,000
Square Feet: 4850
0.44 acres
Beds: 5
Baths: 5
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Impecibly Restored English Manor in Alexander Valley

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Impecibly Restored English Manor in Alexander Valley

Schools

Cloverdale Unified

Washington School

129 South Washington Street
Cloverdale California 95425
Tel: 707-894-1940
Fax: 707-894-1946

Johanna Echols-Hansen Continuation High School

322 North Washington Street
Cloverdale California 95425
Tel: 707-894-1925
Fax: 707-894-1922

Jefferson School

315 North Street
Cloverdale California 95425
Tel: 707-894-1930
Fax: 707-894-1906

Eagle Creek Community Day School

322 North Washington Street
Cloverdale California 95425
Tel: 707-894-1911
Fax: 707-894-1922

Cloverdale High School

509 North Cloverdale Boulevard
Cloverdale California 95425
Tel: 707-894-1900
Fax: 707-894-4804