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Stein Farm Relocates Victorian Cottage
September/October 2020
 The Queen Anne cottage as it was being moved to the Stein Farm. |
 Workers prepared the cottage's new foundation. |
 Looking at home near a Stein Farm antique wagon, the 1880s cottage awaits restoration. All photos by Chris Pro |
The newest addition to the historic Stein Family Farm, a three-acre living history farm in the heart of National City, is an 1880s Queen Anne Victorian cottage that was once a part of the farm's original 10 acres.
This is the second move for the cottage. It was first moved by Charles Stein to his adjacent southerly lot, using horse-drawn wagons at the turn of the 20th century. He later sold the house and land to one of his foremen. In 2017, developers bought this property. Unfortunately, the city wrongly informed the developers that the cottage was not historic and it was cleared for demolition.
In fact, the home is an important and rare surviving example of a working family's Victorian cottage. Its architectural details are intact and were crafted with the same exuberance and intricacy of a larger Queen Anne residence.
Upon learning of the sale, the National City Living History Farm Preserve (NCLHFP) jumped into action. Members contacted the developers and explained the history of the house. Then they negotiated its move, including relocation fees to shift the house roughly 50 feet north onto the Stein Farm property.
The cottage is now resting on an almost complete foundation, while funds are raised and donations are sought. Once the foundation and exterior restoration are complete, the interior restoration will begin. Like the exterior, many of the rich interior features still remain, including the hardwood floors, moldings, and picture rails.
When the restoration is complete, the house will be used for historic exhibits, a museum shop, classroom for teachers and their students, and a potential venue to be rented out for special events to provide income for the farm's operations.
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