The Amelia Vollers House: An 1891 Queen Anne Victorian in San Mateo

The Amelia Vollers House was built on one of many lots in the Western Addition of San Mateo, formerly part of the Howard Estate. The land was purchased at auction in 1889 by Amelia Vollers, a German American, and the house, a Queen Anne Victorian, was built by James Tannahill in 1891, before San Mateo was incorporated as a city. This presentation by Patricia McDaniel will feature photos of the house, its distinctive architecture, and some of the work done to repair and restore it. It will also include a discussion of how the history of the house was uncovered by the former owners, and how they attempted to preserve that history.

Patricia McDaniel is a former owner of the Vollers House, and a retired sociologist. When she and her spouse Brian purchased the house in 2010, no one knew exactly when it had been built. Searching for an answer to this seemingly simple question led them to various local archives and sparked an interest in knowing even more about the early history of the house. Patricia and Brian sold the house in 2021, and moved across the Bay to Oakland, California.

This event will be in the Oak Room at the San Mateo Main Library. Free. Tickets are not required nor accepted.

Host or Publisher San Mateo Public Library