John Buffington’s Colorful Home

8/28/25 31 Comments

Authored & Curated By

M.J.G.

John Mason Buffington, whose richly polychrome Queen Anne residence once stood at the corner of Oak and 10th Street, was a prominent citizen of Oakland, California. Only two known exterior photographs exist; if more are found, this page will be updated. The photograph shown here was issued incrementally as supplements to the S.F. News Letter during 1887 and 1888. These were later compiled into a single edition published by F. Marriott in 1888, with additional photographs taken.

This image captures an early form of Queen Anne architecture, before the style adopted round towers and later colonial elements.

Although the photographs make clear that the house was polychrome-painted, the exact color scheme is unknown. Fortunately, the newsletter described it in detail: One of the most artistic residences in Oakland is that of Mr. J. M. Buffington. It belongs to the new order of architecture, in which the gothic gable plays an important part.

The property wasn’t large, but it was well cultivated, with many winding paths and carpet bedding. He lived here with his wife, Mary W., daughter Laura J., and one live-in servant from Ireland, Ellen Laughland. Other records note two additional children: Mary Mason Buffington Gurnett, who died at age 37 in 1882, and John M. Buffington II, who died at age 52 in 1902. His sister Laura also died in 1902. The obituary of Mr. John M. Buffington I states that he left behind four children. He died at age 73, and the funeral was held at this home at 2 o’clock.

This photo came from the book Oakland and Surrounding published in 1885. Click here to view.

Mr. Buffington was a well-known figure, widely covered in nineteenth-century newspapers and books. He arrived in California during the 1849 Gold Rush, built his fortune in Tuolumne County, and later expanded his business interests to San Francisco, Stockton, and the East Bay. A veteran of the Mexican–American War, he became a prominent civic leader—helping commemorate Admiral Sloat, serving the Society of California Pioneers, presiding over the Oakland YMCA, and supporting the Lincoln Association before Lincoln’s birthday became a national holiday. He also worked with Anthony Chabot to found Oakland’s Masonic chapter and helped secure the site for the Masonic Temple that still overlooks Lakeside today.

This 1911 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows the home’s footprint and lists its address as 963. A carriage house stood directly behind the residence, and two one-story buildings occupied the map’s upper corner.

The Property was well cared for and familiar to locals. Artistic Homes of California described it as having a very pretty iron fence, low, and rising from a brick foundation, incloses [sic] the grounds. The grounds were also noted for their careful landscaping. The photograph shows extensive young plantings. Note that—typical of West Coast architecture—the basement foundation level is wood. Flowers, shrubs, and small trees are arranged in an orderly, deliberate plan. The house was built several years ago, consequently the grassy sidewalks and the garden are in a fine state of cultivation.

The small front porch features beautifully ornamented stair railings. It’s hard to tell, but it appears there may be a runner on the steps—or perhaps an alternating paint treatment down the center to simulate one. Along the front fence and around the foundation, a luxuriant profusion of flowers and plantings frames the house.

The small front porch, though hard to discern in this view, features a complex roofline capped with cresting. The columns are finely detailed, and a folding chair is visible on the porch. The front porch is well protected by its arched roof. A pair of double doors with art glass sashes, open directly into the square hall. The stair-case is not visible.

The box bay, topped with a small false balcony, corresponds to the parlor on the right side of the hall. On the right is the parlor, a very pretty room, handsomely furnished. On the left is the library, which has one corner enlarged by the projecting square bay-window, with art-glass panes, medallions in the center.

To the right, you can see the mansard-roofed kitchen wing of a larger home.

Returning to the left side of the hall, is the library, which has one corner enlarged by the projecting square bay window, with art glass panes, medallions in the center. Both articles discuss these art-glass panes with medallions; however, are these the two windows flanking the center window in the box bay?

In this view, you can also see many varieties of surface detail. The box bay has panels and flat, square columns, and the infill is standard clapboard. The wall to the left uses shiplap board siding and panels, while the basement level appears to use a different wood. The second floor is finished with variegated shingles. These varied treatments give the home distinctive character. Shiplap siding was very popular and used frequently on West Coast homes, whereas the East Coast more often used the standard overlapping clapboard seen on the box bay. It gives the homes a signature look.

Beyond the library is the sitting-room. The dining-room has a large bay window. Beyond are the kitchen, pantries, side-entrance and basement stairs. Pay close attention to the windows here—and, as we’ll see on the upstairs windows—there are sliding window screens attached to the outside. They are both centered in the middle of the window. Now let’s review the lace curtains in the window. They appear to have a pattern of palm trees or ferns. Also note that the window shade next to them is not as white as the curtains; it was likely a darker color. Window shades came in a variety of colors.

Behind the house, you can make out the carriage house. Artistic Homes said the stable is in the rear with driveway on Tenth street. Also, take note of the white laundry on the clothesline in front of the carriage house.

On the second story, Artistic Homes states that in the second story are the sleeping apartments, closets, bath-room and servants’ bedroom. Check out the sliding window screens in this view. The one on the right is fully lowered to protect the bottom sash from bug entry. The one on the left is not fully lowered.

Victorian Screens were not as rare as some people think. Some still insist that Victorian homes—rich or poor—didn’t have window screens, or that they hadn’t been invented yet. This is false; if you could afford them, they were available. As an 1880s catalog shows, wire screens could be custom-made with tracks to slide up and down for your windows, installed inside or out.

Here is a copy of the catalog Wire Screens published in 1888 by E.T. Burrowes & Co. Click here.

This 1888 illustration shows a woman lounging before two artistically draped windows with exterior screens—one on the upper sash and one on the lower. In the nineteenth century, the upper sash was often opened to vent warm air, so a screen that could slide up or down was essential.

The rooflines are edged with wood or terracotta cresting. The gable on the left shows an unusual diagonal pattern, and a contrasting horizontal band runs through the center of the main roof.

The corner box bay was popular during the 1870s and 1880s. In this view, the window is flanked by carved wooden sunbursts, with attractive ornamentation and rosettes above. The window screen is lowered, and the sash behind it is open. A roof deck crowns the roofline.

The small, windowless dormer to the left may be purely ornamental—a common Queen Anne device to animate the roofline. Such features sometimes conceal ventilation grilles, flues, or framing transitions, but many have no purpose beyond composition and balance. Given its size and lack of glazing, this example was likely intended as a visual accent rather than usable space.

The upper levels of the home are richly ornamented. Artistic Homes states the small square panes of glass in the upper sash of each window give a Queen Ann aspect to the house. This is apt, as English Queen Anne houses often featured small panes.

This is another view of the home from the book. The house was painted in at least five colors, aside from the contrasting accents mentioned. The house itself is picturesque, this effect being heightened by the parti-colored and ornamented exterior.

The text then describes the colors used on the house:

The basement portion is of a dark green.
Above that is a band of dark terra cotta color, which is repeated in the window-casings.
The first story is dark-red,
then a band of olive.
Above that, in fancy shingles, is the second story, in light green.
The gables are ornamented with disks of contrasting colors

Here is a more front-facing view of the home from the single edition published by F. Marriott in 1888, which included some new photographs. In this view, you get a clearer look at the small porch, and the doors are easier to make out. The house is furnace-heated and the service is electric. Throughout the house the mantels and gas-fixtures are very pretty.

Here is a scan of the book Artistic Homes of California published in 1888. Click here to view.

This angle provides a clearer view of the porch and its graceful, compact roofline.

Wires are strung along the fence, likely intended to train vines upward.

In this view, the ornate gate and an elaborate hitching post are visible. The road is unpaved, bordered by a grass strip and a sidewalk.

To the right of the house is an earlier-style California home quite popular during the 19th century.

To the left, the neighbor’s home is visible, and behind it stands an earlier-style house. The two lower circular windows are striking. In the distance, a tall tower rises with a flagpole at its summit.

Here is the clipping from the original newspaper article quotes were taken from for today’s post. It was slightly altered for the collected version.

This ends our our journey today but there will be more time travel to come.
You can find more articles here.

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