Stories from the Estate

Events

Meet Diana Cushway, choreographer, author, educator and former professional modern dancer whose decades of creative collaboration are helpin…

History

The oval stained glass displayed in the reception room at North Star House is more than a beautiful historic detail. Created in memory of Ag…

Events

North Star House will host a free fireside chat with internationally recognized philanthropy expert Kay Sprinkel Grace on October 8, 2026. P…

Landscape

Shop the Dozer Dog Farms Fall Plant Sale in Nevada City on October 9 and 10, with 25% of proceeds benefiting the North Star House Garden.

History

Discover the history of the North Star Cottage, where Arthur and Mary Hallock Foote lived from 1895 to 1905 before moving into Julia Morgan’…

Tours

Take a historic tour of North Star House in Grass Valley and discover Julia Morgan’s architecture, Mary Hallock Foote, mining history and re…

Events

Meet Michele of Artistic Edge Salon & Spa and experience period-inspired hairstyling, dancing, history, and more during an autumn evening at…

Volunteers

Betzi Franklin Hart was a remarkable leader, advocate and friend whose impact can be felt throughout Nevada County.

Second Floor

Nevada County creatives toured the second floor of North Star House and shared ideas for workshops, meetings, performances and exhibitions.…

Landscape

North Star House is seeking a volunteer with equipment maintenance or repair experience to help with minor repairs and routine maintenance o…

History

North Star House as we know it today exists because a group of community members saw possibility in a place that was, at the time, in seriou…

North Star House made several appearances in the latest issue of Nevada County Gold Magazine, and we loved seeing the property highlighted i…

Events

North Star House grounds filled with families, friends, creativity, and a little bit of magic for our 2026 Midsummer Festival, presented in…

Events

Volunteers

Joan was involved in nearly every part of North Star House, contributing to historical research, the docent program, events, the website, ma…

Weddings

The Wiley wedding made full use of North Star House, with portraits inside the historic rooms, across the grounds, and among the property’s…

Events

Midsummer Festival is almost here, and we still need a few extra hands to help the day run smoothly.

Support

Historic places are built not only by architects and craftsmen, but also by the generations of people who care enough to preserve them.

Nevada County Partners

North Star House celebrates local history supporters seen in the Nevada City Fourth of July Parade, including museums and volunteers.

Through Doug's Lens

Long-time North Star House volunteer Doug Young shares photos from a recent visit, capturing restoration progress, historic rooms, and volun…

Julia Morgan

Looking for things to do in Grass Valley? Visit North Star House for local history, architecture, tours, and community events.

Support

The Mid-Summer Festival is coming up, and we would love a little extra volunteer support to help make the day run smoothly.

Events

Guests of all ages are encouraged to come dressed in their most whimsical attire, whether that means fairy wings, woodland costumes, storybo…

History

The story of North Star House in Grass Valley, California begins with the North Star Mine, one of the most significant names in California g…

North Star House is looking for a knowledgeable volunteer to help with scheduled maintenance and minor repairs on several pieces of outdoor…

Support

At the North Star House, we think often about what lasts. The house itself has lasted through more than a century of change.

Events

This Mother’s Day, the North Star House was filled with flowers, tea, conversation, and the warmth of community as guests gathered for our M…

Support

Rebekah Freeman, lead of the North Star House Interiors Committee, hosted a special fundraiser concert that raised nearly $1,000 to support…

History

North Star House is looking for volunteer docents to welcome visitors, lead historic tours, and share the stories of the people, architectur…

Restoration

There has been a lot happening around North Star House lately, and sometimes the best way to share it is simply through photos. These photos…

Events

North Star House is hosting an afternoon lecture with historian Mary-Jo Wainwright examining the roles of women in the United States during…

For more than two decades, the North Star House has been moving through a rare kind of recovery - one measured not only in funding milestone…

Community Game Day is a simple reminder of why North Star House exists—not just as a historic space, but as a place meant to be used, shared…

Volunteers

Introduction to Ken Underwood We are pleased to announce that Ken Underwood has taken on the role of Board President of the North Star Histo…

Events

A Festive Gathering for All The North Star House was filled with holiday cheer this season as we welcomed the community for our annual Chris…

Interiors

A gentle and timeless holiday glow fills the North Star House this season, thanks to the thoughtful Christmas décor created by Rebekah Freem…

Second Floor

An inside look at the second floor of the North Star House, shared through the voices of the volunteers who are bringing it back to life.

On November 16, our community gathered for a moment many years in the making: the National Significance Celebration at the North Star House.…

Landscape

We recently hosted a free community workshop with horticultural designer Molly Breen of New Wave Green, focusing on how to design native pla…

The North Star Historic Conservancy is proud to announce that the North Star House has been officially recognized as nationally significant…

Second Floor

The second-floor construction effort of the North Star House is one of the most ambitious and exciting projects underway at this historic 19…

Events

A Night of Gratitude and Celebration This past weekend, the North Star House opened its doors for a special evening of gratitude and celebra…

Events

The North Star House is calling on the community to help us plant the next phase of our native hedgerow, an inspiring project designed by Mo…

For over 15 years, Carole Miller poured her heart into the North Star House — and now, she’s sharing that story.

On September 21st, the North Star House came alive in a special way. Not with a wedding or public event, but with a celebration dedicated...

Sponsors

A beautiful new native hedgerow is taking root at the historic North Star House, thanks to the generosity and expertise of local business sp…

Volunteers

The North Star House carries new warmth and life, as Rebekah Freeman restores its interiors with historic detail and heart

Support

Howard and Peggy Levine were instrumental in moving the North Star House from years of disrepair toward once again serving as a place for th

Support

The North Star House recently received a beautifully preserved sketch believed to be the work of Mary Hallock Foote.

Support

Without fire protection, everything we’ve restored is at risk. One wildfire spark could erase over 100 years of history, and decades of comm…

Tours

One of the greatest pleasures of leading tours at the North Star House is not just sharing history, but receiving it in return. Our...

As restoration and planning efforts continue across the grounds, we’re also laying the groundwork — quite literally — for a more accessible…

History

Over a century ago, A.B. Foote. then superintendent of the North Star Mine and one of the visionaries behind the North Star House, served a…

Weddings

See Angela and David’s May outdoor wedding at North Star House in Grass Valley, featuring an East Lawn reception, courtyard first dance, and…

On June 3rd 2025, the North Star House restoration volunteers took a well-deserved break from the usual buzz of tools and construction to...

Special Guests

Fifteen years after planting a tulip tree, the DAR returned to see its growth: a beautiful reminder of legacy and care at North Star House.

Events

On May 1st, 2025 - North Star House welcomed a vibrant gathering of artists, makers, and creatives from across the county for the May Arts C…

Events

North Star House had the honor of hosting historian & author Gage McKinney for a special presentation on his latest book.

History

The North Star Mine covered over 700 acres and played a crucial role in California's gold mining history from 1851 to 1956.

History

Mary Hallock Foote was celebrated as one of the most talented and accomplished illustrators and writers of the late 1800s.

History

What began as a dream of dedicated volunteer gardeners became a journey of discovery of the rich horticultural legacy of the estate.

History

Where history is rooted not only in the brick and mine rock terrace designed by Julia Morgan but in the very landscape that surrounds it.

Julia Morgan

In 1904, a newly licensed Julia Morgan was commissioned to design North Star House—a structure that would serve multiple purposes.

History

A discovery that sheds light on Morgan’s pivotal role in a massive wartime effort—one that has gone largely unrecognized.

The North Star Historic Conservancy has been steadily restoring the house, overcoming immense challenges of neglect, vandalism, and the hars

History

Born in San Francisco, CA in 1872 – Died in San Francisco, CA in 1957 Julia Morgan Julia Morgan is one of America's most celebrated architec…

History

Born in Guilford, CT in 1849 – Died in Hingham, MA in 1933 Arthur De Wint Foote Arthur De Wint Foote was born in Guilford, Connecticut, and…

History

Born in Milton, NY in 1847 – Died in Hingham, MA in 1938 Mary Hallock Foote Mary Hallock Foote was born in Milton, New York, and raised in a…

History

Born 1836 – Boston, MA Died 1908 – Stockbridge, MA James Hague James Duncan Hague was born in Boston and earned an engineering degree fr…