Camron-Stanford House

First step toward fire recovery done! Our volunteers cleared 150 years worth of treasures and junk out of the basement. Making room for what comes next! 💪🏾🔥

It’s National Preservation Week and this 150-year-old Oakland landmark’s future is uncertain.

Just weeks after announcing the Camron-Stanford House Museum’s reopening, after being closed for nearly two years, we suffered a fire on April 4th. Now, reopening is on hold as we navigate next steps to rebuild and recover.

We were already operating on a razor thin margin before the fire and now our plans to return to sustainable income are halted. It will be months before we can reopen, secure new upstairs tenants, and host events.

To support our reopening, visit cshouse.org to:
* Donate
* Volunteer
* Sign a petition from the Oakland Heritage Society
* Subscribe to email updates

Calling Volunteer Museum Docents!

The Camron-Stanford House Museum is recruiting new docents to volunteer with our Oakland history museum. Our spring docent training takes place April 25th-May 23rd, Saturdays 10-11am on Zoom. There are still a few spots left!

While the house is closed as we recover from an April 4th fire, we are still working toward reopening. If you’re interested in joining our volunteers, comment or DM!

Found this original photo of the Black Panthers rallying in front of the Camron-Stanford House in 1968. This is the Oakland history that we are fighting to preserve. And Oakland knows how to fight. 👊🏾

The house is home to Oakland’s first museum, opened 119 years ago. Comment if you want to volunteer with us!

We are so fortunate that saved the house. Last night’s fire damage is isolated to one area of the house. The history rooms and our artifacts are in tact!

The City of showed up in numbers today to help us navigate next steps. We are so grateful for their partnership to help us reopen Oakland’s first museum and welcome the community back into the space.

We are launching a gofundme to help with the repairs, restoration, and reopening. Please donate and follow along for updates https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-camronstanford-house

Fire at the Camron-Stanford House last night. We are devastated. Our great effort to reopen and save the house is coming to this. 🙏 🙏 🙏

What would you like to see happen to the last historic Victorian estate on Lake Merritt?

Our volunteers are trying to save it. Help us:
- reopen the museum
- host public and private events
- sublease the upstairs!

Join our volunteers or come check out the space! DM me for more info.

Help us save the historic Camron-Stanford House and be part of its future! Please donate at cshouse.org and come visit the museum this Sunday, March 29th, from 11am-2pm.

The house holds more than just 150 years of Oakland history - it is a beautiful and underutilized community space on Lake Merritt. This house and its history belongs to Oakland. Once it’s lost, it will be gone forever.

The poster is from 1970 when the City of Oakland planned to demolish the house and build a parking lot in its place. Most of Lake Merritt’s historic Victorian houses had already been destroyed. Volunteers were able to save the house and reopen as the home of Oakland’s first museum. It remained open until closing in August 2024. Now, volunteers are again trying to reopen the museum and save the house and we need support from the community to make it happen.

Great seeing so many of you at the house today! If you missed us, we’ll be open for tours next Sunday 11am-2pm. Bring your friends, a picnic, and hang in the garden while the roses are in full bloom! 🧺 🌹

Oakland's first museum, the Camron-Stanford House Museum on Lake Merritt, is at risk of permanent closure. The House was built by Samuel Merritt 150 years ago. This iconic house holds so much history and potential for Oakland, it would be a shame to lose it!

Volunteers are rallying to raise funds to reopen the house museum as a shared community space. We need the Oakland community's support to save this house! Donate and learn more about our plans to reopen at www.cshouse.org