Head Mining Engineer's Home, New Almaden - San Jose, CA - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

Like a hierarchy of management, the houses along Almaden Road starting from Casa Grande represented your position of importance with the mine management company. The first house down was for the Head Mining Engineer himself, next door to the mine offices in Casa Grande.

In 1863 this home was purchased by the Quicksilver Mining Company as the home for the head mining engineer.

In a section extracted from an Almaden Times Weekly story, we read:

Cottage #1 is the largest of the homes at the Hacienda except for Casa Grande. Constructed of wood with brick basement walls, it features nine bedrooms and a full basement containing a stove that ran the width of the house. A dumbwaiter transported food to the scullery and dining room above. A Santa Clara County Historic Structures report monikers the house “the head mining engineer’s house,” dating to the mid 1850s. Francis Meyers, carpenter for the mine, built Cottage #1 as well as Casa Grande. It is believed that mine manager J.B. Randol moved into the house in 1870 while Casa Grande was being remodeled. Randol hired his brother, Dr. A. R. Randol, as resident doctor, and he lived into Cottage #1 after the renovation.

NAQCPA archivist Art Boudreault researched records documenting Dr. Frederick Vincent Hopkins resided in the house from 1878 to 1882 and provided services as a surgeon at New Almaden during the time period. He lived there rent free.

Robert Burnett Smith was hired as mining company accountant and moved into cottage #5 with his family. He was married to Annie Terhune, sister of J.B. Randol’s wife Christiana.

The house remained as mining company property through their bankruptcy in 1912. George Sexton bought the assets in 1915. After Sexton’s death in 1926, his heirs subdivided the area and sold the home by 1930.

The current owners, Harry and Buffy Wellman, call the cottage the “Randol Family Home” in tribute to the descendents who once lived there.

In addition to the NRHP Plaque, a second plaque tells about families that lived here (in all caps):

THE RANDOL FAMILY HOME Cottage #1 This cottage is the largest of the dwellings built by Barron, Forbes & Co. in the late 1840's. It contained four fireplaces and a large wood- burning basement stove used by servants to prepare meals. It was purchased in 1863 by New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Co. and earlier in 1856 housed the head mining engineers. Dr. A.R. Randol, lived here in 1879, he having replaced Dr. Frederick V. Hopkins. The company accountant Robert Burnett sSmith & his wife Anne Terhune Smith followed & they lived here through 1881. Anne was also a sister-in- law of J.B. Randol, the mine's manager from 1870 to 1892. Dedicated May 15, 2005 By the Harry & Buffy Wellman family Sponsored by The New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association & Mountain Charlie Chapter #1850, E. Clampus Vitus | ECV Image | "Right Wrongs Nobody"