This historic building has gone by other names over the years (Village Inn and Ira Russ Bank Building) and is a classic example of Stick Style Victorian architecture with Italianate elements (particularly in the cornice/eave). A historical marker hangs in front of the building and notes its significance:
“The Victorian Inn”
The Victorian Inn was built in 1890 with completion in 1891, and known as the Russ Building. The structure was originally built to house the Ferndale Bank with the Ferndale Enterprise Newspaper following. There were 33 rooms on the second floor; single rooms and suites. The amenities of the era included bathrooms, water closets and fireplaces. There were many stores including the Humbolt County Bank, the Ferndale Bank, and later the Russ Williams Bank which became a part of Bank of America in 1935. This building is a Stick Style Eastlake Victorian. The windows and bracketing are Italianate in style. The foundation is a solid brick, two feet at the bottom and a one foot at the top. It is still in place today. The master carpenter and architect of the building was T.J. Frost. He also did the Masonic Temple and the Gazebo in town to mention a few. There were numerous wrought iron hitching posts with horse heads alone Francis Street and Ocean Avenue, some of which are evident today. The structure survived 3 large earthquakes in 1992 and is a testament to its durable, steadfast endurance.
On February 13, 1891, the Ferndale Enterprise stated most eloquently that the Victorian Inn (Russ Building) “…it is one of the handsomest buildings, both outside and in, that stands in the State today.”
This building is contributing building No. 32 as part of the Ferndale Main Street Historic District and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. Its statement of significance from the NRHP nomination form (Section 7, Page 31) reads:
"Ira Russ Bank Building (Village Inn): This impressive Stick Style - Eastlake Victorian commercial building is visually noted for its highly decorated bay windows and cornice topped with a shingled mansard parapet roof. The windows and bracketing are Italianate in style. The round corner bay window and the square bays down the sides of the building, which alternate with matching windows, are well coordinated with the cornice detailing.
The first floor facade is a series of tall shop windows with single lite transoms above. "...The window lights used on the first floor are of the finest French plate, being in size about 54 inches by 8 feet." The April 1992 earthquakes damaged many of the storefront windows facing Ocean Avenue on the north facade of the building. The replacement windows are tall panes of divided iites which are not original in design. The entrances on the north facade are recessed. The main, corner entrance is angled below a large, round bay with five sash windows that projects out over the corner sidewalk. This bay window originally had a cupola on top and ironwork cresting around the mansard roof. The pilasters on the street level facade are identical to those found on the Masonic Temple at the other end of the block.
This magnificent structure is another example of the talented work of Ferndale architect, Thomas J. Frost, who also designed the Masonic Temple which incorporated, similar architectural elements. Frost was also recognized as a "master mechanic" with a long established reputation as a "draughtsman".
The building "rests upon a solid brick foundation 2 feet wide on the bottom and tapering to one foot on the top." The roof was originally "an expensive tin roof with a sky-light 6x38 feet in size." The siding is horizontal shiplap. Numerous wrought iron hitching posts with horses heads line the sidewalk on Francis Street and Ocean Avenue in front of this monumental building.
The owner, Ira Russ, had the structure built in 1890 and completed in 1891 to house banking facilities and stores on the ground floor with 33 rooms (single and suites) upstairs including bathrooms, waterclosets and eight fireplaces. Early tenants included a branch of the Humboldt County Bank; the Ferndale Bank; and later the Russ-Wi11iams Bank which became a part of Bank of America in 1935."
The vintage photo referenced as part of this waymark was taken in 1891 just after completion of the building.