A view of the John Pete Lindberg property on the east side of Mendocino, looking northwest. The house stood on a hill above a steep ravine called LeBallister Gulch, visible in the photograph to the left of the house. Just above that, you can see the light-colored rows of headstones in Evergreen Cemetery.
J. P. Lindberg was an early-day (c. 1874-1884) harness and saddle maker with two consecutive shop locations, both on Main Street. The first location was in the east half of the Packard Drug Store building a few doors west of the Mendocino Hotel. Later, he moved to a space in the Kelley Store building at Main and Lansing Streets.
Unmarried and childless at his death in 1908, Lindberg left the house to his good friend and fellow Swede, Fred Halling. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Swanson purchased the property from Halling in 1913. Swanson then sold it to Aldine and Allan Gorman, son of the Occidental Hotel owner, Kate Gorman.
In 1960, the State of California acquired the Lindberg House in conjunction with the right-of-way for the construction of the Highway 1/Big River bridge approach. It was put up for auction and was sold for $350 to Rosalie Swanson Gabbert, whose family used to live there. She moved it onto their acreage property a short distance away. Its present address is 44782 Crestwood Drive. APN 119-270-25.
The 1930 date of this photo is suggested by the presence of the old Saint Anthony’s Church, still standing on the distant hill to the right. It burned December 12, 1930. The Grammar School, visible near the center, is partially obscured but appears to be the building completed in August of 1930.
Other discernible buildings in this photograph include the Packard Barn on the left near Evergreen Cemetery above Main Street. The Johnson Cottage on Evergreen is clearly seen, left of the white picket fence in the cemetery. Right of that are two houses on Pine Street facing the school – the Susie Walbridge house partially obscured by trees and to its right is the tall, hip-roofed H. H. Brown House and its water tower. The Mendocino High School can be seen on the left hill in the background. Highway 1 (built in 1960) now takes up much of the land located on the right side of this photo.
Water Towers and Windmills of Mendocino by Wally Smith – Covers the purpose and history of the water towers of Mendocino–both those gone and remaining. $15.