The Leland Stanford Mansion is now being lovingly and accurately restored, and will be available for tours and events after it is rededicated on September 9, 2005--the 155th anniversary of California statehood.

I remember it as a such a wonderful place that it is sometimes hard to keep in mind that it is simply a place that a family lived in. It has always had a homey feeling, but over the years it was used for so many different things that you had to work to keep that in mind--human beings lived here, including a boisterous little boy named Leland. The restoration has brought that feel back.

The building has a beautiful new roof with miles of wrought iron detail that is historically accurate--that's what was there when Governor (Leland) and Mrs. (Jane) Stanford lived in the house. The landscaping and outbuildings from the era of their residency have been recreated from historical photographs, and yesterday I looked down on the mansion and grounds and watched a new lawn being rolled out. I was happy to note that several Stanford-era fruit trees and traditional landscape trees have been carefully preserved. More landscaping is underway, and since we were not here when many of those plants were originally growing around the home, we will learn what was the common sort of thing people put in their yards back then.

The herringbone brick sidewalks past the home and around the grounds have been repaired (we've been walking on them for many decades, and some had to be replaced), and even the brickmasons have been thrilled about this particular job. The cyclone fencing that protected the construction site is gone, and one may get some really nice photos of the front of the mansion--as long as you don't get in the way of the guy with the bricks.

Even if you come and visit now, two months before it reopens, you will see so much that is lovely and interesting that you will vow to come back in September to see it finished.