A home with a powerful history is currently listed for sale in Cloverdale. Built in 1903 as a steam-generating power plant, the structure was converted into a residence by the 1950s. The “Power House” — named by former owner Arthur Foster, a banker and Northwest Pacific Railroad scion — is currently seeking $3,750,000.
The stucco dwelling, which once converted Big Sulphur Creek water into power for three towns and the Italian Swiss Colony, still bears the words “No Admittance. Danger.” No danger remains, but Big Sulphur Creek does, which runs that length of the property, adding scenic and acoustic beauty, not to mention a nod to the home’s history.
The home has three en-suite bedrooms, a 40-foot-by-40-foot great room with 20-foot ceilings, a herringbone-brick faced hearth, and custom windows that overlook the creek.
Sapele wood doors with van Cronenburg architectural hardware connect to the gardens, featuring ancient olive trees, native plants and gravel pathways — the work of notable landscape architect and former owner of the “Power House,” Todd Cole. A vintage Wedgewood stove adds a retro touch to the kitchen. Doors lead to a courtyard on one side and the creek on the other.
Other amenities include a pool, an office, a pavilion and an accessory dwelling unit.
For more information on this property at 1015 Geysers Road in Cloverdale, contact listing agent Donna Goldman at 415-509-2427. Compass, 490 Magnolia St., Larkspur; 891 Beach St., San Francisco. donnagoldman.com/properties/alexander-valley-sonoma-county-california