Known as the “house that started it all” for Julia Morgan’s work in the Yuba-Sutter area, this Georgian Revival home was commissioned by Phoebe Rideout as a wedding gift for her nephew. The home features Corinthian-style columns, a balanced entryway, and symbolic pineapple finials.

YUBA-SUTTER, CA (MPG) - While Julia Morgan is widely known as the visionary architect behind the iconic Hearst Castle, few realize that her architectural fingerprints can also be found right here in the Yuba-Sutter region.

On April 24, the Yuba County Library hosted a special program at the Yuba County Government Center, a temporary home during ongoing library renovations, to spotlight Morgan’s life, legacy, and local contributions. The event was part of the California State Parks’ virtual PORTcast series and included a guided virtual tour of Hearst Castle, complete with images, history, and coloring pages for the kids.

A front-facing view of the Julia Morgan-designed home at 527 6th Street reveals its symmetrical design, extended eaves, and original stucco exterior. The home remains a standout example of Morgan’s early 20th-century residential work.

Morgan, the first licensed female architect in California and the first woman to graduate from the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, broke barriers with both her gender and her vision. Best known for her nearly three-decade collaboration with media tycoon William Randolph Hearst, Morgan designed over 700 buildings throughout her career, blending classical balance with Mediterranean and Mission-style elements.

What may come as a surprise to many residents is that Morgan designed at least six structures in the Yuba-Sutter area between 1916 and 1925. Below is a list of those remaining structures in the most efficient “walking tour order” if starting from the Yuba County Government Center. 

On 707 F St., Marysville (1916), the house was commissioned by Phoebe Rideout as a wedding gift for her nephew N.D. Rideout, an early banker and settler of Marysville. This Georgian Revival-style home includes Corinthian colonettes, pineapple finials symbolizing prosperity, and decorative spindled balconies.

This two-story stucco home, designed for Dr. Phillip Hoffman, showcases Morgan’s signature use of Classical elements, including Doric columns and a jerkinhead roof. The gated garden enhances the structure’s stately curb appeal.

On 725 F St. Marysville (1920), the house was designed for Dr. Phillip Hoffman, this two-story stucco home includes a jerkinhead roof, Doric columns, and built-in hutches.

On 527 6th St., Marysville (1918) the house was built for banker P.T. Smith, this residence features four sun porches, solid walnut doors, cedar closets, scalloped ceilings, and a car-maintenance pit in the garage—details ahead of their time. It now serves as the home of Helder’s Photography.

On 326 D St., Marysville (1919), though now an antique mall, this location was previously home to a Morgan-designed structure, according to the Berkeley City Club Conservancy. However, the conservancy has yet to produce information that corroborates this.

Designed by Julia Morgan for local dentist Dr. Albert E. Kline, this cottage-style home features Morgan’s hallmark symmetry, abundant natural light, and a graceful, rounded entryway. The home once included a spiral staircase with no visible support and an indoor garden room.

On 9th & E St., Marysville (1925), the site of the former Veterans Memorial Auditorium, a grand structure built to honor WWI veterans. Phoebe Rideout was credited for gifting the funds to create the building which was made primarily of terracotta and brick. It was Morgan’s only known project with structural issues and as such was condemned in 1967. The site currently houses a Jack in the Box and Food Mart. 

On 364 2nd St., Yuba City (1920), the house was commissioned by Dr. Albert Kline, an area dentist, this home features a unique floating spiral staircase and an abundance of light, showcasing Morgan’s preference for bright, airy interiors.

The April 24 program was just one of many virtual offerings from California State Parks’ PORTcast series, which the Yuba County Library hopes to continue hosting in the future. Additional materials, supplemented by the library, emphasized Morgan’s architectural trademarks such as low-pitched roofs, terracotta tiles, redwood shingles, and symmetrical layouts, elements that still influence design aesthetics today.

A front-facing view of the Julia Morgan-designed home at 527 6th Street reveals its symmetrical design, extended eaves, and original stucco exterior. The home remains a standout example of Morgan’s early 20th-century residential work.

In addition to the local history, attendees learned how to explore Morgan’s work throughout the state. While Hearst Castle requires a ticketed entry, Julia Morgan also designed sites like Asilomar State Beach in Monterey and Hearthstone at Humboldt Redwoods State Park. These can be visited for free with a California State Library Park Pass, available to Yuba County Library cardholders. Park passes offer a unique chance to engage with the state’s architectural and natural treasures, just one of many public resources made accessible through the library system.

For more information about future events or to reserve a park pass, residents can contact the Yuba County Library at 530-749-7380 or visit in person at 915 8th Street, Suite 113, Marysville.