1887 – 1891
Theo H. Cramer and wife Mary buy the lot at 951 Ukiah St from Dr. W.A. McCornack for $250, and build their family home. Speculation suggests Nicholson House and the Café Beaujolais house may have been built by the same man, Pete Hansen.
1900
The then Cramer House is home to Theo H. Cramer (49, barber born in Germany) with wife Mary (37) and five children, Elsie (15), Nora (14), Bertha (12), Alvin (9), and Ruthie (8).
1903 – 1906
The Cramers leave Mendocino for South Park, Washington where Mr. Cramer subsequently kills himself. The family moves to Wisconsin.
1910 – 1919
The once Cramer House is now home to George A. Daniels (52 years), wife Mary (40), and children – Arthur (15), Eunice (13), Linwood (11), Geneve (6), and Winfield (3). Peter Hansen and family, the original builders and owners of the Café Beaujolais house, live next door during this time.
1920
The house is rented by the Nicholsons, previously of Little River – Alfred Nicholson (25), wife Anna M. (26), son Kenneth A. (6), brother Arthur Nicholson (29), and mother Eliza C. (65). “Allie” and “Art” both work at lumber camp. Allie is a fireman and Art is a sawyer.
1930
Home owner George Daniels dies. His children inherit the property and directly sell it to Art Nicholson. The Nicolson family resides in the house for at least 30 years.
1960
Well respected and loved resident, Allie Nicholson (66), takes his life with a rifle in the family home. He is survived by his wife and three adult sons. His suicide goes unexplained by the family, but he is remembered in the Mendocino Beacon by his many friends as a “…most friendly man [whose] presence at the Mendocino post office every week-day morning was the occasion for a get-together meeting in which he joined and discussed local matters with his friends.”
1976
Art Williams, Big River Lodge owner, purchases the house and adds dormers, front porch and entry, rebuilding the old family home as five independent “townhouse apartment” units in an effort to help relieve the local housing shortage.Williams also adds the Wilkinson/Cobb Gallery to the “far downstairs” of Nicholson House, and the housing units are utilized in part as an amenity for visiting Art Center students.
1979 – 1989
Norman Dennis McCrosky becomes the owner of Nicholson House. McCrosky builds the artisan water tower (never truly a water tower) and converts the property into a commercial office space, a massage studio, and eight long-term housing units (one he lives in).
1990’s
Under McCrosky the Nicholson House becomes a classic Mendocino bed and breakfast. The House is eventually sold to Judith Brown and run by Sweetwater Eco Spa as an adjunct to the neighboring property.
2020
Nicholson House is purchased by Peter and Melissa Lopez, now owners of the neighboring Café Beaujolais restaurant property. The entire property goes through an extensive refurbish and upgrade.
2022
Nicholson House reopens as part of Beaujolais Mendocino, Luxury Accommodation at the House Next Door.
2024
Mollie B. Warren, General Manager and ‘creator and curator’ of Nicholson House, becomes part owner of the luxury boutique hotel, a testament to the Lopez Beaujolais family’s generosity and commitment to both community and authentic hospitality.
