George and Charles MacRae were the architects for this transitional Queen Anne-Colonial Revival home in Alameda, California.

Built in 1895 for $5,200, the home’s original owner was Charles Thorn, a sea captain. Thorn was the Captain of USS California, a ship that carried mail from the East Coast to the West Coast.

In addition to Alameda, the Thorn family — which also included wife Mary Jeanette, and daughter Minnie — also lived in Portland, Or., San Francisco and Alviso.

Minnie went to school in San Francisco and became a stenographer.