• Source: Thorsen House

The William R. Thorsen House, often referred to as the Thorsen House, is a historic residence in Berkeley, California. Built in 1909 for William and Caroline Thorsen, it is one of the last of four standing ultimate bungalows designed by Henry and Charles Greene of the renowned architectural firm Greene & Greene and the only one located in Northern California.
Since 1942, it has been home to the California Alpha Chapter of the Sigma Phi Society, the oldest national fraternity in continuos existence. It houses members of Sigma Phi Society, hosts communal dinners, organizes small concerts, and offers tours for other students and members of the public, welcoming thousands of visitors a year.
The Thorsen House can be toured throughout the week on an informal basis; one can simply knock on the door to visit.




History






= Namesake

=
The Thorsen House is named after William Randolph Thorsen (1860-1942), a lumber baron from Michigan who retired to and purchased a lot in Berkeley, California. His wife, Caroline Canfield Thorsen (1858-1942), was the younger sister of Nellie Canfield Blacker, owner of the Robert R. Blacker House in Pasadena, California. The couple resided in the house following its construction and until their deaths in 1942.




= Design

=
The house embodies the American Craftsman style of the Arts and Crafts Movement, a style Greene & Greene is known for incorporating in their projects (as is the case with Gamble House and Blacker House, both in Pasadena).
The entry hall is panelled in Burmese Teak while the living and dining rooms are panelled in Honduras Mahogany with ebony pegs covering the screws. The fireplace in the living room is encased in mauve tile from the Grueby Faience Company. The front door contains leaded art glass in the pattern of a gnarled grape vine, executed by Emil Lange, who also worked on the Gamble House. The Greenes were originally commissioned to make furniture for the dining room, but were later called back to make additional pieces.




See also


Gamble House
Robert R. Blacker House
Collegiate Secret Societies of North America
North American fraternity and sorority housing
List of Berkeley Landmarks in Berkeley, California




References






Related reading


Bosley, Edward R.; Robert Judson Clark; Randell L. Makinson (1996) Last of the Ultimate Bungalows. The William R. Thorsen House of Greene and Greene (University of California)
Makinson, Randall (2001) Greene & Greene: Architecture as a Fine Art (Gibbs Smith) ISBN 978-1586851057
Johnson, Robert; Janet Byron (2015) Berkeley Walks: Revealing Rambles through America's Most Intriguing City (Roaring Forties Press) ISBN 9781938901515




External links


Official Thorsen House Website (Sigma Phi Society - Tours)
Greene and Greene Virtual Archives Website

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