Historic Property #10: 2985 Clay Street; James B. Blair House
Year Built: 1901
Architect: Unknown
Builder: Unknown
Architectural Style: Queen Anne/Princess Anne
The James B. Blair, Jr. House, built circa 1901 as a wedding present for his bride, Erla Blair, exhibits characteristics of the Queen Anne style, specifically a sub-type sometimes referred to as 'Princess Anne' or Edwardian. This sub-type, popular in the post-Victorian era, shares the Queen Anne's asymmetrical massing, multi-gabled roofs, and wrap-around porches, but features simpler surfaces and less ornate detailing. While the house retains the round tower common to Queen Anne architecture, its overall ornamentation is more restrained. James Jr., of the Blair lumbering family, utilized the finest Blair milled sugar pine and J. & J. Blair manufactured windows, doors, and roofing in its construction, highlighting the quality of materials over excessive embellishment.
James B. Blair House; Circa 1905
James Blair Jr.'s father, James Blair Sr., and uncle, John Blair Sr., arrived in El Dorado County in 1852 at the height of the Gold Rush. These pioneering brothers operated a way station on the Placerville-to-Carson City Road known as Sportsman's Hall, later a Pony Express stop. The Blair brothers established a lumber mill in 1856, opening additional sites through the late 1800s and early 1900s. James B. operated the mill at Sly Park, as well as the lumber yard and retail operation in Placerville. The Blairs, who mostly settled on Cedar Ravine and Clay Streets, were a deeply respected pioneer lumber and entrepreneurial family.
The house, distinguished by its round tower, gable roof, decorative leaded glass windows, and second-story porch over the entry, is where James Blair Jr. and Erla Blair raised their three children. The home holds a unique place in local history, not just for its architectural significance but also for its connection to James “Bud” Blair III, the son of James Jr. and Erla. Bud Blair, a Cal Berkeley rowing team member, achieved Olympic glory by winning a gold medal in the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, becoming El Dorado County’s first Olympic gold medalist. Bud, at 6’2” and 168 lbs, was the smallest oarsman in the winning eights team, which finished within a boat length of the other teams. Adding to his legacy, the very oar that Bud Blair used to row his way to Olympic victory can be seen today at the El Dorado County Historical Museum.
After Erla Blair sold the home in 1953 for $10,000, the property changed hands several times. In the early 1980s, Patsy and Richard Thompson purchased the then-dilapidated house and undertook extensive renovations, including a new roof, gutters, paint, sheetrock, and the installation of a heat pump. The Thompsons transformed it into a bed and breakfast, "The James Blair Mansion B & B," reviving the home's legacy and highlighting the Blair family’s lumber heritage. Later innkeepers rebranded the house as the “Sugar Pine Bed & Breakfast,” a nod to the original building material.
The house has seen numerous changes over the years, including alterations to the color scheme and internal layouts, such as the enclosure of sun porches to create additional bedrooms. It has also been featured in multiple historic home tours. The current owners of this beautiful property hope to reopen it as a bed and breakfast in the coming months. The James Blair Jr. and Erla Blair home stands as a testament to the Blair family's contribution to the region and the enduring charm of turn-of-the-century Queen Anne architecture.
