Guided Tour
Woelke-Stoffel House guided tour
Tour the 1894 Queen Anne Victorian as part of Anaheim's Founders Park complex, paired with the adjacent Mother Colony House.
- Duration:
- 1 hr
Museum / Historical Site
Woelke-Stoffel House (The Red Cross House)
1894 Queen Anne Victorian in Anaheim's Founders Park
418 N West Street, Anaheim, CA 92805
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free public access; donations support Founders Park preservation.
Access
Limited Access
Multi-story Victorian house museum with stairs
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1894 · Anaheim Founders Park - 1894 Queen Anne Victorian · Adjacent to the 1857 Mother Colony House · Surviving example of late-19th-century Anaheim domestic architecture
The Woelke-Stoffel House was built in 1894 as a Queen Anne Victorian in Anaheim, California. The home is named for two of its long-term owners. John Gottlieb Woelke moved to Anaheim in 1894 with his family and was the home's first resident. Peter Stoffel purchased the home in 1907 and lived there as a successful citrus farmer during the height of Orange County's citrus economy.
The house is widely regarded as one of the finest surviving Queen Anne Victorians in Anaheim, with detailed wood ornamentation typical of late-19th-century architectural fashion.
The building is part of the city's Founders Park preservation complex on North West Street, which also includes the Mother Colony House (1857) - one of the first buildings constructed in Anaheim, originally home to George Hansen, the German-immigrant surveyor known as the 'Father of Anaheim.' Both buildings were moved to the current site to consolidate the city's preservation efforts; the Mother Colony House was moved to its present location in 1929 to save it from demolition. The Woelke-Stoffel House is administered by the City of Anaheim's preservation program.
The building acquired the local nickname 'The Red Cross House' through a period of use associated with the American Red Cross.
Sources
- https://ochistorical.blogspot.com/2009/06/mother-colony-house-and-woelke-stoffle-house.html
- https://anaheimhistory.blogspot.com/2014/06/history-of-woelke-stoffel-house.html
- https://www.anaheim.net/Facilities/Facility/Details/Mother-Colony-house-52
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=50119
- https://socallandmarks.com/index.php/2020/03/24/mother-colony-house/
Quiet caretaker presence (per local tradition)Sense of unease in the children's roomVisual illusion of portrait expression changes
Local Anaheim tradition has long associated the Woelke-Stoffel House with quiet paranormal reports, including a presence interpreted as one of the home's original caretakers and a strange sensation visitors describe when entering the upstairs room associated with the family's children. Some visitors have reported the impression that a portrait near the home's entrance changes expression - a common experience in old portraits caused by lighting and angle.
Long-time volunteers and docents have, in published press coverage, stated unambiguously that they do not believe the house is haunted and have noted that the ghost stories appear to circulate around both the Woelke-Stoffel House and the neighboring Mother Colony House as a kind of local tradition rather than as documented experience.
Visitors should approach the building as the historic house museum it is, with the ghost lore as a footnote rather than a primary draw.
Plan Your Visit
1 way to experienceSources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
- 1.ochistorical.blogspot.com/2009/06/mother-colony-house-and-woelke-stoffle-house.html
- 2.anaheimhistory.blogspot.com/2014/06/history-of-woelke-stoffel-house.html
- 3.anaheim.net/Facilities/Facility/Details/Mother-Colony-house-52
- 4.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=50119
- 5.socallandmarks.com/index.php/2020/03/24/mother-colony-house
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woelke-Stoffel House (The Red Cross House) family-friendly?
Family-friendly daytime historic-house tour. The Founders Park interpretive program is age-appropriate for school-age children. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Woelke-Stoffel House (The Red Cross House)?
Free public access; donations support Founders Park preservation. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Woelke-Stoffel House (The Red Cross House) wheelchair accessible?
Woelke-Stoffel House (The Red Cross House) has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Multi-story Victorian house museum with stairs.