Kelley House Museum

My parents were visiting from NY, so we spent a long weekend in Fort Bragg. Mendocino was a quick day trip, so it was great to find this house and learn all about the family history and the town.
Our docent, Judy, was excellent. She is the type of person you always want to encounter in one of these houses — warm, inviting and very knowledgeable. My Dad is a former teacher, so he was full of questions and she never tired of answering his questions. She then took the time to find a detailed map of the town for me as we continued to walk around.
What I loved learning was that my childhood hero, James Dean, had filmed ‘East of Eden’ here. I never knew that, so it was great to later see some of the spots from a movie I have seen so many times. There is a big binder in the living room full of clippings about all of the movies that were shot in Mendocino… even the opening sequences and cutaway shots of ‘Murder She Wrote’.
This is a ‘suggested donation’ kind of place. I regretted not having a lot of cash on me so I just gave the recommended $ 2 a person, but wished I had more to give them. She was so appreciative when she saw the pittance I did drop in, saying how it’s a volunteer-​run place, so donations are what keeps the lights on. Too bad we weren’t there the next day to enjoy one of their walking tours. Don’t miss this if you are in town!

I love checking out historical spots, and the Kelley House Museum lets you step back in time. They are able to keep the house open and free thanks to donations so please donate when you visit!
The house is beautiful and each room has been recreated to show how it would have looked like in Mendocino in the 19^th century. Beautifully maintained and the staff is extremely friendly and willing to share lots of information, so don’t be afraid to ask if you have any questions!
Be sure to check out the awesome old school «record player» in the downstairs family room. They will even play you some music from it — make sure to ask for a taste =).