Bourn Cottage (Empire Cottage, Empire Mine) is a Tudor Revival cottage in Grass Valley, California. Built in 1897, it was designed by Willis Polk, and is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It is owned by California State Parks (California Department of Parks and Recreation) — Empire Mine State Historic Park.
Location: Grass Valley, California, United States
Verified facts
- Located in Grass Valley
confidence 85/100 · 3 independent sources · SRC-2719, SRC-2720, SRC-3788 - Designed by Willis Polk
confidence 80/100 · 5 independent sources · SRC-2719, SRC-2721, SRC-6892, SRC-6893, SRC-9829 - Built in 1897
confidence 70/100 · 3 independent sources · SRC-2719, SRC-2720, SRC-6894 - Architectural style: Tudor Revival
confidence 75/100 · 4 independent sources · SRC-2720, SRC-2719, SRC-6895, SRC-6894 - Historic designation: National Register of Historic Places; California Historical Landmark
confidence 85/100 · 3 independent sources · SRC-2719, SRC-2722, SRC-2921 - Owned by California State Parks (California Department of Parks and Recreation) — Empire Mine State Historic Park (since 1975)
confidence 85/100 · 3 independent sources · SRC-3788, SRC-13849, SRC-2719
Evidence & sources
- SRC-13849 — https://www.sierragoldparksfoundation.org/page/empire-mine-state-historic-park/ (Tier 2, reference; retrieved July 2026)
- SRC-2719 — Empire Mine State Historic Park — Wikipedia (Tier 2, encyclopedia; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-2720 — Grass Valley — Visit California (Tier 2, official_tourism; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-2721 — A Grass Valley landmark home is gone but not forgotten — The Union (Tier 2, news; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-2722 — Empire Mine — California Office of Historic Preservation (Landmark No. 298) (Tier 1, official_archive; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-2921 — National Park Service — NPGallery, National Register of Historic Places Asset Detail: Empire Mine (NRIS ID 77000318) (Tier 1, official_archive; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-3788 — ca.gov (Tier 1, official_primary; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-6892 — Inspired Imperfection – Empire Mine State Historic Park (Tier 3, travel / history feature; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-6893 — Clio – Bourn Mansion (Tier 3, public history platform; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-6894 — Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) — The Bourn Cottage, Empire Mine State Historic Park (Tier 2, library/archive-metadata; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-6895 — Highway 49 Gold Rush Country: Grass Valley – Empire Mine State Historic Park – Weekend Adventures Update (Tier 3, media; retrieved June 2026)
- SRC-9829 — History of Empire Mine — Sierra Gold Parks Foundation (Tier 2, official_site; retrieved June 2026)
How we verify
Every fact above is independently corroborated by at least two reputable sources and
confidence-scored before publication. Claims that cannot clear that bar are withheld. We show the
street address only for non-residential public landmarks (museums, commercial and civic buildings,
publicly documented filming-location sites); the exact addresses of private residences and any
personal information are structurally barred from publication. Last reviewed June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Who designed Bourn Cottage (Empire Cottage, Empire Mine)?
Bourn Cottage (Empire Cottage, Empire Mine) was designed by Willis Polk.
Where is Bourn Cottage (Empire Cottage, Empire Mine) located?
Bourn Cottage (Empire Cottage, Empire Mine) is located in Grass Valley, California.