Mansion on Sutter

The Payne House was the last of a number of large homes which stood on Sutter between Franklin and Gough. Its importance may be found in its architecture, in the role of the Payne family in early San Francisco history, and in William Curlett, its architect. Designed by architect William F. Curlett, the house is a dignified combination of earlier Victorian styles such as Eastlake and Stick and the later Queen Anne Style with an emphasis on spaciousness and openness. The building was designed to include the most advanced plumbing, central heating, machine-made hardware, and materials of the day. The toilet rooms were fully integrated into the house and not just hung on a porch or verandah – an intermediate step between the back yard privy and a modern bathroom. Lavatories and tubs had hot and cold running water.