Cohen Bray House, Oakland

About Cohen Bray House

The Cohen Bray House is a Victorian mansion in Oakland's Fruitvale district where visitors tour original interiors, historic collections, and a period garden. Monthly tours, teas and tours, speaker programs, and school programs are offered. The house contains unaltered original furnishings, clothing, china, and carpets from 1884 onward, along with the family's personal possessions. The striking curly redwood entry hall features Eastlake-style design with original parquet flooring from 1883 and pocket doors. The home functions as a study center for those interested in late 19th-century Victorian architecture, antiques, and furniture rather than a traditional museum, since the fragile original contents require careful preservation. The Cohen Bray House represents what remains of the Bray Estate, originally established as Oak Tree Farm in 1862 on 200 acres. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as an Oakland Historic Landmark.