The Stowell House

Albert Einstein is probably the most famous scientist ever, with most people around the world knowing the name and his famous equation. What most people do not know is that he lived in many places throughout his life, having residences (and even a sink! <- link to Einstein's sink please) in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and even the US. While his California residence was not his home for the longest time, it is perhaps the one with the best story attached to it. 

Einstein left Germany and moved to the USA in 1933 due to rising tensions against Jewish people in the Nazi regime. He settled down in the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey and remained there for the rest of his life. However, this was not his first university tenure in the US, as before that he would regularly visit and teach at Caltech in Pasedena. 

Oakland Ave was his seasonal retreat for several years in the late 1920's and early 1930's, where he would balance his pursuit of groundbreaking physics with quiet moments of pleasure and visits to the surrounding nature. He would also frequently visit Mount Wilson Observatory to look through the state-of-the-art telescopes there.  However, the house was only used for three years, as in 1931 he almost got hit by a car during his morning commute. This shook him so badly, that he moved to a dormitory on campus for the remainder of his visits, leaving the house behind. 

The building itself is a protected monument due to its connection with Einstein. It was built in 1924 for Henriette Stowell, from whom Einstein rented the house (I could not find any information on who Stowell was, unfortunately!) . It was designed by Wallace Neff and built in a French provincial style. It still carries Stowell's name despite Einstein's connection.