Charles Camden, who stressed patience, perseverance, and permanence, built this house as a one-room structure in 1852. Living here with his wife and family, he extracted $80,000 worth of gold from Clear Creek and its tributaries over an 18-year period. His enduring mining success was a rarity for the Shasta area. As the Camdens’ wealth and family grew, so did their home. By 1867 they had three daughters, and Camden added two rooms to the house, as well as a full second story. Behind the house he built a summer kitchen, servants quarters, and a woodshed. Today the Camden House is one of Shasta County’s oldest houses.