The home of "Lord" Charlie Snowden Fairfax, a pioneer and political leader of the 1850's, was associated with a Californian who served as an assemblyman in 1853, Speaker of the Assembly in 1854, and Clerk of the State Supreme Court in 1856. Fairfax, a descendant of Scottish barons of the Cameron Fairfax family of Virginia, was involved in the last of California's historic political duels as host to the principals and friends of the two antagonists.