513 F St

A House with a Past

Bentley Boarding House sits in Old North Davis, one of the city’s earliest neighborhoods, that formed as Davis grew beyond its farming roots.

Built in 1910, the home was sold several times in its first three decades, before William and Laura Bentley bought the property in 1944.

William owned a farm in Winters and had numerous local jobs, including pool maintenance at UC Davis' Athletic Department. Laura worked in a lab at UC Davis, taught ceramics, and was active in the Davis Community Church and Davis Senior Center.

The Bentleys rented the upstairs room to university students. The home changed little during their ownership.

Over the decades, the neighborhood evolved without losing its shape.Bentley Boarding House is part of that same story.

And now it’s being set up for a good stay. The next chapter in a house that’s been in use for over a century.