See California Gold Rush town’s unique subterranean ‘Cave House,’ for sale for $2.5M
Known by locals as the “Cave House,” a subterranean home in the California Gold Rush town of Murphys that blends into the natural landscape is on the market for $2.495 million.
The multi-structure home called “Querencia” sits on 40 acres in Calaveras County in the Sierra Foothills. One of the buildings is partially sunken into the ground and matches the color of the soil. Its unique architecture won the American Institute of Architects design award and was featured on HGTV’s “Dream Builders.”
“It’s a home that is probably the most unique property in Calaveras County,” said listing agent Ed Perry of California Outdoor Properties.
The property’s 8,646-square-foot main building has a massive great room that resembles a cave on the exterior with curved ceilings and lots of stone on the inside. That primary residence interconnects with a carriage house, bunkhouse and caretakers quarters.
Boulders from the property were used to build a massive fireplace, rock wall and centerpiece waterfall inside.
There is separate two-story library/guest house, with hundreds of books on shelves, and a small cabin, too.
In all, Querencia, located on Sheep Ranch Road, has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms.
The Cave House was built with steel, concrete and stone. Its infrastructure was constructed with vertical posts and horizontal beams, much like a sturdy parking garage.
“It’s actually built the same as a parking structure, except it has bent beams instead of straight. So it’s basically a big parking garage underground, so in that way they could they could put dirt over top of it where they wanted to.”
The curved I-beams and a shell made of rebar allowed for the free-form shape, and then concrete was sprayed on top, according to the HGTV show “Dream Builders.” Acid staining was used to match the color of the concrete with soil of the surround area.
The other structures on the multi-home compound have a more traditional design.
The home has operated as a bed-and-breakfast inn.
“It is similar to having four motel rooms, Perry said. “They all have their own key-code lock system.”
Other features of the residence include a hidden wine cellar behind a bookcase door, a fully equipped commercial kitchen, designed to feed large numbers of people, a second “show” kitchen, and an outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven.
“The list goes on, making this a great spot for corporate retreats, VRBO, Airbnb, or a family compound,” according to the listing.
The sellers designed and built the compound in 2004. The time has come for them to sell.
“They’re now in their golden ages of life, and it’s too much for them,” Perry said.
