The Governors of the Eaton Gift serve as Trustees of the tax-exempt charity, the Eaton Gift. Judge Eaton specified that the three Governors, each a lifetime appointee, meet one of the following criteria:

    -  A lawyer appointed by the Prediding Judge of the Superior Court;
    -  A person chosen by the Directors of the Shasta Historical Society;
    -  A person appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Junior College.

Judge Eaton's Trust specified the main duty of the Governors is to maintain in perpetuity Judge Eaton’s family home, located at 1520 West Street - - that is, the house, its contents, and its grounds - - as a free public museum, to be known as “The Behrens-Eaton House”.

Mike Dahl is a Shasta County native that was appointed by Shasta College. He is a Marine Corps, Vietnam Veteran and former President of the Shasta Historical Society. He is also Redding Mayor Emeritus and holds a master’s degree in public administration. His career included 38 years as a business executive and partner of SECO Manufacturing Company.

A visit to the 1895 Victorian Eaton House is like entering a time machine, transporting you on a fascinating journey back to nineteenth century Redding. Our team of expert docents are your tour guides throughout the Behrens-Eaton Museum experience, a fascinating display of historical artifacts, furnishings, artwork, and documents from the life and times of Judge Richard Behrens Eaton and his family.

The Behrens-Eaton docents are dedicated volunteers who give their time to provide interesting, fact filled tours of the Behrens-Eaton Museum. In order to do this, they have documented and researched the items displayed in the home which provide interesting details of what life might have been like in the early 1900s. In addition, the docents plan special events such as our Patriot’s Day and our Mothers’ Day Tea.