Charles C. Fitch Farmstead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charles C. Fitch Farmstead
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Charles C. Fitch Farmstead in 2011
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 Fitch Farmstead
Location in Oregon
Fitch Farmstead
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Eugene, Oregon |
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| Area | 7.2 acres (2.9 ha) |
| Built | 1914, 1926, 1930 |
| Built by | Charles C. Fitch, Burr E. and Valley A. Finch |
| Architectural style | American craftsman/Vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000510 |
| Added to NRHP | 16 June 1989 |
The Charles C. Fitch Farmstead is a really old farm property located near Eugene, Oregon. It's a special place because it was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on June 16, 1989. This means it's important to history and worth protecting!
Contents
What is the Charles C. Fitch Farmstead?
This farmstead is a great example of how farms used to work in western Lane County. It shows us what farming life was like many years ago. The property you see today is about 7.22 acres. This small area was once the main part of a much larger 78-acre farm that Charles Fitch bought in 1902.
The farm is about 9 miles west of Eugene. You get there by a private road that leads to the old driveway. This driveway takes you to the main buildings, an orchard, a garden, and fields.
Buildings on the Farm
There are nine historic buildings on the property. The main house, built in 1914, is a beautiful American Craftsman style farmhouse. This style is known for its simple, natural look.
Other important buildings were added later:
- In 1926, a feeder barn, fruit house, and fuel house were built.
- In 1930, a garage, shop, machine shed, and chicken house were added.
These buildings are still in good shape and look much like they did when they were first built. There are also three other older buildings that show how varied the farm was. These include a smokehouse, a bee-hive house, and an outhouse.
Charles Fitch designed and built the farmhouse himself. His son, Burr Edson Fitch, and his daughter-in-law, Valley Agnes Fitch, built the other buildings. Guess what? Most of the wood used for all these buildings came right from the farm itself! They harvested the trees and cut the lumber on the property.
Life on the Farm
When Charles Fitch bought the land in 1902, it was covered in lots of trees. He harvested the timber, which provided wood for building the farm and also helped clear the land for farming. Selling some of the lumber also helped the family.
The Fitch farm grew many different things. They had grains and hay, plus lots of vegetables and a fruit orchard. They even kept bees to help pollinate the fruit trees! The farm also had animals like chickens, cattle, and hogs. It was a busy place with a wide range of farm activities.
Location and Environment
The farm is located at an elevation of about 450 feet (137 meters). The weather there is usually mild. The average yearly temperature is between 52 and 54 degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 12 degrees Celsius). They get a good amount of rain, about 40 to 50 inches (100 to 127 centimeters) each year. The soil is good for farming, making it a productive place to grow crops.
