Folger Estate Stable Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Folger Estate Stable Historic District
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Folger Estate Stable (2011)
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 Folger Estate Stable Historic District
Location in San Francisco Bay Area
Folger Estate Stable Historic District
Location in California
Folger Estate Stable Historic District
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4040 Woodside Road, Woodside, California, 94062 |
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| Area | 3-acres |
| Architect | Schultze and Brown, Arthur Brown Jr, Henry A. Schulze |
| Architectural style | French Barque, Arts and Crafts |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000328 |
| Added to NRHP | 2004 |
The Folger Estate Stable Historic District is also known as Jones Ranch or Mountain Home Ranch. It is located at 4040 Woodside Road in Woodside, California. Most of its historic buildings were built between 1905 and 1906. This special place was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 2004. The historic district covers three acres and has ten buildings. These include the main horse stable, a carriage house, stone walls, a blacksmith barn, and a cold house.
Contents
Discovering the History
Early Days of the Land
Long ago, the area where the Folger Estate stands was a Redwood forest. The Ohlone Native Americans lived here before Europeans arrived. By 1840, this land was part of a large area called Rancho Cañada de Raymundo. This land was given to John Coppinger.
In 1846, a big part of the land was sold to Charles Brown. He was a lumberjack. He built the first sawmill in the city. He called his property "Mountain Home Ranch." After cutting down many trees, Brown left the property. It was then owned by many different people over the years.
In 1872, Simon Jones and his son, Everett, bought the property. It was then called "Jones Ranch." The land had been logged for over 26 years and had few trees left. The Jones family built stone structures, like a dairy house and many stone walls, between 1874 and 1902. Chinese laborers built the stone wall on the property.
The Folger Family's Influence
James Athearn Folger II (1864–1921) and his wife Clara E. Folger (1866–1940) built the estate and stables. James was an heir to the Folgers Coffee Company. They built the stables between 1905 and 1906. This time is important for the buildings' architecture.
The famous architectural firm of Schultze and Brown designed the house and stables. Their design was inspired by French Baroque architecture and the Arts and Crafts movement. Arthur Brown Jr. was a new graduate from the École des Beaux-Arts. This was his first design project in California. He later designed other famous buildings. These include San Francisco City Hall, the War Memorial Opera House, and Hoover Tower at Stanford University.
The Folger family used the property to breed horses. They used the horses for recreational riding and for travel. The stables were built during the Gilded Age. They had fancy details like pink marble baseboards, redwood walls, and skylights. The horse stable had many rooms. These included stalls for horses, rooms for saddles and harnesses, a carriage room, and feed rooms. There were also living areas for staff, a workshop, and a boiler room. Hay was stored on the second floor.
Around 1940-1941, after the Folgers passed away, the estate was sold.
The Stables Today
In 1955, the main house was sold separately. It is now a private home.
In 1956, Martin Wunderlich bought the stables and over 940 acres of land. He later gave the land to the county to create a public park. In the 1960s, some students from Stanford University lived in the upper part of the stables. In 1974, the property became part of Wunderlich Park. The Folger Estate Stable Historic District takes up three acres within the 945-acre county park.
Later, in 1977, Nolan Bushnell, who helped start Atari, bought the property. He and his wife lived there for 19 years and raised their eight children.
Starting in 2003, a group called "Friends of Huddart and Wunderlich Parks" began raising money. They wanted to fix the buildings and get the National Register of Historic Places recognition. Many local people helped with donations. In 2010, architect Adolph Rosekrans finished restoring many of the buildings.
Today, the stables are still used for horses.
