DATE VISTED: 02/22/2015
HISTORICAL SITE: Slocum House
LOCATION: 7992
California Ave., Fair Oaks, Sacramento Co., CA
MARKER #: 1979000520
Certification: January
25, 1979
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:
I wonder how many landmarks I am going to find like this...there was nothing
that identified it as such and I only knew where to look because I've lived in
the area. Interesting thing about this
landmark...I can find references to it being a national landmark but not
details. I had to go in search and
finally found the original application to put it on the national register of
historic places submitted on December 7, 1978.
It was built in 1925 and is considered a "California
Bungalow". Charles Henry Slocum,
the patriarch, not only partnered in a general merchandise store in Fair Oaks,
he was also responsible for establishing the only bank in the area where he
worked until his death in 1925. Slocum also opened the first lumber yard and
hardware store. Being a very busy man,
Slocum also served as director of the local Fruit Company and donated the land
needed to open the public library and served on the Board of Directors. He and
his wife had 5 children. Looking at
Slocum's biography, when did he have time to have children? And if the house was built in 1925, Slocum
didn't live very long in it.
As an aside...well, maybe the most interesting thing about
this spot...I had forgotten how many chicken/roosters there are hanging around
old town Fair Oaks. The story goes that
the chickens all date back to an original rooster and 3 hens and now estimated
to be at over 200. They have the freedom
to roam where they will and routinely stop traffic. There is even a festival for them and it's
against the law to harass them. But it doesn't go the other way around. 
I stepped out of my car and was surrounded by
roosters looking for food; one very brave one making me very nervous. The sounds of their crowing filled the air as
one rooster tried to best the next one in the area.
