Slocum House - Fair Oaks, California

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.