Redman House Foundation Seeks $4.2 million to Restore Old House
By TOM RAGAN, SENTINEL STAFF WRITER
It's not just about saving a house.
It's about helping the Pajaro Valley save a part of its heritage while simultaneously luring in more tourists.
The Redman House Foundation kicked off an ambitious campaign Friday to raise $4.2 million, hoping to get a little help from the surrounding communities in Santa Cruz County. Karell Reader, founding board member and executive director of the foundation, said a series of fundraising events are in the works — such as seeking residents who'd like one of the rooms in the house to be named after them to washing cars and selling pumpkins.
"We hope to some day turn this beautiful old house into a visitor center and an educational center for the Pajaro Valley," said Reader. "Wouldn't it be nice if you had one of the rooms named after you, like they do in libraries? Your great-grandchildren could walk into the house years later and know that you somehow played a part in putting the old house back together."
While the two-story Queen Anne Victorian house is an eyesore as it now stands west of Highway 1 and north of the Riverside Drive exit, it's also a testament to the history of the Pajaro Valley. Built in the late 19th century as a farmhouse, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by famous local architect William Weeks.
The five-bedroom home was initially built for James Redman, a sugar beet farmer. Decades later, it was bought by the Hirahara family, who held onto the property even after they were imprisoned in an internment camp during World War II. In the 1980s, the house was bought by a developer and since then, has fallen apart.
The Redman Foundation, formed in the late 1990s, has been trying to restore it by applying for matching grants worth millions of dollars, according to Reader.
But the Foundation is having a rough go with some of the applications, one of which for $3 million was recently rejected.
So it's back to the drawing board for the Redman Foundation.
"The whole idea behind the restoration is that people will see the old house from the highway, they'll stop and in the process, they'll stay in the Pajaro Valley for awhile," she said. "But right now it's looks bad, and we have to fix it up."
If you're interested in donating, log on to redmanhouse.com
WHAT: Restoration of the Redman House.
WHO: The Redman Foundation needs $4.2 million.
WHY: To preserve the history of the Pajaro Valley and to create a Visitors' and Educational Center.
WHERE: Send checks to the Redman House Foundation, P.O. Box 2526, Watsonville, CA 95077-2526.
TELEPHONE: 768-1867.
WEB SITE: www.redmanhouse.com
It's not just about saving a house.
It's about helping the Pajaro Valley save a part of its heritage while simultaneously luring in more tourists.
The Redman House Foundation kicked off an ambitious campaign Friday to raise $4.2 million, hoping to get a little help from the surrounding communities in Santa Cruz County. Karell Reader, founding board member and executive director of the foundation, said a series of fundraising events are in the works — such as seeking residents who'd like one of the rooms in the house to be named after them to washing cars and selling pumpkins.
"We hope to some day turn this beautiful old house into a visitor center and an educational center for the Pajaro Valley," said Reader. "Wouldn't it be nice if you had one of the rooms named after you, like they do in libraries? Your great-grandchildren could walk into the house years later and know that you somehow played a part in putting the old house back together."
While the two-story Queen Anne Victorian house is an eyesore as it now stands west of Highway 1 and north of the Riverside Drive exit, it's also a testament to the history of the Pajaro Valley. Built in the late 19th century as a farmhouse, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by famous local architect William Weeks.
The five-bedroom home was initially built for James Redman, a sugar beet farmer. Decades later, it was bought by the Hirahara family, who held onto the property even after they were imprisoned in an internment camp during World War II. In the 1980s, the house was bought by a developer and since then, has fallen apart.
The Redman Foundation, formed in the late 1990s, has been trying to restore it by applying for matching grants worth millions of dollars, according to Reader.
But the Foundation is having a rough go with some of the applications, one of which for $3 million was recently rejected.
So it's back to the drawing board for the Redman Foundation.
"The whole idea behind the restoration is that people will see the old house from the highway, they'll stop and in the process, they'll stay in the Pajaro Valley for awhile," she said. "But right now it's looks bad, and we have to fix it up."
If you're interested in donating, log on to redmanhouse.com
WHAT: Restoration of the Redman House.
WHO: The Redman Foundation needs $4.2 million.
WHY: To preserve the history of the Pajaro Valley and to create a Visitors' and Educational Center.
WHERE: Send checks to the Redman House Foundation, P.O. Box 2526, Watsonville, CA 95077-2526.
TELEPHONE: 768-1867.
WEB SITE: www.redmanhouse.com