McFarland Ranch restoration continues
Courtesy of The Galt Herald!
Galt Mayor Darryl Clare, Ron Jacobson and Sacramento County Supervisor for the Fifth District Don Nottoli prepare the widow's walk for its flight through the air to the roof.
Galt Mayor Darryl Clare, Ron Jacobson and Sacramento County Supervisor for the Fifth District Don Nottoli prepare the widow's walk for its flight through the air to the roof.
By Bree Anne Smith
Staff Writer - Last Thursday afternoon, County Supervisor for the
Fifth District Don Nottoli and Galt Mayor Darryl Clare were pleased to join the
Galt Area Historical Society to assist in making Galt's history come alive as
they took part in the return of the widow's walk out at the historic McFarland
Ranch project.
While work has been going on to restore the property and outbuildings at the
ranch for some time now, the widow's walk is the first major restoration to take
place on the main house of the once thriving valley ranch.
Placed at the top of the main building of
the estate with care, restoring the widow's
walk was a fitting tribute to the property's
original owner, John McFarland who,
from the widow's walk, could survey all his
lands and the work being done in his fields,
as well as view his guests coming up
from the road.
The nearly 800-pound structure was hoisted to the top of the building with a
crane and was set into place by Mayor Clare and Ron Jacobson, a member of the
Galt Area Historical Society and the director of the McFarland Ranch Restoration
Project.
Pure Heart Redwood from the recently demolished Thornton Bridge was used in the
construction of the widow's walk.
"This is only the beginning of the wood we are to receive from the Thornton
Bridge Project. The remaining wood will be used to reconstruct window frames,
siding for the main building, as well as some of the other smaller buildings,
and porches that will nearly surround the home," said Jacobson.
The McFarland Ranch project, which has been in progress since 1999, is expected
to be completed five years from now.
The original blueprints of the house have been acquired by the Galt Area
Historical Society and are being followed to the letter in order to restore the
house to its former glory. The house was constructed in 1872, but was remodeled
in the '50s and has to be retrofitted to meet today's standards. All the
original design elements will be included, however, including gingerbread trim
and a nearly wrap-around porch.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to come and see what
early pioneer life in Galt might have been like. It's a wonderful way to
preserve something wonderful for the generations to come," said County
Supervisor Don Nottoli.
Various companies and private individuals all over the county have donated the
materials and labor to make the McFarland Ranch Project possible, and the
historical society will continue to raise funds and seek donations over the next
five years in order to complete their project.
The estate rests on about 35 acres, has many outbuildings, and plenty of work to
be done on the main building itself. Nine years all together, and about 50 hours
per week in labor, the McFarland Ranch is a big project, and has a lot of work
left to be completed.
The estate is used by the Galt elementary school district as a demonstration of
early settler life in Galt. Boy and Girl Scouts, as well as various classes from
around Galt, have been able to visit the estate and participate in various
activities such as gardening and tending chickens that live on the estate.