Staff Report - Ordinance listing 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse) as a Landmark on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources (M22-002)

City of Sacramento
City Council Report
915 I Street, 1st Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-01291 8/23/2022 Public Hearing Item 16.

Ordinance listing 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse) as a Landmark on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources (M22-002) [Passed for Publication 08/09/2022; Published 08/12/2022; Noticed 08/12/2022]
File ID: 2022-01291
Location: 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse), (012-0151-035-0000), District 4 Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion: 1) pass a Motion determining the listing of the C.G. Hidden Farmhouse at 420 4th Avenue as a landmark on the Sacramento Register of Historical and Cultural Resources exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15308, which exempts actions taken to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment and where the regulatory process involves procedures for the protection of the environment; and 2) adopt an Ordinance listing the C.G. Hidden Farmhouse at 420 4th Avenue as a landmark on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources.

Contact: Sean de Courcy, Preservation Director, (916) 808-2796, [email protected], Community Development Department
Presenter: Henry Feuss, Preservation Planner, (916) 808-5880, [email protected], Community Development Department
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Proposed Ordinance
3-Historic Evaluation
Description/Analysis
Issue/Detail: The property owner for 420 4
th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse) approached City staff in the summer of 2021 inquiring about listing the nineteenth century brick building on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources as a landmark. In response to this request, City Preservation Staff conducted historical research and prepared a historic resource evaluation (Attachment 3). The evaluation recommended the building as eligible for listing in the Sacramento Register pursuant to City Code section 17.604.210.A.1.i. On April 21, 2022, the Preservation Director reviewed a statement of nomination and recommended the Preservation Commission hold a public hearing and review the nomination and make a recommendation to City Council to list the building on the Sacramento Register.

City of Sacramento Page 1 of 3
File ID: 2022-01291 8/23/2022 Public Hearing Item 16.

Policy Considerations: The City Council has found “that significant aspects of the City’s rich and diverse historic resources deserve recognition and preservation to foster an understanding of our heritage, and to promote the public health and safety and the economic and general welfare of the people of the City. The preservation and continued use of historic resources are effective tools to sustain and revitalize neighborhoods and business districts within the City, enhance the City’s economic, cultural and aesthetic standing, its identity and its livability, marketability and urban character.” (Sacramento City Code section 17.604.100.A.) To this end, the City code provides a mechanism for listing landmarks, historic districts, and contributing resources on the Sacramento Register.

The nomination of 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse) for listing as a historic landmark on the Sacramento register is consistent with Sacramento 2035 General Plan goal HCR 2.1, which provides for the identification and preservation of historical and cultural resources. General Plan policy HCR

2.1.1 states, “The City shall identify historic and cultural resources, including individual properties, districts, and sites, to ensure adequate protection.”
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.

Environmental Considerations:

California Environmental Quality Act: The listing of 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse) as a historic landmark on the Sacramento register is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15308. Section 15308 exempts from review acts that are undertaken to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment. Listing the property as a historic landmark would ensure that future development on the site would undergo preservation review, as part of the City’s site plan and design review process, prior to the granting of any entitlements, thereby protecting the historic resource, which would be considered part of the environment.

Sustainability: Not applicable.

Commission/Committee Action: On April 21, 2022, the City of Sacramento’s Preservation Director, in conformance with Section 17.604.220 of the City Code, held a public hearing, reviewed a statement of nomination and directed staff to prepare a draft Ordinance (Attachment 2) for review and consideration by the Preservation Commission. On May 18, 2022, the Preservation Commission held a hearing and passed a motion recommending the City Council adopt an ordinance (Attachment 1) listing 420 4
th Avenue in the Sacramento Register.

Rationale for Recommendation: Listing of 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse) (Figure 1) as a landmark on the Sacramento Register is consistent with the Historic Preservation Chapter (17.604) of the City Code and the goals of the 2035 General Plan. Listing the nominated resource on the Sacramento register will help ensure its preservation and encourage rehabilitation consistent with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

The C.G. Hidden Farmhouse at 420 4th Avenue appears eligible for listing in the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources and California Register of Historic Places as a rare intact City of Sacramento Page 2 of 3
File ID: 2022-01291 8/23/2022 Public Hearing Item 16.
example of a rural farmhouse from the pre-1900 period in Sacramento. The brick building creates a tangible link between Sacramento’s rural past and the emergence of the City as one of California’s most important agricultural and commercial centers. Despite the annexation of the neighborhood by the City and subsequent large-scale development of the surrounding landscape, the building remains isolated from the City on a large parcel with its rural setting, form, materials, and overall character intact.

The location and setting of the building are not compromised. The Farmhouse remains in its original location and the historic setting retains integrity. The surrounding trees and relatively large lot provide a buffer between the surrounding 20th-century development and the adjacent highway corridor. In addition, the Farmhouse exhibits excellent workmanship, although some superficial alterations have been made to the exterior. These include the addition of a second-floor exterior deck, enclosure of doors, removal of an outer set of stairs, and the addition of an exterior fireplace. However, the original brick remains in place and the overall shape and massing of the dwelling has not been compromised.

The building has a moderate to high degree of historic integrity. Therefore, staff recommends the City Council list the late-1900 building at 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse) (Figure 1) as a landmark due to the building’s ability to create visual link between Upper Land Park’s rural past and the emergence of the City as one of California’s most important agricultural and commercial centers (17.604.210.A.1.a.i).

Figure 1: 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse)
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.

Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.

City of Sacramento Page 3 of 3
ORDINANCE NO. ___
Ado
pted by the Sacramento City Council
[Da
te Adopted]
AN O
RDINANCE LISTING 420 4TH AVENUE AS A LANDMARK ON THE SACRAMENTO REGISTER

OF HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES
BA

CKGROUND
A. The c
ity council has found “that significant aspects of the city’s rich and diverse historic resources deserve recognition and preservation to foster an understanding of our heritage, and to promote the public health and safety and the economic and general welfare of the people of the city. The preservation and continued use of historic resources are effective tools to sustain and revitalize neighborhoods and business districts within the city, enhance the city’s economic, cultural and aesthetic standing, its identity and its livability, marketability and urban character.” (Sacramento City Code section 17.604.100.A.)
B. To thi
s end, the city code provides a mechanism for listing landmarks, historic districts, and contributing resources on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources (“Sacramento register”).

C. On April 21, 20
22, the Preservation Director reviewed a statement of nomination and determined that the property located at 420 4th Avenue is eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources a landmark. On May 18, 2022 the Preservation Commission concurred with the findings of the Preservation Director and recommended the City Council list the property at 420 4th Avenue as a landmark in the Sacramento register.

BE IT
ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO:

SECTION 1
A. 420 4th Avenue meets the criteria for listing on the Sacramento register provided within City Code section 17.604.210.A.1.a.i.
i. The C.G. Hidden Farmhouse at 420 4th Avenue is associated with the agricultural past of the city and has contributed to the broad patterns of the history of the city, the region, the state or the nation (Sacramento City Code Section 17.604.210.A.1.a.i) The property and C.G. Hidden Farmhouse at 420 4th Avenue appear eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources as a rare, intact example of a 19th century rural brick farmhouse. The brick building creates a tangible link between Upper Land Park’s rural past and the emergence of the city as one of California’s most important agricultural and commercial centers. Despite the annexation of the neighborhood by the city in 1911 and the subsequent large-scale development of the surrounding landscape, the building remains isolated on a large parcel with its rural setting, form, materials, and overall character intact. Significant features and characteristics include the gabled roof form, the two and a half story massing, the punched windows and doors, the structural brick cladding, the presence of a wooden porch, and wood windows and doors. ii. 420 4th Avenue has integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. Integrity shall be judged with reference to the particular criterion or criteria specified in subsection A.1.a of section 17.604.210.A.1.b.

The building retains a relatively high degree of historic integrity of all six aspects, particularly considering its age.

iii. 420 4th Avenue has significant historic or architectural worth, and its designation as a landmark is reasonable, appropriate and necessary to promote, protect and further the goals and purposes of this chapter. (17.604.210.A.1.c)

The farmhouse at 420 4th Avenue has significant historic and architectural worth. It has been well-maintained and retains a high level of integrity with regards to its location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and association.

iv. The city has considered the factors set forth City Code Section 17.604.210.A.2 and determined those factors do not apply.

Table of Contents:

Exhibit A: Significant Features and Characteristics

Significant features and characteristics include the gabled roof form, the two and a half story massing, the punched windows and doors, the structural brick cladding, the presence of a wooden porch, and wood windows and doors.

A. East Elevation (1860s Farmhouse only)

B. South Elevation (1860s Farmhouse only)

C. West Elevation (1860s Farmhouse only)

State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Resource Name or #: C.G. Hidden Farmhouse Page 1 of 18 * P1. Other Identifier: 420 4th Avenue
*P2. Location:  Not for Publication  Unrestricted *a. County: Sacramento and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) *b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Sacramento West Date: 2018 T 8 ; R 4 ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M. c. Address: 420 4th Avenue City: Sacramento Zip: 95818 d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate) Elevation:

APN: 01201510350000
*P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries) The parcel at 420 4th Avenue is located between the U.S. Interstate 5 freeway and the North Land Park neighborhood just south of Sacramento’s Central City. Tree-shaded and obscured from view by foliage, the irregularly shaped parcel is to the west of a 1910s residential subdivision. There are two buildings located on the parcel, which appear to be constructed approximately 100 years apart. The first is a whitewashed, 2-1/2 story brick structure, constructed c. 1860 (hereafter C.G. Hidden Farmhouse). The second building is a one-story midcentury modern brick residence constructed in 1966. (See Continuation Sheet)
*P3b. Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) HP2 *P4. Resources Present: x Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo: (View,
date, accession #)
Southeast Corner of C.G.

Hidden Farmhouse , September
2021
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: x Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1860 (C.G. Hidde n Deed,
Sacramento Bee Article)
*P7. Owner and Address:

Richard Cale
420 4th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95818
*P8. Recorded by: (Name,
affiliation, and address)
Kaitlin Grebe
City of Sacramento
300 Richards Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95811
*P9. Date Recorded: September 2021
*P10. Survey Type: (Describe) Sacramento Historic Register *P11. Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.") *Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map xContinuation Sheet xBuilding, Structure, and Object Record Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling S tation Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record  Other (List):

DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
P5a. Photo or Drawing (Photo required for buildings, structures, and objects.)

DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#

BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD

Page 2 of 18 ends

*Resource Name or # C.G. Hidden Farmhouse
B1. Historic Name: C.G. Hidden Farmhouse
B2. Common Name:

B3. Original Use: Dwelling B4. Present Use: Auxiliary structure *B5. Architectural Style: Vernacular Farmhouse
*B6. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) The basic form of the C.G. Hidden Farmhouse has largely remained intact and true to its original construction, sometime between 1860 and 1864. However, physical and archival research revealed the deck, a chimney, and other modifications have occurred over time. In addition, several doors were filled in with brick to make windows at unknown points (See Continuation Sheet).
*B7. Moved? X No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:

Mid Century Modern California Ranch residence, detached garage, octagonal pergola, oak and walnut trees B9a. Architect: Unknown b. Builder: Unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Agriculture Area: Rickard Tract, Land Park neighborhood Period of Significance: 1860 - 1864 Property Type: Agricultural Residence Applicable Criteria: CCS 17.604.210(1)(a)(i), PRC 5024.1(c)(1) The property at 420 4 th Avenue appears eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources pursuant to Sacramento City Code Section (CCS) 17.604.210(1)(a)(i), which includes properties associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of the history of the city, the region, the state , or the nation . In addition, 420 4 th Avenue appears eligible for listing on the California Register of Historic and C ultural Resources under Public Resources Code section (PRC) 5024.1(c)(1) which includes properties associated with events that have made a s ignificant contribution to the broad pat terns of California’s history and cultural heritage. The oldest building located at 420 4th Avenue represents the physical embodiment of the agricultural past of the City of Sacramento and is a rare surviving example of an 1860s farmhouse. (See Continuation Sheet).

B11. Additional Resource Attributes: HP2 and HP4
*B12. References:

California Superior Court (Sacramento County). "C.G. Hidden Probate Records". Reprint, Sacramento:

Ancestry.com, 1881.

See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kaitlin Grebe, Historic Preservation Intern, City of Sacramento *Date of Evaluation: April 1, 2022
(Sketch Map with north arrow required.)
(This space reserved for official comments.)
Deck
Fireplace
Patio
Midcentury Modern House
State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial

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*Recorded by: Kaitlin Grebe *Date: 4/4/2022 X Continuation  Update DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information

*P3a. Description. (continued)
C.G. Hidden Farmhouse Description:

The C.G. Hidden Farmhouse is a 2-1/2 story vernacular farmhouse. It is rectangular in massing and capped by a medium-pitch, gabled roof with composition shingles and two skylights on the north side, and one on the south. The eaves of the roof extend about a foot beyond the walls on all sides, with open eaves on the south façade and north elevation. Just below the eaves on those sides are small squares left open in the wall.

The north and east elevations of the building have no exterior additions. There is a deck facing south that divides the two stories, and the western elevation has a chimney. The brick cladding has been plastered or painted and the finish is wearing thin so that the red clay brick is beginning to show through.

All four elevations have punched windows and doors in generally symmetrical patterns. Windows are double-hung wood windows with six-over-six divided lites, except for two windows on the north elevation which have four-over-four divided lites. The doors are simple wooden leaves (although two have hand- carved ornamentation), set in a simple wood frames.

The east elevation has one window centered in the top half-story, another in the second story below that, and a door on the ground floor directly beneath. The north elevation is symmetrical, with two bays across the two main floors. The west elevation has a brick exterior chimney. There is a window directly to the right of the chimney close to the eaves, and two more windows symmetrically placed on the second floor. A door is visible on the far left of the first floor. On the south-facing façade, the post and beam deck is sheltered by a shed roof and surrounded by a simple wooden posts and a balustrade with an internal stair leading from the deck to a sunken patio at the ground level.

The most notable alteration occurred on the west elevation where an exterior brick chimney and fireplace were attached to the building in 1990. To the left of the fireplace, is a half-height brick wall and a wooden door that leads into the first floor of the house. The right side of the fireplace includes a counter and wood storage. There are visible differences in brick style and texture surrounding several of the windows on both the second and first stories, indicating they may have been doors at some point. In addition, the openings under the eaves suggest that wooden beams protruded from them and possibly formed wooden frame additions to the main brick structure.1

Midcentury Modern Residence and other Structures
In addition to the C.G. Hidden Farmhouse, there is also a brick clad midcentury modern house located on the property. The Mid-Century modern building is clad in brick and has a L-shaped plan. The building has a low-pitch cross-gable composition shingle roof, with wide overhanging open eaves on all sides. Brackets also adorn the underside of the eaves at regular intervals. As was customary for Mid-Century modern homes, a variety of shapes and sizes of windows adorn all sides of the home. Most exterior doors are tall, sliding glass and aluminum doors. A porch on the north elevation overhangs the main entrance and continues the same pattern of eave and bracket construction present all around the house. On this elevation,

1 Ed Carroll, Background on 420 4th Avenue, Kaitlin Grebe interview, 2021 State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
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the home opens to a brick patio that extends towards the C.G. Hidden Farmhouse, and connects the two with a shared patio. A chimney and several skylights also punctuate the roof.

In the southeast corner of the property are two accessory structures a garage and a relatively modern round wooden pergola, previously used as a peacock kennel.

*B10. Significance. (Continued)

Figure 1: Southeast Corner of the Farmhouse
Figure 2: Southwest Corner of the Farmhouse
State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #
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Figure 1: South side of the Farmhouse
Figure 2: North side of the Mid-Century Modern House
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Figure 3: Farmhouse and Mid-century Modern House
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Precolonial History and Early Rural Farming in Sacramento Prior to colonization, regular flooding in the Sacramento Valley enriched the soil and provided an optimal habitat for wildlife. This created desirable living conditions for the Nisenan (or Southern Maidu), Plains Miwok, and Patwin Wintu, leading them to make the Sacramento Valley their home.2 The conditions that drew Indigenous populations to this area also enticed colonizers of European descent as they searched for fertile land and water for farming after the Gold Rush. The first European farmers often established farms adjacent to reliable water sources, including the Sacramento and American rivers. By the late 1860s, most plots of land adjacent to riverbanks were in the process of being irrigated, creating productive agricultural communities up and down inland California, including around Sacramento.

Sacramento sits at the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers, and because of its location close to farms and flat land, it served as the ideal center for the Western Pacific (later Central Pacific) Railroad headquarters. Produce from all over the state was transported to and from Sacramento by train and boat.3 Wheat, fruit, hops, and livestock all thrived in the valley because of the mild climate and nutritious soil conditions. The abundance of farms in the area also contributed to the growth of the railroad and other industrial activities. This history is embodied by the property at 420 4th Avenue, which sits adjacent to the Sacramento River and a branch line of the Western Pacific Railroad that connected Sacramento to the community of Freeport, several miles downriver. At the other end of the elongated east-west farm tract, was Riverside Road (now Boulevard), which connects to Freeport Boulevard, south of the tract.

The History of 420 4th Avenue (C.G. Hidden Farmhouse)
The property at 420 4th Avenue was most likely constructed by Charles G. Hidden (hereinafter C.G. Hidden) in approximately 1860. This construction date is derived from several sources documenting C.G. Hidden’s ownership of the property. The earliest C.G. Hidden is associated with the property was on a Swamp and Overflow lands Survey, which is dated 1860 (Survey No. 466, Figure 6). The earliest existing County of Sacramento assessor’s parcel survey map of this parcel dates from 1866 and identifies C. G. Hidden as the property owner. Newspaper archival research link C.G. Hidden to the property beginning in 1874. Yet, it is the context surrounding the Swamp Land Acts of 1849, 1850, and 1860 that most closely link the building’s construction to C.G. Hidden around 1860. The Swamp Land Acts were a number of federal laws that turned federal land over to states that would agree to drain that land. Once drained, states could sell the property to private landowners. Since 1860 was the first year California participated in the Swamp Land Act reclamation process, this parcel would have been owned by the State of California (and the Federal Government) prior to the survey and transfer to C.G. Hidden around 1860. Proceeds from the sale of swamp land, enabled states to finance the reclamation of other wetlands through irrigation projects, such as the levees and irrigation canals around Sacramento. Private landowners were required to improve the land, including building residences, agricultural accessory buildings (barns, hop kilns, etc.), and extending

2 Albert L. Hurtado, "John A. Sutter And The Indian Business", in River City And Valley Life : An Environmental History Of The Sacramento Region (repr., Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2013), 13 – 30; "A Historical Context And Archaeological Research Design For Agricultural Properties In California" (repr., Sacramento: Caltrans, 2007). 3 Ibid.

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irrigation infrastructure. The requirement to improve the land, strongly suggests C.G. Hidden constructed the farmhouse around 1860 when he acquired the land from the relatively young State of California. In 1868, Hidden was declared legally insane due to his spiritualist beliefs and their manifestations. He recovered and continued his work on his riverside ranch.

By all accounts, G.C. Hidden was an average farmer of the 1860s Central Valley as late as the 1880s when he passed away, and survived by his wife Mary Hidden. The Sacramento Bee mentioned C.G. Hidden as a fruit grower who regularly donated his produce to the local jails (Figure 7). An 1880 advertisement touted his business as not only a fruit grower, but also a dealer from his ranch two miles south of the city (Figure 8). Hidden passed away in 1882, leaving the property to his wife, Mary. However, a former tenant or foreman brought a different will to light, claiming that Hidden had left all of his property to him. After a lengthy legal battle, Mary Hidden was determined to be the legitimate heir to her husband’s land. The property deed described the land in the same way as the 1860 Swamp and Overflow Land Survey 466. This continued in other deeds as the property changed hands.4 In 1884, Mary Hidden sold the property to
Alvinza A. Hutchinson. The Swamp and
Overflow lands Survey 466 listed the property
as 15.92 acres, and that number was
confirmed in the deed selling Hutchinson the
property. Hutchinson owned property in
Sacramento as well as the farm. In several city
directories, he is listed alternatively as a hop
raiser or farmer. He likely ran the following
newspaper advertisement announcing the sale
of the property in 1889 and described it as
(see also Figure 9):
5 “16 acres in hops, alfalfa and fruit; one mile from city limits on river; only a ten minutes drive on Riverside or levee road to your office. To a man in business in city this is what you want. HEALTH AND WEALTH: can find both on this farm. Every tree is in bearing. Two horses and one man can do the work up to fruit and hop season. Four acres in hops, yielding one ton to acre; four acres in alfalfa, yielding five cuttings per season; eight acres in Bartlett pears, peaches, plums, apples, chestnuts, grapes, quinces, and other fruits of the best varieties. Large two-story brick and frame house, bath, etc., large barn, hop kiln and all the apparatus. Not a dollar need be expended for improvements; everything can be perfectly arranged, any number of hogs can be

4 City of Sacramento Assessors, “City of Sacramento Assessors, 1866”, (repr., Sacramento: Center for Sacramento History, 1866).; A.G. Winn (Sacramento, CA: Surveyor General, 1860).; Sacramento, California, Estate Files, 1850-1900, “In the Matter of the Guardianship C.G.

Hidden”, January 23, 1868; Sacramento Bee, “A Request to Steamboat Captains”, 28 July 1878.; Sacramento Bee, "Fruit For The Prisoners", 26 July 1876.; Sacramento Bee, "Local Brevities", 28 July 1876; California Superior Court (Sacramento County), "C.G. Hidden Probate Records" (repr., Sacramento: Ancestry.com, 1881).
5 Sacramento County Assessors, "Sacramento County Assessor's Map Book, 1883" (repr., Sacramento: Center for Sacramento History, 1883).; Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder, "Deed: Mary R Hidden (Grantor) To A.A. Hutchinson (Grantee)" (repr., Sacramento, 1884).; A.G. Winn (Sacramento, CA: Surveyor General, 1860). “Sacramento, California, City Directory 1902,” Sacramento, California, City Directory 1902 § (n.d.), p. 139. “Sacramento, California, City Directory 1902,” Sacramento, California, City Directory 1903 § (n.d.), p. 123.

Figure 4: 1903 Survey Map, with modern parcel boundaries overlayed. 420 4th Avenue highlighted in yellow.

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fatted on waste fruit. Butter, chickens, and eggs will pay household expenses. No trouble to show this place”6 7 An 1894 map of land use in Sacramento County confirms that the area was still in use as a fruit orchard and hop farm as late as the 1890s (Figure 10). Hutchinson continued to produce crops on the farm until his death in 1903, when he bequeathed the farm to his niece, Ettie L. Green. Green sold a small portion of the property near the river to the Sacramento Reclamation District in 1905 to serve as a right of way for the Sacramento Southern Railroad Walnut Grove Branch line (Figure 11). This new line was originally intended as a way to move goods between Sacramento and San Francisco as an alternative to the existing waterways, reducing trip times and expenses. While this did not come to complete fruition, it did serve some passenger purposes as well as transport produce. The Walnut Grove Branch Line is listed on the California Register of Historical Resources for its association with the growth of agriculture in the Sacramento region.8 Glenn Rickard bought the parcel from Ettie Green in 1910. He subdivided the land as the “Rickard Tract” and began selling the individual parcels in 1911 (Figure 12). In the same year, the City of Sacramento annexed the land between the former city limits (Y Street or Broadway) and what is now the Pocket/Greenhaven area of Sacramento.

The current property stands on lots 30 and 31 of the Rickard Tract. Otto Torkelson bought those lots, in addition to 29 and 32, in August 1929. In 1945, he sold all four to Joseph Merkley and his wife, Edna, though they listed 420 4th Avenue as their home address as early as 1942. However, it was not until 1966 that Oakley built the Mid-Century Modern brick ranch house. He and his business partner, H.K. Merkley, used lots 29 through 31 for their gunstock business. They used the walnut trees that grew on the property for manufacturing oak and walnut gunstocks (Figure 13).9 The main farmhouse has survived from the late 1800s in fairly good condition, despite some changes during its conversion into a residential accessory structure. 10

6 This advertisement lists a brick and frame house, but all that exists today is the brick. There are some oddities with the Hidden Farmhouse that suggest additions were made to it in wood, as said in the Property Description. The openings below the eaves could have been where posts were inserted into the brick to add to the massing. In addition, several windows appear to have been doors originally. The changes made to the exterior in this way indicate many forms of the house may have taken place. 7 Sacramento Bee, "A Model Farm For Sale (Advertisement)", 20 July 1889. 8 "Map Of Sacramento County California Showing Uses Of The Soil 1894" (Map., repr., Sacramento, 1894), https://ia600903.us.archive.org/19/items/map198202601/1982-026-01.jpg.; California Superior Court (Sacramento County), "Alvinza A.

Hutchinson Will" (repr., Sacramento: California, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1850-1953, 1903).; Sacramento Bee, "The Sacramento Southern: Its Route To Walnut Grove Along The River Bank, The Questions Which Have Arisen Between It And Property Owners And Reclamation Districts", 30 December 1905.; Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder, “Deed: Ettie. L. Green (Grantor) to Sacramento Southern Railroad (Grantee)” (repr., Sacramento, 1905).; California Department of Transportation, "Broadway Bridge Project: Historic Resources Evaluation Report" (repr., Sacramento: CalTrans, 2020). 9 Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder, “Deed: Glenn Rickard (Grantor) to Otto Torkelson (Grantee)”, (repr. Sacramento, 1929).; Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder, “Deed: Otto Torkelson (Grantor) to Joseph M. Oakley (Grantee)” (repr., Sacramento, 1945).; United States Federal Census (repr., Sacramento, 1940).; California, U.S. Voter Registrations, "Great Register Of Voters, 1900 - 1968" (repr., Sacramento 1942).; Oakley & Merkley, "Fine Gunstock Blanks", 1960.; City of Sacramento, "Building Division - Building Inspector's Report Card" (repr., Sacramento, 1966). 10 City of Sacramento, "City Of Sacramento Historical Growth By Annexation" (repr., Sacramento: https://www.cityofsacramento.org/- /media/Corporate/Files/CDD/Planning/Long-Range/New-Growth/AnnexationHistory_A.pdf?la=en, 2013; Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder, “Deed: Ettie L. Green (Grantor) to Glenn E. Rickard (Grantee)” (repr., Sacramento 1911); Sacramento Bee, "We Will Open The Rickard Tract (Advertisement)", 10 January 1911; City of Sacramento, "City Of Sacramento Historical Growth By Annexation" (repr. 2013).

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Trees Note:

In addition to the two residential buildings, large, old Valley Oaks and Claro Walnuts shade the parcel. Of especial interest are the Claro Walnuts. These are native to the Sacramento River Basin as a hybrid of Northwestern walnuts and Circassian walnuts. Circassian walnuts were brought to the region by John Bidwell, one of the first Anglo-Americans into the Sacramento Valley after John Sutter. The Valley Oaks are designated heritage trees of great size and age.11
Conclusion:

The property and C.G. Hidden Farmhouse at 420 4th Avenue appears eligible for listing in the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources and California Register of Historic Places as a rare intact example of a rural farm house from the pre-1900 period in Sacramento. The brick building creates a tangible link between Sacramento’s rural past and the emergence of the city as one of California’s most important agricultural and commercial centers. Despite the annexation of the neighborhood by the city and subsequent large-scale development of the surrounding landscape, the building remains isolated from the city on a large parcel with its rural setting, form, materials, and overall character intact.

Historic Integrity:

11 Alana Mace, "The Story Of Claro Walnut", Collector's Specialty Woods, 2019, https://cswoods.com/blogs/news/the-story-of-claro-walnut.

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Figure 7: Swamp and Overflowland Survey, 1860

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Figure 8: Sacramento Bee, 28 July 1876

Figure 9: Hidden's 1880 City Directory Advertisement

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Figure 10: 1889 Sacramento Bee
Advertisement
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Figure 11: 1894 Map of Sacramento County Showing Uses of the Soil

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Figure 12: Ettie Green Sold Property to Sacramento Southern Railroad Figure 13: Sacramento Bee Advertisement for the Rickard Tract State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #
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Figure 14: Oakley & Merkley Pamphlet
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B12 References:

California Superior Court (Sacramento County). "C.G. Hidden Probate Records". Reprint, Sacramento:

Ancestry.com, 1881.

California Superior Court (Sacramento County). "Alvinza A. Hutchinson Will". Reprint, Sacramento: California, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1850-1953, 1903.

California Department of Transportation. "A Historical Context And Archaeological Research Design For Agricultural Properties In California". Reprint, Sacramento: Caltrans, 2007.

California Department of Transportation. "Broadway Bridge Project: Historic Resources Evaluation Report". Reprint, Sacramento: CalTrans, 2020.

California, U.S. Voter Registrations. "Great Register Of Voters, 1900 - 1968". Reprint, Sacramento:
https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryuicontent/view/26053:61066?tid=&pid=&queryId=0e058 59f8202edfae106e747dc409fbb&_phsrc=wOI190&_phstart=successSource, 1942.

Carroll, Ed. Background on 420 4th Avenue. Kaitlin Grebe Interview. In person, 2021.

City of Sacramento. "Building Division - Building Inspector's Report Card". Reprint, Sacramento, 1966.

City of Sacramento. "City Of Sacramento Historical Growth By Annexation". Reprint, Sacramento:
https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/CDD/Planning/Long-Range/New- Growth/AnnexationHistory_A.pdf?la=en, 2013.

City of Sacramento Assessors. "City of Sacramento Assessor's Map Book, 1866". Reprint, Sacramento: Center for Sacramento History, 1866.

Hurtado, Albert L. "John A. Sutter And The Indian Business". In River City And Valley Life : An Environmental History Of The Sacramento Region, 13 - 30. Christopher Castaneda and Lee M.A.

Simpson. Reprint, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2013. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csus/reader.action?docID=2041606.

Oakley & Merkley. "Fine Gunstock Blanks", Pamphlet, 1960.

Mace, Alana. "The Story Of Claro Walnut". Collector's Specialty Woods, 2019. https://cswoods.com/blogs/news/the-story-of-claro-walnut.

"Map Of Sacramento County California Showing Uses Of The Soil 1894". Map. Reprint, Sacramento, 1894. https://ia600903.us.archive.org/19/items/map198202601/1982-026-01.jpg.

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Sacramento Bee. "A Model Farm For Sale (Advertisement)", 20 July 1889. https://0-infoweb-newsbank- com.www.saclibrarycatalog.org/apps/news/document-
view?p=AMNEWS&t=pubname%3A144FDEA786229ACC%21Sacramento%2BBee&sort=YMD_ date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=&fld-base-0=alltext&bln-base-1=and&val- base-1=July%2020%201889&fld-base-
1=YMD_date&docref=image/v2%3A144FDEA786229ACC%40EANX-NB- 14D327EF1FCEE7BF%402411204-14CECB4F1D9932F8%401-14CECB4F1D9932F8%40.

Sacramento Bee. "We Will Open The Rickard Tract (Advertisement)", 10 January 1911. https://0-infoweb- newsbank-com.www.saclibrarycatalog.org/apps/news/document- view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A144FDEA786229ACC%40EANX-NB- 14F15847F3C6A8EF%402419057-14EF1E9F176B961C%401-
14EF1E9F176B961C%40&hlterms=%22Rickard%20Tract%22&f=basic.

Sacramento Bee. "Fruit For The Prisoners", 26 July 1876. https://0-infoweb-newsbank- com.www.saclibrarycatalog.org/apps/news/document-
view?p=AMNEWS&t=pubname%3A144FDEA786229ACC%21Sacramento%2BBee&sort=YMD_ date%3AA&page=1&fld-nav-0=YMD_date&val-nav-0=1874%20-%201878&fld-base- 0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-
0=C.G.%20Hidden&docref=image/v2%3A144FDEA786229ACC%40EANX-NB- 14C38E5A90366F9C%402406462-14C3897F8ACABFF8%402-14C3897F8ACABFF8%40.

Sacramento Bee. "Local Brevities", 28 July 1876. https://0-infoweb-newsbank- com.www.saclibrarycatalog.org/apps/news/document-
view?p=AMNEWS&t=pubname%3A144FDEA786229ACC%21Sacramento%2BBee&sort=YMD_ date%3AA&page=1&fld-nav-0=YMD_date&val-nav-0=1874%20-%201878&fld-base- 0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-
0=C.G.%20Hidden&docref=image/v2%3A144FDEA786229ACC%40EANX-NB- 14C38E5CB3CEB25C%402406464-14C3898DCF8A3B78%402-14C3898DCF8A3B78%40.

Sacramento Bee. "Recorder's Office", 1905. https://0-infoweb-newsbank- com.www.saclibrarycatalog.org/apps/news/document-
view?p=AMNEWS&t=pubname%3A144FDEA786229ACC%21Sacramento%2BBee&sort=YMD_ date%3AA&page=1&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=Ettie%20Green&fld-base- 0=alltext&fld-nav-0=YMD_date&val-nav-0=1899%20-
%201910&docref=image/v2%3A144FDEA786229ACC%40EANX-NB-
14F8498EC297130F%402417205-14F845E2135CD575%4010-14F845E2135CD575%40.

Sacramento Bee. "The Sacramento Southern: Its Route To Walnut Grove Along The River Bank, The Questions Which Have Arisen Between It And Property Owners And Reclamation Districts", 30 December 1905. https://0-infoweb-newsbank-com.www.saclibrarycatalog.org/apps/news/document- view?p=AMNEWS&t=pubname%3A144FDEA786229ACC%21Sacramento%2BBee&sort=YMD_date %3AA&page=1&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=Ettie%20Green&fld-base-0=alltext&fld-nav- 0=YMD_date&val-nav-0=1899%20-
%201910&docref=image/v2%3A144FDEA786229ACC%40EANX-NB-
14F8499514A0200A%402417210-14F846486AC31E10%400-14F846486AC31E10%40.

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Sacramento, California, Estate Files, 1850-1900; Author: California. Probate Court (Sacramento County); Probate Place: Sacramento, California, “In the Matter of the Guardianship C.G. Hidden”, January 23, 1868.
https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/imageviewer/collections/8639/images/007093924_01703?usePUB=t rue&_phsrc=wOI256&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=5051673

Sacramento, California, City Directory 1902 § (n.d.).

Sacramento County Assessors. "Sacramento County Assessor's Map Book, 1883". Reprint, Sacramento: Center for Sacramento History, 1883.

Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder. “Deed: Estate of A.A. Hutchinson (Grantor) to Ettie L. Green (Grantee)”. Reprint, Sacramento, 1903

Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder. “Deed: Estate of C.G. Hidden (Grantor) to Mary Hidden (Grantee)”.

Reprint, Sacramento, 1882.

Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder. “Deed: Ettie L. Green (Grantor) to Glenn E. Rickard (Grantee)”. Reprint, Sacramento, 1910

Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder. “Deed: Ettie L. Green (Grantor) to Sacramento Southern Railroad (Grantee)”. Reprint, Sacramento, 1905.

Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder. “Deed: Glenn E. Rickard (Grantor) to Otto Torkelson (Grantee)”.

Reprint, Sacramento, 1929.

Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder. "Deed: Mary R Hidden (Grantor) To A.A. Hutchinson (Grantee)". Reprint, Sacramento, 1884.

Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder. “Deed: Otto Torkelson (Grantor) to Joseph M. Oakley (Grantee)”.

Reprint, Sacramento, 1945.

Winn, A.G. “Swamp and Overflow Lands: Survey 466.” Map. Sacramento, CA: Surveyor General, 1860.

Sacramento City CouncilAugust 23, 2022

Sacramento City Council
August 23, 2022