The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001, according to Paul Lusignan, a historian with the group. The home was built by a James Craig, an Irish land developer and citrus grower, according to documents submitted to the register. Around 1879, mid-Victorian architectural features were added. 'It represents the history of California,' Mr. Myers said about the home's fusion of influences.
Originally part of a 5,000-acre ranch, the home now sits on a ½ acre lot. 'Land was no object back then,' Mr. Myers said, and the home's size is a reflection of that. The house sits on a parcel wider than a typical lot in the area, the listing agent says, and measures 3,795 square feet.
'We had to do a lot of opening up and clearing out,' Ms. Tuemmler says about the couple's restoration process. Original adobe walls in the home were maintained while new wiring and other utilities were hidden, so as not to interfere with the home's historic style, he said. Mr. Myers says the biggest cost in restoring the home has been 'sweat equity.'
The flooring in the dining room, shown here, is about 150 years old and made of redwood, Mr. Myers said. Flooring throughout the house is either six-inch redwood or four-inch Douglas fir, Ms. Tuemmler said.
There is a detached art studio on the property. Ms. Tuemmler is a painter and educator, and uses this space to create her art. The studio is one of the features they'll miss most about the home, Mr. Myers said. Mr. Myers is a professor at the University of Southern California, where he teaches urban planning and demography.
The master bedroom features sliding pocket doors adorned with 'huge Texas long horns' that were a gift from their son, Mr. Myers said. The home has four bedrooms, and three bathrooms, according to the listing agent, Michael Dilsaver.
Another view of the master bedroom is shown. The home was built before indoor plumbing had become common, and so there are 11 exterior doors on the main floor that lead out to where an outhouse was located, they said.
This bedroom was probably built in 1879 and renovated in the 1930s or '40s, Ms. Tuemmler believes. Before their renovations, this room was the master bedroom
The kitchen includes Mexican tiles and a raised-hearth fireplace. The layout was outdated when they moved in, but they made 'minimal design changes' to make the space more functional, Mr. Myers said. Ms. Tuemmler added mahogany countertops from architectural salvage and replaced the cabinetry while keeping the spirit of the room intact, she said.
The home has two office spaces, one in which Ms. Tuemmler displays some of her art, and another, pictured here, that includes built-in bookshelves and an antique ladder.
'We're basically going to be downsizing,' Mr. Myers says about their decision to sell. They said they're sad to leave the home, but think it should go to owners who need more space. 'Everybody deserves to have a turn at this home,' Ms. Tuemmler said.
The home was listed for $1.45 million in April with Mr. Dilsaver of Partners Trust.
