This home sits almost at the end of Pennsylvania Avenue, north of Lemon Street. Originally it was a three bedroom, one bath home at the top of a 5 acre hill. Typical to that time period, the house had 2 closets, one in the hall and one in a bedroom. The Roses, who have owned the home since 1971, have added a master bedroom and bath, family room, enclosed the daylight basement, created a garage and included the service porch into their kitchen. Don and Penny have physically done most of this work themselves throughout the 39 years they have lived in the house.

Don tells of discovering original lathe and plaster with a variety of lumber used. In some cases the beams ended before the ground making them wonder how the house had stayed sturdy for the first 60 years. The original siding was redwood, their add-on used pine, which is now covered with vinyl. The kitchen has the original wood floors and some of the original shelving is used in the basement for storage.

The backyard at one time had many trees, including olive, which were destroyed in a fire in 1988. There was also a barn, which has since been torn down. The front yard has two very tall palm trees probably planted in the early 1900s as do other old Fair Oaks properties.

Not much information can be found about the previous owners. James S. Thomas emigrated from Wales as a 10 year old boy in 1865. He is on the 1910 census in Fair Oaks. Records show he owned this property, living with his wife, mother and sister in 1920. He was the pastor of the first Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church built in 1906. Ernestine Ambrose Miller –LaValle lived in South Dakota before California and had three husbands and many children. The Roses purchased the home from Pearl Adamczak who in 1971 was a widow with three grown children.

Don and Penny are lifetime members of the Fair Oaks Historical Society. They were active parents when their 3 boys attended John Holst Elementary. Penny’s family owned La Posta Mexican Restaurant until they sold it in 2000. They plan to continue updating and maintaining this vintage Fair Oaks home.