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Home My WebLink AboutARGONNE DRIVE 13361HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY ( #1 ) IDENTIFICATION 1. Common name: None 2. Historic name: Johnson Kerr House 3. Street or rural address: 13361 Argonne Drive City: Saratoga Zip: 95070 County: Santa Clara 4. Parcel number: 393 -32 -036 5. Present Owner: Stephen A. & Joanne Berry Address: 13361 Argonne Dr. City: Saratoga Ownership is: Public: 6. Present Use: Residence Zip: 95070 DESCRIPTION 7a. Architectural style: Craftsman Private: X Original Use: Ranch house 7b. Briefly describe the present physical appearance of the site or structure and describe any major alterations from its original condition: This two -story structure is typical of the Craftsman style. The upper portion is shingled and the lower portion is 2" clapboard. The facia on the dormers are wide with decorative 4" x 4" beam supports, and the end of the eaves flare upward with a Craftsman style cut on the ends. The front, porch combines both solid clapboard, acting as rail and balustrade, and open design work. The porch also has short paired columns and corners. There is a large decorative medallion in the center of the double roof dormers between the two double paired windows. The chimney is constructed of round field stone. The upstairs rear family room was added to the house in approximately 1930- 1940'x. The addition blends well with the rest of the house. (photograph here) 8. Construction date: Estimated: 1900 Factual: 9. Architect: Unknown 10. Builder: John Rodoni 11. Approx. prop. size Frontage: Depth: approx. acreage: .44 12. Date(s) of enclosed photograph(s): 1988 13. Condition: Excellent: Good: X Fair: Deteriorated: No longer in existence: 14. Alterations: See 7b. 15. Surroundings: (Check more than one if necessary) Open land: Scattered buildings: X Densely built -up: Residential: X Industrial: Commercial: Other: 16. Threats to site: None known: X Private development: Vandalism: Public Works project: Other: 17. Is the structure: On its original site? X Moved? 18. Related features: Zoning: Unknown? SIGNIFICANCE 19. Briefly state historical and /or architectural importance (include dates, events, and persons associated with the site). This house was built by John Rodoni for Johnson and Lou Kerr; Mr. Kerr was a prominent Saratoga citizen who built the Kerr Building in the Saratoga Village in 1910. He was also one of the founders of the Saratoga State Bank in 1913. This structure was one of the original ranch houses in this part of Saratoga and originally was entered from Saratoga - Sunnyvale Road. It was part of a large prune and apricot orchard. The house was owned from 1939 to the early 1980's by the Miljevich family; one member of the family, Theodore Miljevich, originally worked as a farmer for Mr. Kerr and died in 1937. The property has recently been subdivided. The Craftsman style of architecture is extremely unique to the area and the house is in very good nnnditinn with fPw altPrationq_ 20. Main theme of the historic resource: (If more than one is checked, number in order of importance.) Architecture: X Arts /Leisure: Economic /Industrial: Exploration /Settlement: Government: Military: Religion: Social /Ed.: 21. Sources (List books, documents, surveys, personal interviews and their dates). Interview with Joanne Berry, 2/88; Nick Miljevich and Mary Miljevich Gacamich, 6/88. 22. Date form prepared: 4/88 By (name): SHPC Organization: City of Saratoga Address: 13777 Fruitvale Ave. City: Saratoga Zip: 95070 Phone: 867 -3438 Locational sketch map (draw and label site and surrounding streets, roads, and prominent landmarks): NORTH L j Mi �}2vi r�'� �'• 91u s o� DY. � d r r 0 �-'(E -9% �-Iouses to replace ranch By Cindy Cooper Saratoga residents may remember buying fruit at the Miljevich Ranch. Some may even remember picking the fruit during summer months. Hold onto those memories because all but three - quarters of an acre of the 127 -acre Miljevich Ranch has been sold. A 4.04 parcel at the corner of Miljevich Drive and Saratoga - Sunnyvale Road was recently sold by Nick Miljevich, 62, to' Don Coffey Construction, which has plans to make a 12 -house subdivision of the property. The sales leaves only the property on which the family lives. Hundred -year history The Miljevich family's Sara - toga heritage dates back to 1880 when Theodore Miljevich, great uncle of Nick, settled here after traveling from Yugoslavia to Louisiana to Alaska. He worked as a farmer for Johnson Kerr, whose ranch was located on the south corner of what is now Miljevich Drive. .Theodore Miljevich helped a neighbor, S.P. Williams, build a home and two bunkhouses on property (the recently sold parcel) across from the Kerr ranch. In 1900, M.R. Milievich, Nick's father, moved to Sara- toga at the request of Theodore Miljevich. M.R. married Annie Milje- vich in 1912. They had three chil- dren: Chris (deceased), Mary and Nick. Still on land M.R. Miljevich purchased the Kerr property in 1939, two years after Theodore died. The Even though most of the Miljevich ranch is gone, the Miljevich family's Saratoga heritage continues. Pictured are Anna Miljevich, right, and children Mary Gacanich and Nick Mil- jevich. family still lives on a three - quarter acre parcel containing two houses. One house was built 52 years ago. The other was built 25 years ago, Nick Miljevich said. The family has also saved several tractors and a surrey that Annie Miljevich once used. After serving with the Merchant Marines during World War II, Nick Miljevich returned to Saratoga to help his father with the ranch. He had five sons — Mitch, Luke, Chris, Zar and Nicky — four of which were born on the former S.P. Williams pro- perty. Nick purchased the land from the Williams estate in 1957. Annual fruit harvest For 30 years,'a fruit stand Please turn to page 37 Nick Miljevich, whose great -uncle settled in Developers are planning to put 12 houses on the Saratoga in the 1800s, surveys the 4 -acre parcel lot. which used to be part of the Miljevich ranch. --t-- Tomes will ;over former ;ity orchard )ndnued from page 12 Ring prunes, apricots and -anges could be found in front ;f the ranch. During summer, .:bout 600 students were em- ployed to help with the har- vesting and dehydrating of the ruit. "I really wanted to make the )roperty a museum," said Nick Miljevich. "It's a shame to tear it up." However, Miljevich said he gad no choice. "My boys didn't want to :ontinue farming and I was tired of fighting the City Council," he said. When Miljevich was unable to convince the city to allow a museum on the site, he put the ------ ,,., Mr sale. he said. i A July 13, 1988 Mr. and Mrs. 13361 Argonne Saratoga, CA USE 13777 FRUITVALE AVENUF • SARATOGA. CALIFORNIA 95070 (408) 867 -3438 Stephen A. Berry Drive 95070 Dear Mr. and Mrs. Berry: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Karen Anderson Martha Clevenger Joyce Hlava David Moyles Donald Peterson The Saratoga Heritage Preservation Commission has recently completed a comprehensive Inventory of historic resources in our community. We are pleased to notify you that your residence at 13361 Argonne Drive meets the criteria for being included on this list. The purpose of the Heritage Resource Inventory is to establish a list of documented historic properties in Saratoga. The Heritage Preservation Commission was assigned the responsibility for preparing the Inventory by the City Council in 1982. Each property on the list has been identified as reflecting and being a part of the unique history of Saratoga. The Inventory has been prepared in accordance with guidelines established by the State Office of Historic Preservation, with data gathered from a variety of sources,., including historic documents and books, interviews with local citizens, and existing county and state inventories that contain information on Saratoga properties. Being listed on the Inventory does not carry any form of special requirements or restrictions affecting the use, improvement, alteration or even the demolition of your property. As an Inventory property, however, you will be able to make use of the State Historic Building Code, an alternative set of building regulations that are intended "to facilitate the rehabilitation and preservation of historic buildings. In addition, your property may qualify for designation as a Saratoga Heritage Landmark, a special category of outstanding and exemplary historic properties that are identified in the community by a handsome bronze plaque. We have enclosed the entire Inventory list and the individual Inventory form for your property, which gives information about the building, the property and its history. We would appreciate your review of this form to let us know if there are any changes or additions to the form you wish to include. We also anticipate that there are additional historic resources in the community that we may have overlooked or have not fully documented yet; if you know of any that are not on the list, please let us know. If you have any questions, please direct them to the Commission through Valerie Young, our staff person at City Hall (867- 3438). One of the Commissioners will be happy to meet with you to discuss the Inventory and answer any questions you may have. Sincerely, Members of the Heritage Preservation Commission Elizabeth Ansnes Roy Cameron Norm Koepernik Sharo Landsness Barb .xaVVoester rren Heid, Chairma y