HomeMy WebLinkAboutQuito Road 13939HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY (# 61)
IDENTIFICATION
1. Common name: Brandenburg House
2. Historic name: 13939 Quito Road
3. Street or rural address: 13939 Quito Road
City: Saratoga
4. Parcel number: 397 -02 -064
Zip: 95070 County: Santa Clara
5. Present Owner: Mr. & Mrs. Martin Schibler Address: 13939 Quito Rd.
City: Saratoga Zip: 95070
Ownership is: Public: Private: X
6. Present Use: Residence Original Use: Residence
DESCRIPTION
7a. Architectural style: Colonial Revival Cottage
7b. Briefly describe the present physical appearance of the site or
structure and describe any major alterations from its original
condition:
This is a two - story, wood frame cottage clad in horizontal rustic
siding; it still sits on original redwood mudsills. The roof is
punctuated by a gabled dormer in the center with two attic ventilators
and a center window. -The entrance porch extends across the center
third of the front and is supported by four turned columns. The window
pattern is symmetrical, with three single windows on the second floor
and two nine -light picture windows on either side of the front door;
these were installed in 1948 but effectively maintain the overall
symmetry of the house. A rear one -story addition was built at the same
time.
8. Construction date: 1890
Estimated:
Factual: X
9. Architect: Unknown
10. Builder: Unknown
11. Approx. prop. size (ft)
Frontage:
Depth:
approx. acreage
12. Date(s) of enclosed
photograph(s)
-f ®
13. Condition: Excellent: Good: X Fair: Deteriorated:
No longer in existence:
14. Alterations: Picture windows in front, addition in rear.
15. Surroundings: (Check more than one if necessary)
Open land: Scattered buildings: 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: Some original fruit trees remain.
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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 Harry E. Brandenburg in 1890. He was born in 1857
and, with his family, crossed the plains as a small child in 1861. The
family first lived in Butte County, then came to Santa Clara County in 1865
or 1866. Brandenburg married Sarah J. Hartwick, a native of Santa Clara in
1886. He bought the subject property, 10 acres, in 1890; it is unclear if
the orchard predated his purchase. The orchard contained prunes, apricots,
peaches and cherries. Brandenburg owned the property until 1933. There
were five other subsequent owners before the current owners, who bought it
in 1958. Confirmation of this house being the Brandenburg house came from
Juanita Avenal Brandenburg Withrow, one of the Brandenburg's four children,
who stopped by unannounced not long after the Schiblers moved in and told
them that she, Juanita Avenal (known as Nel) had been born in that house.
20. Main theme of the historic resource:
(If more than one is checked, number
in order of importance.)
Architecture: 2 Arts /Leisure:
Economic /Industrial:
Exploration /Settlement: 1
Government: Military:
Religion: Social /Ed.:
21. Sources (List books, documents,
surveys, personal interviews and
their dates). Interview with the
Schiblers, 7/24/89; data compiled by
Dave Durie and Thomas Nye, 6/12/84;
Sawyer's History of Santa Clara County,
1922.
22. Date form prepared: 8/89
By (name): Willys Peck
Organization: HPC
Address: 13777 Fruitvale Ave.
City: Saratoga Zip: 95070
Phone: 867 -3438
Location Sketch Map
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Street address: 13939 Quito Road, Saratoga
Present owners: Mr. and Mrs. Martin Schibler
Historic name: Brandenburg House (wrongly applied to 18490
Ravenwood Drive)
Parcel number: I neglected to get this. In city records?
Ownership: Private. In use as residence.
Architectural style: Owner describes it as "American nondescript"
Might fit in the "stick" category, per chart,
but is less ornate than the sketch. "Typical
farmhouse" might be a functional description.
Present physical appearance: The house sits back a way from the road
on two - thirds of an acre. Outwardly, it appears
much as it must have when built (1890'according
to present owner, which jibes with account in
Sawyer's 1922 "History of Santa Clara County."
It is two - story, wood - frame, with horizontal
rustic siding. Appears to be redwood construc-
tion throughout; owner says it still sits on
original redwood mud sills; no concrete found-
ation. Apparently the only external changes are
two front nine -light picture windows, installed
in the living room in 1948, and altered railing
on the front porch. The house is in the form of
a "T", with the front part ( top of the T) being
the original structure. Owner says the rear part
(leg of the T) appears to have been built not
long afterward. Front part is two stories; rear
part is ground floor and a very large loft.
Some modernizing inside, including lowering of the
living room ceiling.
Architect and builder: Unknown
Present condition:
The present owners,
1958, raised a larg e
the premises in goo
threat to the site,
built -up area. The o
original fruit trees
vegetable garden.
who have been there since
family there and have kept
d conition. There is no known
which is in an entirely
wners have kept a few of the
and planted an extensive
Historical significance: According to Sawyer's History (supra),
Harry E. Brandenburg was born in 1857 and, with
his family, crossed the plains as a small child
in 1861. The family lived first in Butte County,
then came to Sant, Clara County in 1865 or 1866.
Harry Brandenburg Sarah J. Hartwick, a native of
Santa Clara, in 1886. He bought the subject prop-
erty, 10 acres, in 1890. Unclear whether orchard
predated this. Sawyer's History says Brandenburg
set out his 10 acres to orchard, containing pvuee54=
r. - N
- 2 -
Historical significance (cont.)
prunes, apricots, peaches and cherries. An 1875
map (probably Thompson & West atlas) shows
property of 164.06 acres owned by W.D. Rucker.
Brandenburg owned his part of that up to 1933.
Subsequently, there were five other owners before
the Schiblers, who came there in 1958. Confirmation
of this house being the Brandenburg house came from
Juanita Avenal Brandenburg Withrow, one of the
Brandenburgs' four children, who stopped by
unannounced not long after the Schiblers moved
in and told the Schiblers that she, Juanita Avenal
(known as Nel) had been born in that house.
Source material: Interview with Martin and Joan Schibler July 24, 1989;
data from sheet compiled by Dave Duril and Thomas
L. Nye, June 12, 1984; "History of Santa Clara
County, With Biographical Sketches" by Eugene T.
Sawyer, 1922, Historic Record Co., Los Angeles.