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Sam Lee Fong Ranch House
Sam Lee Fong Ranch House Weaverville California ~ 1918
Weaverville is known as a California Gold Rush town. There are many historic buildings on Main St. / 299W. The Lee Ranch House is featured as #27 on the Historic Walking Tour. This 1918 house is a registered historic Ranch Style building. The Sam Lee Family donated their country home to Trinity County to help promote local Folk Art. The entire house was renovated in 1993 by friends and community volunteers making it a suitable home for Folk Artists. Artists in residence have their own private studios in this traditional ranch home. The grounds and surrounding land provide a quite space for contemporary Folk Art.
Early mornings at the house are quiet; this tranquility continues throughout any given day!
This home is a wonderful showroom for our gallery Art Cruises. There are many visitors who come to the old ranch house and return year after year. You may discover our unique Folk Art on your next trip through Weaverville. Many unusual visitors include natural wildlife from the nearby forrest. Deer find a quiet refuge in our yard. Mule deer, does, bucks and fawns enjoy the fruit from the surrounding ninety year old apple and pear trees. These trees are part of the Heritage Orchard. UC Davis is currently grafting the rare old trees to produce new trees to be replanted in the Lee Fong Park.
Their Heritage Apple web site is: Http://www.Trinityroots.org
Our " Annual Spring Blossoms Folk Art Show" is a local event in honor these beautiful trees. Members of the Trinity/Northern California Folk Arts Center bring their Folk Art to this exciting event when these trees are in full bloom.
"Autumn in the Alps" during the month of October is another annual event for members of the Trinity Folk Arts Center. The Sam Lee Ranch House is also host to our monthly 1st Saturday Art Crusises in Weaverville. We are current participants of the Art Cruises and celebrate almost five years of creative shows in this venue. Weaverville is a great artistic destination on Art Cruise night.
The Lee Ranch House gives all "Artists in Residence" a small space to craft their local unique Folk Art. There are 6 private studios and a large common gallery. Current studios include: accupressurist, silk and fiber artist, musicians' studio, the Trinity Folk Arts office and Victoria Alexander-Randolph's private studio called "H a V e N" .
* Please contact the Trinity Parks Department for requests to rent a studio.
The house is situated behind the busy downtown Weaverville Main Street & 299W. Our location in the Historic Weaverville district has been a special place in times past; we continue to bring this rich heritage to another level in the Trinity County legacy.
This rich inheiritence is seen through the preservation of the:
1918 Sam Lee Ranch House Folk Art Center,
Lee Fong Park,
Heritage Apple Orchard
Lee Fong Amphitheater.
My studio called "H a V e N" is on the east side of the Lee Ranch House, therefore, the morning light filters through my twelve pane window. This east view reveals a small creek quietly flowing through the Lee Fong Park to the south. A wooden veranda surrounds two sides of the house on the east and north. When I hear the friendly footsteps of an approaching visitor, I welcome many with paintbrush in hand. The past five years have been very busy for our team of volunteers; together we have given many hours to improve the interior gallery spaces.
The Lee Ranch House has a rich history in the field of Folk Arts. Bella Peralta mentored many young artists with the Summer Work Program creating colorful murals throughout Trinity County. Three of my six children finished three murals in the following locations:
Lowden Park Swimming Pool (Jon Randolph, Evangela Randolph)
Downtown Weaverville
Hayfork Prenatal Health Clinic (Anna Randolph)
The long cement back porch is set up for mural making to this day. This summer program helped to prepare young Trinity citizens for their future.
The Lee Ranch House was once home to the Trinity County Arts Council. Their office and gallery is now located in the famous downtown area on Main St. /299W for greater visability to tourist. The Arts Council has done much in our community to encourage the Arts in Trinity County. Their gallery is a rich source of Art in the Downtown area. The Lee Ranch House was also home to many Shasta College art classes. There are local artists who can trace their roots back to the Lee Ranch in their artistic beginnings.
2009 is a year of "Fruitfullness"
Our hope is that our fruitfullness is expressed in many ways through the creative efforts of:
* the local Folk Artists In Residence
* Trinity Guild of Folk Artists
* local Art Cruises 1st Saturdays 5-8 pm
* the help of all who "just love this ol' house".
We continue to promote the Sam Lee Ranch House as a piece of the puzzle in the beautiful display of tourism in Weaverville California. Now that our town is a local Preserve America town, I am excited to be a part of this picture!
Joss House "Red Bridge"
Our Neighbor and California State Park
When you visit the Joss House or the Jake Jackson Museum please remember the Lee Ranch House. This historic art center is located on Lorenz Rd. and 299W / Main St. We are a neighbor to the Joss House. The Sam Lee Ranch House is located directly behind the Jake Jackson Museum. Main Street in Weaverville (299West) is so near, I get many curious folks who find their way to our whimsical gallery. The short walk off Main St. is a calming pleasant walk along the little "singing" creek. Discovering this old house is almost like a treasure hunt to some, many are pleasantly surprised by the Folk Art found within the walls of this humble building.
You may call Victoria at 530-222-3574 / 530-776-5523. )
"The Red Bridge"
Victoria Alexander-Randolph 2005
Painting on recyled wood
Victoria Alexander-Randolph
Artist in residence: HaVeN Studio
http://www.mocfa.org SF http://www.folkartmuseum.org NYC
http://www.folkartintl.com SF Gallery http://www.folkartcenter.com NC
http://www.sketch.ca
http://museumus.org
Calling all Folk Artist !
You can now become a part of the Folk Arts Center. This new support group is ready to help you meet other Folk Artists in our mountain communities. Here are some of the ways we work together:
Online Newsletter: www.myspace.com/oooakart FOLKARTIST
Annual Gallery Shows ~ 4th Annual Spring Blossom Show April of 2010
4thAnnual Autumn in the Alps in October 2010
Network with other artists in the mountain communities of Northern California
Reference Library in the HaVeN Studio
Opportunity to volunteer and help with set up of gallery shows at the monthly
1st Saturday Art Cruises
Trading with other artists
Would you like to be a part of the vision to build this new Folk Arts Center?
There are many who have helped in the past and their names are listed on the walls of the Lee Ranch House Gallery. Please let me know if you can volunteer, contribute or desire to be more involved in the beginning phase of developing the Lee Ranch House into a wonderful creative folk arts center. "Friends of the Lee Ranch House" are a group of lively volunteers who want to see this ole' house continue to be a preserved Folk Art Museum. Victoria is the volunteer manager of thie Northern California Folk Art Guild.
Darlene "Victoria" Randolph
P. O. Box 990226
Redding, Californa 96099
Manager / Artist in Residence
Here are some historical links about the Sam Lee Ranch House...
Http://www.shastasearch.com
"Featured Listings"
Listed in the "Scenic Weaverville Walking Tour"
"1918 Historic Building Site"
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