Sam Lee Fong Ranch House 

Sam Lee Fong Ranch House Weaverville California ~ 1918

Weaverville California is known as a California Gold Rush town. There are many historic buildings on Main St. / 299W. The Lee Ranch House is included as a featured part of 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 creating 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 to the old ranch house who return year after year to discover our unique Folk Art. Unusual visitors include natural wildlife from the nearby forrest. Deer find a quiet refuge in our yard. Many 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. 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.

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, muralist and the Northern California Guild of Folk Artists / Trinity Folk Arts office.  

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:  

 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 three years have been very busy for our team of volunteers. Together we have given many hours to improve the interior gallery spaces; both the South and the North Galleries have been cleaned and painted.

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 visibility 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 the Shasta College Outreach for many years with Evelyn Ward, Terry Clark and others as instructors. There are many artists who can trace their roots back to the Lee Ranch in their artistic beginnings.

2008 is a year of "New Beginnings". Our hope is that our new life is expressed in many ways through the creative efforts of:

     *the local Folk Artists In Residence

     *the Trinity Folk Arts Center

     *WestCoast / Northern California / Trinity Guild of Folk Artists

     *local Art Cruises

     *the help of all who "just love this ol' h ouse".

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. The Sam Lee Ranch House 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 the Ranch House 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 530-776-5523 / 530-410-3299. )

"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 member 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 benefits in becoming a member...

Annual Gallery Shows ~  Autumn in the Alps in October & Spring Blossom Show in May

Newsletter

Network with other artists in the mountainous communities of Northern California and now in the Western United States

Membership with the new Guild of Folk Artists here on the West Coast

Library

Opportunity to volunteer and help with set up of gallery shows every month

Trading with other artists

LOW membership rates ~ only $12 per year 2008 only !   (Non-voting membership)

FOUNDER MEMBERSHIP RATE: $25 ~ $2000

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.

Sign up today by sending a check to:

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"

Scenic Weaverville

"Historic Building Site"