Folsom's Murer house makes it to the National Register of Historic Places

The historic Murer House in Folsom has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is the National Park Service's official list of historic sites deemed worthy of preservation. City leaders and museum officials gathered Tuesday to celebrate the accomplishment. "The house is important for its architecture and as the work of a master," said Cindy Baker, former resident of the house and now programming director of the Murer House Foundation. "I think its listing is important for Folsom because it adds to our historic character and our unique background." The Baker family inherited the house from Giuseppe Murer after he passed away in 1972 and it was subsequently purchased by the city of Folsom in 1997 to allow for construction of the Lake Natoma Crossing Bridge. "I asked my mother, the person who knew him best, what Joe would say about this honor," said Baker. "She said he would be very proud, an Italian immigrant who came with nothing but his bare hands and determination, and was recognized for making a lasting contribution to his new homeland." The house was built by Murer on property he purchased in 1921. Construction of the house began in 1925 and was completed in 1927. Murer, who used the English translation of Joe for his first name, designed the house in the architectural style of his native Italy and performed much of the construction work, including ornate interior woodwork such as the built-in hutches and pillared bookcase columns that are identical to those in the Folsom Hotel. Murer was assisted with the tile roof and plaster work by Antonio Zanetta, whose descendants still reside in Folsom and whose family contributed Zanetta's Barn, which is behind the Folsom History Museum. After construction of the home was completed, Murer began work on the surrounding landscape that now features a mural of Folsom's sister city, Pieve del Grappa in the Veneto region of Italy. The sister city relationship was formalized in September 2000 between Folsom and Crespano del Grappa, Murer's birthplace, that became part of Pieve del Grappa in 2019. The landscaping included fruit and nut trees, grapes and decorative plants. Fruit trees included winter pear, Bing cherry, apricot, pineapple guava, tangerine, pomegranates, lemons and carob. Nuts included English walnut and hazelnut. Murer also built a grape arbor with six varieties of concord grapes in the backyard. Murer was born in 1885 and, at age 12, became an apprentice in carpentry and cabinet making. According to the Murer House records, after the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, news of plentiful work to rebuild the city spread to Italy and the 21-year-old Murer traveled to San Francisco with three other young men from his city. After a few years, with money he had earned building small hotels in Northern California, Murer moved to Folsom where he became the proprietor of the New Western Hotel, which is now the Folsom Hotel on Sutter Street. He became an American citizen in 1913, served as chief of the Folsom Volunteer Fire Department, organized the Folsom Gun Club and the Folsom Marching Band, in which he played trombone. The gun club was located where the Young Wo Memorial Park is today. After World War II, Murer gave the property to Sacramento County for use as a Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall. Giuseppe ran the hotel and bar, as well as a liquor store and the gas station into the 1940s. During World War II, he sold the hotel and sent the money to family members in Crespano del Grappa, which was ravaged by Nazi aggression. He operated the other businesses for the rest of his life. Murer House records indicate that Murer would host dinners on the grounds of his house with fellow expatriated Italians from his region of Treviso, creating strong friendships with the Italian community in Sacramento. Murer died in 1972 and is buried in the historic St. John's Catholic Cemetery, just across Folsom Boulevard from the Murer House. The Murer House is at 1125 Joe Murer Court, just across Folsom Boulevard from the historic district. For more information, visit http://MurerHouse.org/.