Grass Valley’s North Star House Included in State-wide Julia Morgan 2012 Festival

GRASS VALLEY, CA – October 9, 2012 – North Star House in Grass Valley, a 1905 Julia Morgan-designed home currently undergoing rehabilitation, will participate in California’s Julia Morgan 2012 Festival this Saturday, October 13^th from 10am to 4pm. The Julia Morgan 2012 Festival is the kick-off event for the new “Landmarks California” Program by the California Cultural and Historic Endowment.  Each year of this annual event will celebrate a different aspect of California’s cultural richness.  For this inaugural year, “Landmarks California” organizers selected the famed architect Julia Morgan, designer of the famed Hearst Castle and Asilomar Conference Center, as well as Grass Valley’s own North Star House, built in 1905 for North Star Mine Superintendent A.D. Foote and his wife, author and illustrator Mary Hallock Foote.

The North Star House will join Julia Morgan sites throughout the state in kicking off Julia Morgan 2012 with a day of special activities.  An Open House will feature some of the recent refurbishments to the interior of the house, and walking tours and presentations are scheduled throughout the day.  Main rooms of the North Star House will be open for guests to walk-through and photos illustrating the House's history will be on display.  Docents will be on hand to talk about the history of the North Star House, its residents and Julia Morgan, and to answer visitors' questions.

The 14 acre site surrounding the North Star House has several lawn and picnic areas, and visitors are encouraged to “bring or buy a picnic”: vendors from the Nevada County Growers Market will be selling prepared foods, fresh produce, and beverages with extended hours from 8am to 2:30pm.  Live music will be performed throughout the day, and outdoor games will be available for kids of all ages. 

Scheduled talks include:

11am - Walking grounds tour and basic history

noon – Historic photo slideshow

1pm – Julia Morgan and the people of the North Star Mine

2:30 – Historic plants and landscape walk

The North Star House will be open every Saturday for the duration of Julia Morgan 2012 Festivities from 8am to 12:30pm, accompanied by the Nevada County Certified Growers Market.  Docents will be on-hand to greet visitors and answer questions.

The North Star House is located at 12075 Old Auburn Road in Grass Valley, approximately one mile off of Hwy. 49 near the Nevada County Fairgrounds.  To read more about “Landmarks California” and the Julia Morgan 2012 Festival, visit www.landmarkscalifornia.org.  To learn more about the historic North Star House, visit www.northstarconservancy.org.

About the North Star House

Built in 1905, the North Star House was designed by the renowned California Arts and Crafts architect Julia Morgan.  The House served as the superintendent's house for the North Star Mine, and was commissioned by Superintendent Arthur De Wint Foote and his wife, the author and illustrator Mary Hallock Foote.  Decades of neglect contributed to the deteriorated state of the house, but a gradual, constant effort by collaborating forces within the community is returning this gem to its former glory.

About the North Star Historic Conservancy

The mission of the North Star Historic Conservancy is to rehabilitate the Julia Morgan-designed North Star House and its immediate grounds, reconnecting it to the greater Grass Valley area and to restoring its place as an active hub of the community. 

The Conservancy was established in 2006 to manage the rehabilitation and ongoing operations of the House and to oversee the development and operation of the North Star Historic District.  The Conservancy is an all-volunteer organization and operates under a 501(c)(3) designation.