Arts and Crafts at Shinn Historical Park, sponsored by Fremont Cultural Arts Council, Mission Peak Heritage Foundation, City of Fremont Recreation Division and Friends of Heirloom Flowers Garden Club, will be held on Saturday, July 18.
This year Shinn House celebrates its 150th anniversary in September. Additionally, it happens to be a significant year as Shinn Ranch Farmstead has been recognized as Fremont’s latest historical site. The Big House, Shinn Cottage, the Bungalow and the Chinese Bunkhouse are contributing buildings.
At the event one can step back in time, enjoy Shinn Park, eat ice cream and look at local art. Admission to the park is free. Visitors can buy handcrafted wares by local artisans, find a perfect plant at the Garden Club fundraiser, enjoy live entertainment on the front lawn and explore the gardens on the kid-friendly scavenger hunt.
Profits will be used for historical preservation and restoration by Mission Peak Heritage Foundation which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Photos courtesy of Al Minard
Photos courtesy of Al Minard
Al Minard, who has been organizing the event for years, said, “We are inviting the Fremont City Council to attend and give us a proclamation on getting Shinn Park on the National Register of Historical Sites as ‘Shinn Ranch Farmstead.’ We will provide tours of the house and have hula dancers and ukulele players entertaining everyone. We have interesting artists and crafters on the lawn, including a person who makes brooms right in front of you. These are all local artists and crafters.”
There will be an ice cream cart selling ice cream, and a beautiful 1920s green Fageol bus from the Pacific Bus Museum down the street will be in front of the red barn. Children can build a tiny house, paint some rocks, go on a scavenger hunt, etc. Non-profit organizations like Friends of Heirloom Flowers Garden Club, Chinese Bunkhouse Preservation Project and others will have information tables.
Visitors can tour the historic Shinn House with a docent in historic costume. Several generations of the Shinn family lived in the 150-year-old house. The surrounding park has many large trees that are about 170 years old.
Youth can once again participate in a special local event. Shinn House is one of the nine local Passport to Adventure sites, generating traffic on Facebook and other social media platforms. To learn more about the Passport to Adventure program, see the Museum of Local History—Passport to Adventure page.
House tours provided by Mission Peak Heritage Foundation will be from 12 to 4pm. There is a $5 charge for touring the house for adults and a $3 charge for children five to 12 (free under five). Cameras are encouraged both on the grounds and in the house.
Arts and Crafts at Shinn Historical Park
Saturday, July 18
10am – 4pm
Shinn Historical Park
1251 Peralta Blvd., Fremont
HistoricShinnHouse.org
