Historic Homes Tour: 2219 L Street

Constructed in 1905 for Isaac Baldwin Cooledge and Susan MacDonald Cooledge, 2219 L Street has a notable history. The Cooledges, with a significant age difference of 33 years, were first recorded at this address in 1906, shortly after their grand wedding in 1898, which was a significant social event attended by prominent Sacramento families. Isaac, a New England native who ventured west during the Gold Rush, eventually settled in Sacramento, working for merchants supplying miners before retiring. The couple had no children but were close to Isaac’s niece, Belle Cooledge, a significant figure in Sacramento's history, serving as the city's first female mayor and one of the founders of Sacramento City College. After Isaac's death, his widow sold the home to John S. Hopkins in 1924, who, with his wife, began taking in lodgers, marking the start of a diverse occupancy history. The home has seen limited ownership changes, contributing to the preservation of its impressive interior and historic features, such as the combined gas/electric light fixtures, a rarity from the early twentieth century. The continuity of ownership and careful preservation efforts have maintained the home’s architectural integrity and historical significance, making it a cherished part of Sacramento's heritage. 

The house built for the Cooledge’s is of the Foursquare type, combining elements of the Prairie and Craftsman styles, which, though different in appearance, were contemporary developments. It also features traditional Classical elements. The shallow-pitched hipped rooflines with boxed eaves (on the house, attic dormer, and front porch) are typical of the Prairie style. The exposed purlins lining the eaves, a nod to Craftsman aesthetics, are squared and simple, in keeping with the Prairie style's emphasis on horizontal lines. Six Tuscan Doric columns, clustered in two sets of three, rise from the two corners of the front porch's solid railing, showcasing the home's structural integrity and aesthetic balance. Ionic pilasters, another Classical element, frame the corners of the façade, adding a touch of elegance and historical reference to the otherwise modernist Prairie and Craftsman styles. In front of the house, set at curbside, is a mounting block with the name COOLEDGE engraved on it, a rare and charming survival from this era, linking the home to its historical roots and the family it was built for.