Historic Homes Tour: 2409 Capitol Avenue

 The acanthus leaves over the front porch and the pineapple center motif lend to the early welcoming of visitors as they approach from the street. The house has various siding materials including redwood siding and shingles presented on the drip edge and in the upper eves of the attic area. On the main floor of the home, bay windows are present on three sides and provide interesting angles as you work your way around the home. 

The history of this Colonial Revival home located at 2409 Capitol Avenue dates to circa 1900. Constructed by well-known bricklayer/contractor George Murray and his son George W. Murray. Early accounts indicate this historic home was purchased by Rasmus H. Carstensen and his wife Maria in 1903. They raised their son August R. Carstensen, born in 1902, in the home.

Rasmus Carstensen was a business owner in Sacramento. Best known for starting the Crystal Ice and Cold Storage Company originally located in Oak Park and later a larger facility built along R Street between 16th and 17th Street. He also had interests in two saloons: the Golden Gate Saloon originally located at 500 K Street and Terminus Cafe originally located in Oak Park between 35th and 36th Streets.

H. E. Tompkins purchased the home from the Carstensen family in 1951 and started Peter Pan Nursery School in the ground floor basement. Peter Pan Nursery provided daycare for many of the students attending both Fremont and St. Francis of Assisi Elementary Schools located in the neighborhood. In 1953, the McLaughlin Family purchased the home from their cousin H.E. Tompkins and continued operating the Peter Pan Nursery School until the mid-1980s. H.E. Tompkins went on to start the first Merryhill School in the Sacramento area.

The current owners purchased the property from the McLaughlin Family in December of 2014. This beautiful Colonial Revival home is currently undergoing a multi-year restoration project to bring back its original grandeur while adding some modern conveniences of today. The original brick foundation was replaced with an updated concrete foundation starting in 2016, at which time the basement space was lowered to provide more headroom, and a separate 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit was installed creating the address 2411 Capitol Avenue. The main area of the house is one of only a few homes in Sacramento that has most of its original gasoliers still functioning. As you walk by this home, you will see the symbol of years gone by in the gas lamp that adorns the front porch. The main area of the house is still undergoing restoration and estimated completion is in early 2025.