Sentinel staff report–
Interested in learning more about local history or getting a free tour of the 102-year-old Rusch Home? You may want to mark your calendar for History Day at the Rusch Home, an event hosted by the Citrus Heights Historical Society to showcase local history.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, at the historic Rusch Home, located at 7301 Antelope Rd. About a dozen different displays of the early days of Citrus Heights will be available for viewing, along with a black and white movie shot by the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce in the 1960s, according to Larry Fritz, the local historical society’s president.
“History Day is an opportunity for visitors to see the inside of the house that many have driven or walked past for years without knowing what it is,” said Historical Society Board Member Ray Oliver in a news release about the event.
The release also said attendees will be invited to browse through the seldom-open home to see photos and artifacts of local farms, schools, businesses, emergency services and public works. Historical Society members will be on hand to give tours and answer questions.
The Rusch Home was built by Fred and Julia Rusch in 1916, who constructed the home after the prior house on the property burned. According to the Society, the brother-and-sister pair ordered the Craftsman-style home from a Sears and Roebuck catalog and had it shipped in pieces by railroad.
The two lived in the home until bequeathing it to the Sunrise Recreation and Park District.
Related: Citrus Heights’ longest living resident reflects on history of city
Fritz said the Historical Society was first formed in 1991 to preserve and promote the history of Citrus Heights, but after being dormant for several years it is making a comeback with its first standalone event. The organization was previously headed up by Jim Van Maren, who passed away in 2012.
The Society began to take a more active role after the city council voted to dissolve the Citrus Heights History & Arts Commission last October and replace it with a competitive grant program to help fund historic and arts-related projects in the city. According to Fritz, the upcoming History Day is funded with the first grant awarded under the city’s new program.
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If you plan to go
History Day
WHEN: March 31, 2018
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
WHERE: Rusch Home
7301 Antelope Rd.
Citrus Heights
