Harbison House

Cherishing Its Roots

By Tom Hall/Reporter Staff Writer

The foundation is in place. The landscape is changing. Electric power is almost there. Money, hopefully, won't be long in coming.

Its been a long time since the Harbison House has been at the center of this much action.

As the walls of the new Nut Tree Village project continue to go up around the near century-old colonial revival home, work to transform the historic landmark into a living museum is getting closer.

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On Tuesday, October 4, 2005, at 9:00 am, the last remaining architectural structure from the former Nut Tree Complex in Vacaville left its almost 100 year-old foundation to take its place in a permanent site in the new Nut Tree Family Park. The transition to a new location is the first step in the rehabilitation of the nearly one-century old historic farmhouse.

Gifted to Vacaville Museum in 1998, the relocation of this significant home into the center of the amusement and retail development being produced by SNELL&CO, Westrust and their partners, marks the synergy created through the combination of old and new in this landmark rehabilitation and development plan.

An ambitious collaboration, the preservation and incorporation of Harbison House to extend the legacy of the former Nut Tree into the future of the new Nut Tree is a valuable asset for all concerned. After months of preparation, this two story colonial revival house built in 1907, complete with six hollow redwood columns and ornate cast capitals was brought from its original location to a new placement on the same property.

For years, Vacaville Museum Trustees grappled with the enormous opportunity to revitalize and re-open this gracious symbol of family life that was once a lively background for millions of Nut Tree visitors. When rehabilitated and open to the public in its new site, the Museum plans to share within Harbison House some of the thousands of Nut Tree artifacts and pieces of memorabilia in the museum collection as well as other relevant elements of local history. Visitors to the new Nut Tree will experience the vision and excitement of a park designed for families while reconnecting with the memories of former generations of Nut Tree guests.

Shawn Lum, director of the Vacaville Museum, is clearly enthusiastic about the project. "Rarely does a Museum have such an exciting opportunity to combine the rich legacy of local history within the vivid dreams of the future. By incorporating Harbison House, the original home of the Nut Tree, within the new Nut Tree family amusement park, SNELL&CO, Westrust and their partners are showing an amazing level of support for the Nut Tree experience enjoyed by former generations of highway travelers. History is all about context; and the rehabilitation of the historic Harbison House built in 1907 will be an ideal experience for active engagement with both the past and the future at Nut Tree."

• Photo Gallery • News story about the move