Sawyer House Open House & Garden Fair
May 15th, 16th 2010
10:00 A.M - 6:00 P.M

Home Tour
Join us May 15th & 16th, during the hours of 10am— 6pm, to tour the old Sawyer House from top to bottom, gaining a sense of how a house like this enhanced farm and family life 100 years ago. In Mr. Sawyer’s words, “my home has to serve me as my office, my theater, and my church—as good and as comfortable as a man who lives in the city.”

In 1976, the Erickson family opened their partially restored home to celebrate our national bi-centennial to 3,600 admiring guests. Over the past 41 years they have been very intentional in protecting and preserving what is good about the past. The family extends an invitation to attend this second-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy touring The Sawyer House.

One home tour is included in the event ticket price of $20.

Garden Fair
Explore the lovely old grounds and discover brilliant vendors selling unique and relevant wares. You’ll find them nestled under the trees and scattered among the gardens, or located on the stone patios and porches. Our partners in this event have been selected with care for the causes they support and by the goods they sell that are of exceptional quality or craftsmanship, origin works of art, antiques, collectables, garden-related or ecofriendly; or what we have determined just too creative to not be shown off! Please feel free to spend both days stepping back in time enjoying an old fashioned garden fair. Dare to fully involve yourself in the event by dressing in period attire! (Optional, of course.)

Country Garden Antiques Our shop will be open during the event hours. If you are a first time visitor, expect to be dazzled by our eclectic assortment of English country antiques and one-of-a-kind treasures including garden furniture, Whichford pottery and stone statuary. Enchanting!

Old Fashioned Luncheon
Luncheon A special luncheon reflecting a 1910 day in the country will be served. Your choices will include any or all of a selection of salads, seafood aspic, pickles, fried chicken and biscuits. Service may be limited; so advance tickets, although not required, is advised.

Luncheon ticket price is $12.

A Dessert Affair
Living Words, a non-profit group, will be offering individual servings of decadent desserts for purchase ($3 - $6 each serving) to complete your luncheon experience or to enjoy separately while you sit and enjoy the scenery. As one of our “vendors with a purpose,” desser t proceeds will provide camping experiences and weekly mentoring for children at risk.

History
William Perry Sawyer, born in 1851, was an inspirational and forward-thinking gentleman, when he moved west to North Yakima in 1892 with his young family. After 3 years in the hardware business, he purchased open land in the Parker Bottom and began planting hops and pears. With neighbors, he formed the first irrigation project, the Konnowac Ditch Co.; convinced both the Union Pacific and Northern Pacific railroads to bring their lines through the lower valley and into Yakima. Mr. Sawyer became a State Legislator and was actively involved in every aspect of the development of this agricultural region. Setting his sights high in 1910, he worked with W.W. DeVeaux, a then well-known architect, to design this elaborate 4-story, 50-foot square (10,000 sq. ft.) home on his flourishing 223 acre parcel in the Yakima Valley. The Sawyer family resided in the home until 1969 when they sold to the current owners, Fred & Pat Erickson and their five young children.

The Erickson’s, as they attest, were naïve to the job ahead. Every effort has been made to maintain the original integrity of the house. In 1970, the Sawyer House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Through the years, the Sawyer House has been a comfortable place to raise a family and welcoming place for friends far and near. Additions include a swimming pool, pool house, greenhouse, tree house, expanded gardens, restored chicken house and a carriage house which for the last 25 years has been the Country Garden Antiques.

For historic photos of the house, visit Yakima Memory. Enjoy an article from Yakima Business Times.