A hundred-year-old cabin in Howarth Park that was on the verge of demolition six years ago will soon find new life as the home of the Sonoma County Historical Society, which recently signed a lease with the city of Santa Rosa for the historic house.
The one-bedroom Craftsman-style building, located near the northeast Santa Rosa park entrance off Summerfield Road, was previously home to a city employee who oversaw the park, but has been vacant for more than a decade, according to Raymond Johnson, vice president of the Sonoma County Historical Society.
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Sonoma County Historical Society Vice President Ray Johnson at the old janitor’s house in Howarth Park on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Santa Rosa. The Sonoma County Historical Society has entered into a five-year lease for the building with the City of Santa Rosa. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
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Sonoma County Historical Society Vice President Ray Johnson at the old janitor’s house in Howarth Park on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Santa Rosa. The Sonoma County Historical Society has entered into a five-year lease for the building with the City of Santa Rosa. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
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Built around 1915, the house was originally located on Ripley Street near Ridgway Avenue, Johnson said.
“When the city widened Armory Drive, they had to remove a couple of houses there, and this was one of them,” he said. “The city decided to put it in Howarth Park as a caretaker’s house sometime in the 1980s.”
In 2019, Santa Rosa officials temporarily added the house to the city-owned list of properties to be demolished, saying it could not save the cabin due to lead and asbestos contamination, inadequate handicap access and a dilapidated roof. Within weeks, city leaders suspended the demolition plans after a community outcry.
Soon after, the historical society began negotiating with the city to lease the house, Johnson said.
“It’s a nice little house and it’s pretty original, so (the historical society) thought it would be good to save it and use it as a home,” he said.
Founded in 1962, the roughly 150-member group is dedicated to promoting the county’s diverse heritage through preservation efforts and community involvement, and has until now hosted events at the Santa Rosa Veterans Hall and local museums, libraries or other organizations, and held monthly board meetings at the homes of its 10 board members.
On October 22, the association signed a five-year lease for the house at $1 per year, with the option to renew the lease every five years. The organization will also be responsible for municipal services. Johnson said the group plans to fix up the house, including adding water and electric meters, and install fixtures that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Johnson did not have a timeline available for when those upgrades will happen or when the community can move into the house. He also did not have a figure for how much the upgrades will cost, but said the group is exploring fundraising options to pay for the work. The organization is funded in part by annual and lifetime memberships ranging from $30 to $750. The organization also raises money at events, such as the annual membership luncheon and the annual picnic.
“I know better than to rate it,” Johnson said.
Still, after more than 60 years, the group is waiting for a home where it organizes board and committee meetings, public history lectures and other gatherings. It also makes the house available to other nonprofits, Johnson said.
In an Oct. 29 press release, Santa Rosa confirmed that the renovated janitor’s house may also be available to community groups for “activities that complement park operations and preserve the historic character of the building.”
“This collaboration supports the city’s commitment to connect residents to Santa Rosa’s history through education and engagement,” the city said in a release.