A STORY ACROSS GENERATIONS
A STORY ACROSS GENERATIONS
Embedded Files
The Harvey Family & Their Land.
The Harvey Family & Their Land.
The Sylvester P. Harvey House and the George Harvey House tell the story of one family, one farm, and Fremont's agricultural past.
THE PIONEER
Who was Sylvester P. Harvey?
Who was Sylvester P. Harvey?
Arrived in California in 1854 via the Isthmus of Panama.
Purchased 100 acres along the Alvarado–Centerville Road in 1859.
Returned to New Hampshire in 1866 to marry Sarah Francis Hill.
Built the 1868 farmhouse using his own carpentry skills.
Sylvester and Sarah raised three children: Susan, Fred, and Edward.
THE LAND
The Harvey Farm
The Harvey Farm
The property once included a 222-tree orchard.
Fruit included apples, cherries, plums, pears, peaches, apricots, walnuts, and quinces.
Crops were shipped by boat, by express, and on the South Pacific Coast Railroad.
Later generations grew sugar beets, cauliflower, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, corn, and lettuce.
100
100
acres purchased along the Alvarado–Centerville Road in 1859
222
222
trees in the original Harvey orchard
43
43
years of care by live-in caretakers Rick and Sheri Smith
THE NEXT GENERATION
George Harvey House (1928)
George Harvey House (1928)
Built by George Harvey and his wife, Ruby, in 1928.
The Spanish-style house stood beside the earlier 1868 farmhouse.
Family memories recall a working farm with barns, chicken houses, a granary, and horse-drawn buggies.
Together, the two houses show how the Harvey property evolved across generations.
A CLOSE CALL
Saved once before
Saved once before
By the end of 1979, the Sylvester Harvey House had been badly vandalized.
Around 1980, Rick and Sheri Smith became live-in caretakers.
They lived there for 43 years, raised their family there, and cared for the grounds and gardens.
A TIMELINE
From homestead to today
From homestead to today
1854
1854
Sylvester Harvey arrives in California via the Isthmus of Panama.
1859
1859
He purchases 100 acres along the Alvarado–Centerville Road.
1866
1866
He returns to New Hampshire to marry Sarah Francis Hill.
1868
1868
The Sylvester P. Harvey House is built, anchoring the family homestead.
1928
1928
George and Ruby Harvey build the Spanish-style George Harvey House.
1975
1975
The Harvey family property passes into city ownership.
1980
1980
Rick and Sheri Smith become live-in caretakers of the vandalized farmhouse.
2026
2026
The George House faces demolition; the Sylvester House may be mothballed.
Also part of the Harvey family story
Also part of the Harvey family story
F. C. Harvey & Co. operated a general store in historic Alvarado, in the building now associated with Bronco Billy's Pizza. This is a separate landmark and should not be confused with the Fred Harvey railroad restaurant chain.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
The story isn’t finished yet.
The story isn’t finished yet.
Seen together, the two houses tell a fuller story than either can tell alone. See what the community has done so far, and how you can help.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse