Refurbished Cox House opens in San Marcos

By: JOHN RAIFSNIDER - For the North County Times | Sunday, September 23, 2007 12:08 AM PDT ∞

SAN MARCOS ---- The San Marcos Historical Society celebrated the grand opening Saturday of the refurbished Cox House, a two-story structure built in 1888 by the late Jacob Uhland, a San Marcos handyman.

The Cox House is the Historical Society's cornerstone project. Five years after its move from nearby Cox Road, the house sits in the gated Heritage Park, a two-acre parcel within Walnut Grove Park just off Sycamore Road in San Marcos.

Fifty people braved a mid-morning chill for Saturday's ribbon-cutting and open house. They heard society President Ric Chaillaux praise the efforts of members Roy and Beverley Haskins in helping secure a prominent place for the structure, and for watching over the project until its completion.

Both the Cox House and neighboring Bidwell House ---- which the society also relocated and hopes to open in 2008 ---- are a "labor of love and shouldn't just be bulldozed over," Chaillaux said.

Standing on the porch of the Cox House, Chaillaux recognized the nearly two dozen local groups and individuals that have contributed labor, furniture and money to the project. He later presented the Haskins with a plaque that will be mounted near the front door of the structure, noting their commitment to its restoration.

Among the society's goals for future additions to Heritage Park are a former firehouse and possibly two other historical homes from rural San Marcos. But first, the society must find new sources of money for the ambitious projects it envisions.

The cost of moving the Cox House, laying a new foundation and making repairs totaled more than $20,000, according to Beverly Haskins, the society's past president and current administrator. Generating funding for the completion of the Bidwell House and the three other potential projects will be the primary focus of a new society board which will be seated in early 2008, she said.

Among those touring the Cox House on Saturday were brothers Jason and Matt Simmons, who lived in the house from 1983 to '86 when they were elementary school students. Both men said they vividly remember playing outdoors on the 40-acre property on Cox Road, where the house stood until its move in 2002.

"We had the best time playing in this house and in the orchard around the house," said Matt Simmons, 31. "I can even remember that when we lived here, there wasn't any drywall or plaster on the walls ---- it was just the studs showing. That was while the owners were trying to fix up the house and replace some of the wiring."

Jason Simmons, 34, said seeing the house again brought back memories of his childhood years.

"We didn't live here all that long, but we had some good times in this house," he said. "It's nice to see that they were able to save this old house and to bring it back to its original condition."

The Cox House will be open from noon until 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

For more information on the Cox House and the San Marcos Historical Society, call (760) 744-9025.

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, email addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.