Brown house revival nearly complete

By the 1960s, it had become known by the neighborhood kids as "the haunted house." At one point its executor estimated the land to be worth more without the house than with it.

Two years ago, however, an energetic and resourceful couple named Cheryl and Tom Zuffi rescued the house at #2 S. Delaware St., the William Brown house. Today, its prominent hexagonal tower is crowned by an impressive metal turret. It features fish scale siding, picturesque gables and a beautiful front staircase. Its spindle work frieze and porch rail balustrades glow through a rich color combination of rose and jade, with white trim — an authentic Victorian color scheme.

The Brown House is again the talk of the neighborhood, now with its recognition as one of the oldest and most exquisite historical structures in San Mateo.

The William Brown house is actually one of two Brown houses, built side by side, creations of renowned San Mateo builder Robert Wisnom. The house at 5 N. Delaware St. belonged to William's brother, Dennis Brown.

The Dennis Brown house is a fascinating, horizontal Queen Anne design featuring three prominent gables and a central tower, with an eye-catching peach and white facade. It is currently owned by Yolanda and Carl Arrechea, who purchased it in 1978.

Like the houses, the Brown brothers have stood shoulder to shoulder, carving out their own special niches in the city's heritage. Sons of an Irish blacksmith, the Brown brothers opened a blacksmith shop in the 1880's, which stood for nearly six decades on the corner of Third and Railroad Avenues, where the downtown Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant resides today.

The Brown Brothers Blacksmith Shop specialized in horseshoeing, spring work, welding and tool sharpening. The shop emerged as one of the original city businesses, in the block now surrounded by Second Avenue, Third Avenue, Railroad Avenue, and B street — the heart of the San Mateo historic district.

An 1883 event helped change not only the lives of the Brown brothers, but the course of life in San Mateo as well.

On June 15, at 8:53 am, a fire broke out in the shed behind Hugh McKernon's saloon. By 11 a.m., flames had engulfed the entire block. With no organized firefighting force or suitable equipment, the burgeoning business district could have been doomed. Instead, the Brown brothers helped to organize bucket and wet blanket brigades. Their efforts not only helped save the block, but even rescued the blacksmith shop of their chief competitor, Thomas Coleman.

The 1883 fire, along with subsequent blazes, convinced the citizenry of the dire need for a fire department. The Brown brothers helped to organize San Mateo's first volunteer fire department in 1887. William Brown was elected first foreman, the initial post in what would be an illustrious political career.

William Brown served as city trustee of San Mateo between 1904 and 1908. Elected to Second District county supervisor in 1910, he served in that position until he died on March 4, 1920. His wife Rosalie took over as supervisor at that point, successfully holding the office until 1932.

While William Brown pursued his public career, Dennis Brown managed the blacksmith shop, eventually calling it his own. He retired in 1939, the blacksmith shop finally demolished. In the meantime, his house at 5 N. Delaware St. has stood regally throughout the years. Unlike its brother neighbor, the Dennis Brown house has remained virtually intact — except for the paint — since its inception in 1891.

Meanwhile, John Brown, the youngest of nine Brown children, dwelt in the William Brown house most of his life. He lived as something of a recluse, certainly unable to keep up the repairs by himself. By the 1960s, the house had taken on the gray, dingy look by which it would be known. Neighborhood kids regarded the house as haunted; one woman remembers mounting up her courage on Oct. 31, to actually knock on the door of the creepy old house. To her surprise, she found its old resident to be a quiet, gentle man, befuddled by the fact that no trick-or-treaters would visit him on Halloween Night.

By the 1990s, John Brown virtually camped inside the old house. Broken windows, missing door latches, rotting floor boards and faded paint infested the structure. It is said that John Brown used to climb upstairs, walk across a makeshift bridge to the hexagonal tower, where he would sit and stare for hours.

After John Brown's death in 1997 at the age of 96, the house was bequeathed to 13 charities, according to the will of William and Rosalie Brown. The estate's executor, Andrew Boyer, actually resisted the idea of submitting the house to the National Registry of Historic Places, which would have protected the house from demolition. The house needed such extensive and expensive repairs, Boyer felt the lot at 2 S. Delaware St. would be more marketable without the house.

Fortunately, for the house and the city's heritage, the Zuffis convinced the charities to sell it to them.

Three years, many thousands of dollars (including a $30,000 loan from the city), and countless labor hours later, the house is nearly finished. The painting is incomplete, the garage in the back needs restoration and there is landscaping to be done. But much of the interior — encompassing three bedrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, attic and basement — has been restored to turn-of-the-century authenticity.

"Actually, we've had 10 to 15 volunteers help us over the years, especially at the beginning," says Cheryl Zuffi. "But so many people wanted to come just to look around the old house, we ended up spending a lot of work time showing the house. We finally put up a sign telling people if they wanted to see the house, they had to work."

While the Zuffis' plan to list the house with the National Registry of Historic Places once its is complete, the Arrecheas decided to decline the honor. "You're supposed to consult with the registry on nearly everything you do," said Carl Arrechea. "They just wanted too much control, We decided not to do it."

Today, the neighborhood is brightened with the refurbished William Brown house, standing proudly beside the splendid house of brother Dennis. Whether the Brown houses end up on the National Registry or not, San Mateo's legacy is the better for their revival.