Lorenz Residence

The Lorenz house is a modest single family dwelling that was contracted in 1912 by George B. Lorenz. It was built in 1913 by Murcell and Haley Co. and designed by E.C Hemmings. George B. Lorenz was a banker at the Peoples Bank of Sacramento and his son Robert Lorenz later became Vice President of the bank. George B. Lorenz bought the property in 1869 from C.H Gillman but lived at another residence until 1822 G Street was completed in 1913.

This brown shingled two-story house with boxed windows, a low-pitched roof, lattice detail work on exterior walls and porch, basic symmetrical design, beautiful landscaping, and subtle Japanese influence classify this structure as a Craftsman style house.

The house is practically unchanged as demonstrated by the black and white photographs taken in 1930, and the color photographs taken in 2013. The current owners have decorated the house with period Craftsman furniture, fixtures, stained glass windows, and art. The lush landscaping of this property is also an important Craftsman element.

The Lorenz House is one of the earliest Craftsman houses in Sacramento and still retains its character defining features and historic integrity. E.C Hemmings was also a prominent Sacramento architect who designed mostly commercial buildings in Northern California.

Text and images contained in this blog were used from the thesis done by Annie McCausland in Spring 2015.