This home at the north end of Main Street was the home of Clarence
Smith. Smith owned
and operated Smith's Corner, a tavern at the corner of Main Street and
Serra Street
that had been built by his cousin, John Smith c. 1900. This house was
located south
of the tavern.
In the 1950s the Dutra family bought the house and moved it to the
north end of the
street about 150 feet north of the Calaveras Blvd. overpass. This part
of Main street was once the
residential
section of the town with many homes along Main and Weller. Nearly all
of these, including
the Cracolice home were demolished to create the Calaveras Blvd.
overpass in the
1960s.
The home is typical of many craftsman style homes that could be found
up and down
Main Street during the first half of the twentieth century. Most were
built by local
carpenters who often were related to the homeowner. There are very few
names of these
early craftsmen that have come down to us but the evidence of their
skill can still
be viewed in homes sturdily built and with attention to detail.
In 2006, the home was destroyed to make room for the new community
library project located about 100 feet to the north.