Our Programs > History > Folger Estate Historic District
Folger Estate Historic District
Fully renovated in 2010, the circa 1905 Folger Stable is located in Wunderlich Park. Information for Guided Tours, as well as Self-Guided Tours of the historic district and Carriage Room Museum are available below.
History of Folger Estate District
This architectural and historic treasure was designed by Arthur Brown, Jr., in partnership with Henry Schulze. Later in his career, Brown gained fame for his work on Coit Tower, the War Memorial Opera House and City Hall in San Francisco. The entire Folger estate is a remarkable example of Woodside's "Great Estates" era.
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The Folger Stable and the surrounding buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in April of 2004. The protected structures in the Historic District include:
The main stable building
The carriage house
The stone walls lining the roads on the grounds
The blacksmith barn
The dairy house
For many years the Stable was slowly deteriorating, with no public funds available to preserve the main building or the surrounding Carriage House, Blacksmith Barn, Dairy House, and stone walls. The Friends spearheaded the capital campaign to raise the funds to restore the stable to its original glory.
The renovation of the Folger Stable began in 2008 and was completed in 2010. Today the beautifully renovated Folger Estate Stable is a precious historical treasure. It is still operated as a public horse-boarding facility, one of the few left on the Peninsula.
The Carriage House was also in need of repair. The Friends of Huddart & Wunderlich Parks began renovation of the Carriage House in conjunction with the main Stable restoration, and completed work on the Carriage House after the Stable restoration was finished.
In 2014, the Blacksmith Barn was renovated with support from a partnership between San Mateo County Department of Parks and CHAPS (Community Horse Advocacy Program for San Mateo County). The Friends also generously contributed to this project.
As you walk through the area, you will be transported to another time.
Guided Tours
Learn about the unique history in your own backyard! Enjoy a docent guided tour of the magnificent 1905 Folger Estate Stable and historic district including Carriage House, Dairy House, stone walls, and a visit to the Carriage Room Museum at Wunderlich Park.
Take a step back in time to the “Great Estates” era when you visit this architectural and historic treasure designed by Arthur Brown, Jr., who gained fame for his work on Coit Tower, the War Memorial Opera House and City Hall in San Francisco.
Built as a weekend getaway for the rich and famous, the Carriage Room Museum tells the story of the Folger family’s humble beginnings in the Gold Rush building a coffee empire that today is still the best selling coffee brand in the world.
The Museum also highlights the rich history of Woodside and the surrounding area. Exhibits include a life-size replica of a blacksmith shop, original 19th-century carriages, and an expose on local logging of the redwoods.
If luck is shining on you, your visit will be topped off with a visit from Lightning, the mini horse!
Guided tours of the historic district and Carriage Room Museum are available by appointment and are free to the public, corporate groups, and other parties. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact us at 650.851.2660 or email.
Self-Guided Tours
Self-guided tours of the entire site are available anytime the park is open. Pick up a Walking Tour brochure in the kiosk to see a map and brief description of the Main Stable, the Carriage House, the Chinese Walls, the Dairy House, and the Blacksmith Barn. Visitors taking a self-guided tour on weekends may also come and see the Carriage Room Museum, which is open to the public from 12:00-3:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
As you walk through the area, you will be transported to another time.
Folger Estate Stable Historic District Walking Tour Map and Brochure →
