KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – “Courthouse Steps” is a geometric quilt block design recently added to the Lake County Quilt Trail.
It is located facing south on the historic Lunas Building, 306 N. Main St., Lakeport. GPS location: N39°02’38” W122°54’54”
Other LCQT installations along Main Street are LeMoyne Star, 401 N. Main; Three Cheers, 275 S. Main, on the Soper Reese Community Theatre; Double Wedding Ring, 675 N. Main on the Lakeport English Inn Bed and Breakfast; and just off Main Street is County Fair, 401 Martin on the Phil Lewis Hall at the County Fairgrounds.
Courthouse Steps was selected by longtime Lakeport resident, Darlene Jane Lunas. The gold and yellow represent the sunshine of Lake County and the blue colors represent Clear Lake, the largest natural lake in California.
The building is owned by Lunas and Bill Feeney. For the last 25 years Lunas’ son, Michael Lunas, has used the building as his law office. The building is only one block away from the Lakeport Courthouse.
The original wooden structure was built on this site in 1859 by Mr. A. Levy and was called the Pioneer Store. Dry goods, shoes, clothes, and groceries were all available for sale.
The following article was taken from the August 7, 1876, “Lake-Democrat” (provided by Darlene Lunas).
A. Levy’s New Brick
On Monday next, Mr. Levy will remove his old store on the corner of Main and Third, and place it next to Mr. Cully’s fruit store, in order to make room for the laying of the foundation of his new brick building. The building is to be two stories in height with a front of twenty-eight feet, and running back towards the lake eighty feet. The upper story is intended for a hall, and the lower for a store, his increasing business demanding a safer and more commodious room.
Next week fire will be put to the kiln of brick and be burned for this building at the brick yard and by the first of November, Main Street will be able to boast of an additional fire proof building. The iron doors, shutters, rods, etc., are all on the ground, and no hindrance is expected in the work of rapidly pushing the building to completion. Its cost will be something over $5,500. Mr. Romulus Kennedy has the contract for the wood work.
According to Lunas, “This building survived the 1906 earthquake with only small damage to the side of the building. Eventually the stairs were moved from the right to the left side to provide roadway access to the post office. When telephones came in, the main switchboard was in this building, and in later years it was occupied by the Odd Fellows.”
Phase III of LCQT will be completed by the end of fall 2012. Each one is unique and meaningful to the donors, building owners, as well as the all-volunteer team that created them.
For more information, go to www.lakecountyquilttrail.com or visit Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Lake-County-Quilt-Trail/187014251326163 .