GALT, CA (MPG) - The Native Sons of the Golden West performed a dedication ceremony at the Rae House Museum on April 20, recognizing the building’s significance in Galt history.

The Elk Grove Parlor of the Native Sons organized the ceremony with members of the house’s steward, Galt Area Historical Society, attending.

A commemorative plaque recounting the house’s history will be mounted on a pedestal in front of the building. Rancher John Rae built the house in 1868, according to the plaque. Although he initially came to the area in search of gold, he went into business as an interior plaster tradesman and worked at the state Capitol. Rae’s daughter, Alice Rae, lived in the house until her death in 1987.

The house fell into disrepair and was eventually scheduled for demolition to make way for development but a community campaign saved the structure. It opened as a museum in 1991.

Conducted by state-level Native Sons officials, the ceremony highlighted the fraternal order’s dedication to preservation of California history. To symbolically prepare the plaque for placement, the participants mixed a small amount of concrete with materials drawn from across the state.

Native Sons Grand President George Adams thanked the Elk Grove parlor for organizing the dedication.

“Thank you very much for Elk Grove Parlor for letting us put on this dedication today. It is a great honor as a grand president to stand here before you and to do a dedication for such a historic site,” Adams said. “Your parlor always participates on a higher level than others, and (it is) very much appreciated, everything that you guys do.”

Elk Grove parlor President Christian Appel commended the historical society’s work on the house.

“They’ve done a great job preserving this house, and the Galt community should be very proud of something like this,” Appel said.

Past President Jim Entrican said the Elk Grove parlor has “adopted” Galt in the past few years. It dedicated the historical society’s other major property, McFarland Living History Ranch, in 2022.

“I’ve always liked the Rae House. It was restored by the citizens of the town, so we wanted to do a plaque on it,” Entrican said.

With the April 20 ceremony, both of the historical society’s fully restored properties, the Rae and the McFarland, have now been recognized by the Native Sons. Historian Dan Tarnasky said the society’s focus now is on finishing its restoration of Liberty Schoolhouse, which is situated in the Rae parking lot.

“We’re trying to get that done by October so that we can open it up on our charter night,” Tarnasky said, adding that he continues to sort through donations of artifacts and photographs, some of which go on display in the Rae House Museum to illustrate Galt history.