Stow House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Stow House
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The Stow House, Goleta, California
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 304 N. Los Carneros Rd., Goleta, California |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001166 |
| Added to NRHP | September 28, 2000 |
The Stow House is a special historical building in Goleta, California. It used to be the main building of a big ranch called Rancho La Patera. Today, the Stow House is home to the Goleta Historical Society. This group works to save and share the interesting history of the Goleta Valley area. The house is built in a style called Carpenter Gothic, which means it looks a bit like a fancy, wooden castle.
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History of Stow House
The Stow House was once the main building of a large ranch called Rancho La Patera. This ranch was part of an even older ranch known as Rancho La Goleta. In 1871, a man named William Whitney Stow bought a huge piece of land. He bought about 1,043 acres (4.22 square kilometers) for his son, Sherman P. Stow.
Sherman Stow built a beautiful Victorian home on this land. It was designed in the Carpenter Gothic style. He moved into the house in 1873 with his wife, Ida G. Hollister. The Stow family made the house bigger two times. They added more rooms in the 1880s and again in the 1910s. Three generations of the Stow family lived in this house over many years.
Growing Lemons at the Ranch
In 1875, something very important happened at the ranch. About 3,000 lemon trees were planted there. This was the first time lemons were grown for sale in California. Sherman Stow's son, Edgar Whitney Stow, became a state senator. He also set up a special lab at the ranch. In this lab, he worked on making lemon trees stronger. He found ways to make lemon trees resistant to diseases. This discovery was very helpful for other lemon growers in the area.
The Stows also created a pond on their ranch. This pond was used to water their crops. It was one of the first times people used irrigation in this area. The pond was later made much larger and is now called Lake Los Carneros. This lake is still a part of the park today.
Stow House Museum
Today, the Stow House is a museum. When you visit, you can see old family photos and furniture. These items help tell the stories of Sherman and Ida Stow. You can also learn about their children and grandchildren who lived there. It's a great way to imagine what life was like long ago.
Things to See Nearby
The Stow House is located right next to Lake Los Carneros. This lake has nice walking trails where you can explore. It's also a great spot for watching birds.
Close by, you can also find the Goleta Depot at the South Coast Railroad Museum. This museum has old trains and tells the story of railroads in the area. On the trails around the Stow House, you might even see some wildlife. Animals like coyotes and bobcats have been spotted there.
Stow House and Ghost Stories
The Stow House was featured on a TV show called Ghost Adventures. This episode aired on June 28, 2023. On the show, the team explored the Stow House. They also talked to people who said they had seen or felt strange things there. These people believed there might be ghosts in the house.
Images for kids
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Stow House in Goleta Valley, California.
