McFadden Ranch: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Point Reyes National Seashore

Regions 8, 9, 10, & 12 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

Inventory Unit Description: The McFadden Ranch is an approximately 340-acre ranching property that is located on the northeastern side of the Olema Valley. The ranch is situated primarily within the North District of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, but a small western portion is located in Point Reyes National Seashore, west of Highway 1. Per a Directive for Management, by the regional director to superintendent, the property is managed by Point Reyes National Seashore. The ranch encompasses the west and east facing slopes of Bolinas Ridge down to Lagunitas Creek at the eastern property boundary and is bordered by Gallagher Ranch on the north and Rogers and McIsaac Ranch on the south. The ranch core, made up of a cluster of buildings, sits on one of the few flat areas of the property, surrounded by steep slopes leading to grazing lands on the rolling hillsides. The ranch historically supported a dairy operation, but functions as a cattle ranch today. McFadden Ranch is one of 19 ranches within the Olema Valley/Lagunitas Loop Ranches Historic District that were collectively determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The Historic District was determined significant at a local-level under Criteria A and C with a period of significance from 1856 to 1961. Under Criterion A, the district is significant for its small and medium-sized family owned farms and ranches, most of which emphasized dairy production. Under Criterion C, the district is significant for its excellent examples of local rural vernacular architecture, especially dairy building types. The period of significance covers roughly a century, beginning with the initial American settlement of the area in 1856 and extending to 1961 when the federal government authorized the creation of Point Reyes National Seashore. This period encompasses the major development of the roads, buildings, structures, fence lines, and delineation of pastures within the district. McFadden Ranch operated without interruption as a dairy ranch for over eighty-six years until its conversion to a cattle ranch in 1971, appears today much as it did during the period of significance and retains its historical integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. The McFadden Ranch complex contains six historic buildings organized around a historic utility yard. Contributing resources include the Creamery, Old Milking Barn, Shed, Garage, Water Tank, and Grade A Dairy. Non-contributing resources include the remodeled main house and maintenance shed, non-historic hay barn, mobile home and a 1973 water tank. The historic dairy ranching character of the McFadden Ranch is still evident in the following landscape characteristics: natural systems and features, spatial organization, land use, vegetation, circulation, buildings and structures, and small scale features. Based on the evaluation of these characteristics, the cultural landscape at McFadden Ranch was found to exhibit key patterns, relationships, and features that convey the historical significance of the district. Overall, the landscape is in good condition.

McFadden Ranch: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Point Reyes National Seashore

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