Teixeira Ranch: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Point Reyes National Seashore

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

Inventory Unit Description: The Teixeira Ranch is a small 248-acre property located on the west side of State Highway 1. Lands included within the ranch straddle both sides of Pine Gulch Creek, a southward flowing tributary of Bolinas Lagoon. The ranch retains a well-defined historic ranch core (including buildings and vegetative features) as well as the fencing around the original ranch boundary. Conversely, the ranch pastures have not been grazed in nearly 30 years, with the result that the former grasslands on the west and east banks of Pine Gulch Creek consist principally of brush rather than the fine grasses that characterize actively grazed pastures within the district. However, portions of the original pastures within and surrounding the ranch core are still mowed by the NPS, helping to maintain the open character around the ranch core. Teixeira 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 in 2008. 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. The ranch core contains two building clusters, including the original settlement site with ranch buildings constructed by Henry Strain and the Teixeira family and a second house and garage built close to the highway in the late 1940s currently referred to as the Silveira House. Most of the buildings associated with Strains initial settlement are located in the low-lying area adjacent to Pine Gulch Creek. The exception is the Italianate-style ranch house, built by Strain in the 1880s, which is located atop a knoll and is accessed from its own drive. A line of Monterey Cypress with some eucalyptus is located northwest of the ranch house. The Silveira House was added to the property in 1948 by members of the Teixeira family. Unlike the original buildings, which are set back from Highway 1, this more modern complex is located close to the road. Eight buildings contribute to the Teixeira Ranch, including the Main House, Horse Barn, Garage, Shed, Fuel Shed, Grade A Dairy, Old Milking Barn, the Silveira House and Silveira Garage. Other contributing structures include a historic foot bridge, a concrete pad associated with the Grade A Dairy, concrete walkways within the ranch core, and ranch roads. The ranching character of the Teixeira Ranch is still evident in the following landscape characteristics: natural systems and features, spatial organization, land use, vegetation, circulation, and buildings and structures. Based on the evaluation of these characteristics, the cultural landscape at Teixeira 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.

Teixeira Ranch: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Point Reyes National Seashore

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