Winehaven Historic District (Additional Documentation)
No coordinates published for this listing.
Why it's listed
Winehaven is a former winery complex on the sheltered shore of Point San Pablo, near Richmond, California. The California Wine Association built it in 1908 as its headquarters and production center, and it was described as the largest winery in the world. The main buildings are massive brick and concrete structures with crenellated parapets and corner turrets, reminiscent of a Rhineland castle. Around them grew a small village of shingled workers' cottages, a superintendent's house, a hotel, a school, a post office and a steam plant, served by a long wharf and a rail connection. Prohibition closed the operation after 1919, and the Navy bought the site in 1941 as a fuel depot. The hotel and administration building were lost, but the overall layout and exterior appearance changed little, helped by the site's isolation and protective ownership. The nomination presents it as a well-preserved example of an early twentieth-century industrial community.
Significance in brief: The complex was built as headquarters and production center for the California Wine Association and was billed as the largest winery in the world. Its castle-like crenellated buildings and its self-contained industrial village survive virtually unchanged. It is representative of an efficient, productive industrial unit of the early 1900s, later adapted as a Navy fuel depot.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 100006694, listed November 16, 2021. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Both sides of Stenmark Dr. between Drowly Dr. and Grays Cir., Richmond |
|---|---|
| County | Contra Costa County |
| Listed | November 16, 2021 |
| Reference number | 100006694 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1908) |
| Architectural style | Castellated, Rhineland-castle-like industrial architecture with crenellated parapets and corner turrets |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | At the time of nomination the large winery buildings were used for Navy warehouse storage or stood vacant, the workers' houses housed Navy personnel, and the property was reported in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 100 |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 100006694.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.