Rancho El Encino
Also known as: Los Encinos State Historic Park
Why it's listed
Los Encinos State Historic Park in Encino preserves the remains of Rancho El Encino, a 19th-century ranch in Los Angeles County. The best-known building is a one-story adobe ranchhouse, about 20 by 150 feet, built in the 1840s by Don Vicente de la Osa with porches along both long sides and one end. Its roof was later changed from flat asphalt to sloped shingle. Nearby stands a two-story limestone residence in a Provincial French manner, built around 1872 by Eugene Garnier, a Basque who turned the property into a large sheep ranch. Two limestone food-storage buildings and a herder's hut complete the group. Later owners kept using the adobe as a residence, and it also served for a time as a stagecoach stop. The property was listed as an example of Hispanic adobe building in pioneer California and of an eclectic ranchhouse shaped by its builder, though the nomination notes that more research is needed on the buildings' history.
Significance in brief: The de la Osa Adobe is described as a surviving example of Hispanic adobe influence on the pioneer American period in pastoral California. The Garnier Residence is an eclectic ranchhouse that reflects the personal taste of its owner-builder, Eugene Garnier, although the form says documentary support for its alleged history is meager. The form also says research is still needed to determine the true place and significance of the buildings.
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 71000142, listed February 24, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 16756 Moorpark St., Encino |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | February 24, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000142 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (circa 1840s for the de la Osa adobe; circa 1872 for the Garnier residence) |
| Architect / builder | Don Vicente de la Osa (adobe); Eugene Garnier (Garnier Residence) |
| Architectural style | Hispanic adobe ranchhouse; Provincial French (mid-19th century) for the Garnier Residence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the State of California and used as a park and museum. The form marks the condition as deteriorated, with preservation work in progress. |
| Acreage | 4.7 |
| Coordinates | 34.16000, -118.47369 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 71000142.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7291095
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.