Garbani, Rocco, Homestead
Also known as: Ca-Riv-4744h
Why it's listed
Rocco Garbani's homestead is a farm complex of about 14.5 acres south of Winchester, California, at the foot of the hills bounding the Domenigoni Valley. Garbani, a Swiss-born stonemason, received a homestead patent in 1891 and lived and farmed here with his family until his death in 1949. The core is a one-story stone house and a granary with a stone cellar once used to age cheese. Both were built with the 'a secco' method, in which rough rubble walls are laid without mortar and then plastered, a technique from northern Italy and southern Switzerland. Other features include barn and blacksmith shop retaining walls, a poultry coop, a privy, a well, a reservoir, a dam, an animal enclosure, a quarry and a eucalyptus windbreak. The property is recognized for its link to Italian-Swiss settlement and farming in western Riverside County, for its rare construction method, and for its archaeological potential. The complex is currently vacant.
Significance in brief: The homestead is tied to the late-nineteenth-century settlement of the Domenigoni and Diamond Valleys by Italian-Swiss immigrants and to their agricultural development of the region. Its dry-laid, plastered stone house and granary preserve a Swiss-Italian building technique that was rare in American residential construction. The site has also yielded, and may continue to yield, historical and archaeological information.
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 99001593, listed December 22, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 33555 Holland Rd., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Riverside County |
| Listed | December 22, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001593 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1891-1949 |
| Architect / builder | Rocco Garbani |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Other: hipped roof, stone (Victorian vernacular with Italian-Swiss stone construction) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement, European |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use. The granary is in poor condition and has emergency supports to prevent collapse. |
| Acreage | 14.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.65938, -117.07432 (NPS GIS) |
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).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 99001593.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141641586
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.