Locke House and Barn
Also known as: Locke Home and Barn
Why it's listed
Locke House and Barn is a ranch property near Lockeford, California, centered on a two-story brick house with a three-story water tower and a large barn built partly of adobe and brick. Dr. Dean Jewett Locke, who arrived in California in 1849, built the property and practiced medicine in Lockeford for about thirty years while ranching. The town was laid out on his ranch and named for the family. The house has 22 rooms, locally kilned brick walls and original window glass. The barn's upper floor served as a granary and public hall, where the Sons of Temperance organized and Congregationalists held services in the early 1860s. It also housed the Mokelumne Light Brigade, a local militia company formed in 1863. Later research corrected the construction dates and identified the barn's walls as rammed earth rather than adobe. The nomination ties the property to pioneer ranching and community life, and notes the barn needs restoration.
Significance in brief: The property was the home and ranch of Dr. Dean Jewett Locke, a physician-rancher for whom the town of Lockeford was named and who helped organize schools, churches and temperance societies. The barn served as an armory for the Mokelumne Light Brigade militia and as a community hall and church meeting place. The nomination stresses its military, community and pioneer ranching associations rather than outstanding architectural design.
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 72000252, listed June 19, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 19960 W. Elliott Rd., Lockeford |
|---|---|
| County | San Joaquin County |
| Listed | June 19, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000252 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates 1858, 1887, 1852) |
| Architect / builder | Dean Jewett Locke, owner and builder |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Military |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is occupied and in fair condition. The barn is deteriorated, with a collapsed rear wall and a weakened staircase and floor posts. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 38.16464, -121.15078 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 72000252.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65121165
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.