Glen Oaks Ranch
Also known as: Glen Ellen Vineyard; Cochran, Roswell and Camille M., Ranch
Why it's listed
Glen Oaks Ranch is a 143-acre agricultural district at Glen Ellen, in Sonoma County's Valley of the Moon. Its centerpiece is a two-story stone house built in 1870 for Charles V. Stuart, using stone quarried on the property. Nearby are a stone barn, a stone smokehouse, a Craftsman bungalow, a foreman's house from about 1930, a river rock gateway and a wooden bridge on dry stone abutments. The grounds also hold gardens and the ruins of a winery. Stuart planted one of the early non-Mission grape vineyards and employed Chinese workers, whom he defended as a delegate to the 1878 state constitutional convention. After his death in 1880, his widow Ellen Stuart ran the winery for about a decade, and the town of Glen Ellen was named for her. Later owners added farm buildings, orchards and recreational structures. The ranch was listed for its architecture, as the most intact agricultural complex of its kind in the valley, and for its association with the Stuarts.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the ranch is the most intact agricultural complex in the development of Sonoma County's Valley of the Moon (Criterion C). It also qualifies under Criterion B for Charles V. Stuart and Ellen Mary Stuart, who planted an early non-Mission vineyard. He defended Chinese workers at the 1878 constitutional convention, and she continued the winery after his death and became a noted female winemaker. The town of Glen Ellen was named after her in 1872.
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 94001223, listed October 21, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 13255 Sonoma Hwy., Glen Ellen |
|---|---|
| County | Sonoma County |
| Listed | October 21, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001223 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1870-ca. 1930 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Craftsman; No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement, Agriculture, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The owner lives in the stone house, and the ranch is between agricultural tenants. The stone barn is vacant but well maintained, the smokehouse is not in use, and the foreman's house is vacant and needs maintenance. |
| Acreage | 143 |
| Coordinates | 38.37066, -122.50430 (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).
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 94001223.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141650688
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.