Hicks House
Also known as: Gray House
Why it's listed
Set among apple trees at the corner of Hicks Road and Graton Road, this three-story vernacular Greek Revival house was first built in 1873 for early Sonoma County settler Moses C. Hicks. In 1904 James H. Gray bought it with 354 acres, moved it about 300 feet northeast and added an east wing, a water tower and a dormer. Gray and rancher Fred Maddocks, with banker Jacob Brush, laid out the Green Valley Ranch subdivision in 1905, which became the town of Graton, named for Gray. Gray later served as mayor of Santa Rosa. Maddocks, president of the California Cherry Growers Association, owned the house from 1913 to 1931. The property keeps a carriage house, a shed and about four acres of orchard, with 160 apple trees, many over 70 years old. It is considered significant for its ties to Graton's founding, local politics and the area's fruit-growing economy.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property matters for its association with later owners James H. Gray and Fred Maddocks, early developers who promoted the Graton area for fruit growing and laid out the town, which was named for Gray. Gray also served as mayor of Santa Rosa while living there. The roughly 70-year-old apple orchard is described as a remnant of the area's early fruit-growing industry.
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 87001157, listed July 21, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3160 Hicks Rd., Graton |
|---|---|
| County | Sonoma County |
| Listed | July 21, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001157 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1904-1931 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in good condition, used as a private residence and agriculture; the orchard is worked on contract and the shed is in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 5.6 |
| Coordinates | 38.43732, -122.86618 (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 87001157.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133550997
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.