Faulkner, George Washington, House

Set on 27 acres between Santa Paula and Ventura, this farm centers on a large Queen Anne house completed in 1894 for pioneer farmer George Washington Faulkner. Local architect/builders Franklin P. Ward and Herman Anlauf designed it with a three-story octagonal tower, a wraparound porch, stained and leaded glass, and decorative wood and pressed tin details. The interior retains carved fireplaces, embossed wall coverings and several kinds of wood. A board-and-batten barn from 1886, an outhouse and a cistern also contribute to the property, while a newer barn and a playhouse do not. Faulkner was among the first in the Santa Clara Valley to raise apricots and soft-shelled walnuts, helped invent a walnut-processing machine, and took part in cooperative marketing and local business organizations. The property was recognized for its architecture and for his role in the growth of Ventura County agriculture between 1886 and 1935. Few changes have been made to the house since about 1925.