Walters Ranch
Why it's listed
Six miles southwest of Healdsburg, this 84-acre ranch on Westside Road preserves the look of turn-of-the-century farming in Sonoma County. Seven buildings stand on two parcels, led by a stone hop kiln built in 1905 by Angelo "Skinny" Sodini, a sheep barn dating to 1888, and a two-story Italianate house moved from Fulton in 1973 to save it from demolition. Smaller structures include a former lambing shed, a machine shop barn, a former wash house and a Kansas-style farmhouse. The ranch grew from land Sol Walters bought and used for sheep and vines in the 1880s. The kiln is described as the most significant surviving stone hop kiln in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, and it joins a stone cooling house to the drying kilns, a feature the nomination calls uncommon. Sheep still graze the land, and the surrounding working setting supports its designation as a district.
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) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1900- |
|---|---|
| Styles | Italianate (residence); Kansas-style farmhouse; standard-design hop kiln |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Acreage | 84 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Walters Ranch (property record) |
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.