Stow House
The Stow House is one of the oldest wood-frame houses in Goleta. It sits on a 4.92-acre parcel that was part of the La Patera Tract, half of which William Stow bought in 1871 for his son, Sherman. Sherman built the 1 1/2 story Carpenter Gothic Victorian house in 1873. The family expanded the house in the 1880s and 1910s. By 1888, the Stows had planted orchards with thousands of almond, walnut, pecan, lime and lemon trees. Sherman’s son, Edgar, who had earned a degree in agriculture at UC Berkeley, took over management of the property in 1915. Edgar expanded the lemon tree groves and constructed his own research laboratory and hothouse adjacent to the House. Under his management, the ranch achieved new levels of productivity and he gained a national reputation for his research and advances. The Stow House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Goleta, Santa Barbara County
Photographer: John Bare