Goleta Valley Historical Society / Rancho La Patera & Stow House

About Goleta Valley Historical Society / Rancho La Patera & Stow House

Goleta Valley Historical Society operates Rancho La Patera & Stow House, a preserved historic ranch in Goleta where visitors explore gardens and restored buildings from the pioneering Stow family era. The Stow House offers guided tours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2pm and 3pm, with tours available other days by prior arrangement. Sundays feature barn animals, outdoor activities, and tractor rides from 11am to 2pm. The Museum Store and Visitor Center operate Saturday and Sunday afternoons, stocking local Goleta gifts, historical books, and old-fashioned toys. The ranch grounds include a blacksmith shop displaying traditional metalworking tools and equipment used in the 1800s for crafting gates, hinges, horseshoes, and farm implements. The property's gardens and historic structures document Goleta Valley's ethnically diverse heritage. The grounds remain open to the public except during special events.