The Stow House in Goleta

11/26/2025

05/28/2025

Come join the 17th annual Fiesta Ranchera event at Rancho La Patera & Stow House, Thursday, June 19th. A collaboration with Old Spanish Days is Santa Barbara. A time honored event celebrating both Goleta Valley Historical Society and Old Spanish Days. Come enjoy food and drinks from local restaurants, wineries and breweries. See performances by the Spirit and Jr. Spirit of Fiesta. Dance under the stars to Area 51. Purchase your tickets here.

12/23/2024

Earlier this month at the ‘Goleta’s Finest’ Community Awards Gala, two of our finest volunteers, Robert Zaida and Gregg Wilson, were honored with the Goleta Preservation Award for their work restoring our historic Pioneer Blacksmith Shop.

This restoration project was a true community effort in honor of a great man, Tom Carron. His wonderful spirit and great heart touched so many out here on the ranch and beyond. Always willing to lend a hand and get right down to work, Tom put in countless hours on numerous projects at Rancho La Patera & Stow House. His handiwork is everywhere. Restoring the blacksmith shop was his dream project, so to see it all come to fruition is meaningful beyond words.

As Robert put it best, “Tom is the one who really got us all together and spearheaded this project. Tom was a man who had a love for life and a love for history and people.”

We would like to take this post to recognize all the amazing volunteers who contributed to the restoration of the Pioneer Blacksmith Shop: Tom Carron, Robert Zaida, Gregg Wilson, Hillary Calhoun, Alina Carron, Anthony Carron, Ellie Carron, Fletch Carron, Fletcher Carron, Ian Cronshaw, Paige Gilbreath, Miguel Gutierrez, Chris Hansen, Ramsey Johnson, David Nelson, Cesar Rios, Marisa Scoggins, Trevor Scoggins, Austin Wiesblott, Justin Wiesblott, and Carol Wilson

Next time you’re out on the ranch, please come by and take a look at their beautiful work. Tom Carron would be proud.

12/18/2024

A dreamy day in September at Rancho La Patera & Stow House to celebrate Silvia and Matt.

Their love transcends space and time, from meeting on a movie set in Atlanta, Georgia, to their engagement on Moorea in French Polynesia. It ultimately led them back to Matt's roots in Goleta, where he spent many 4th of July's at Rancho La Patera & Stow House in the tractor yard with his grandfather, making rope and stoking the steam engine's furnace.

Following the wedding ceremony, which blended their families' traditions on the front porch of historic Stow House, the guests were treated to a meal crafted by Masala Spice Indian Cuisine and invited to dance to Silvia and Matt's hand-selected favorite nineties tunes when 90s Nation took the stage.

Heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple!

For more information on hosting your special event at Rancho La Patera & Stow House, please contact Karen Poulter, Events Coordinator, at [email protected] or visit https://goletahistory.org/venue-rental/



Planning:
Photo:
Catering: Masala Spice Goleta
Music: 90s Nation Band
Rentals:
Officiant: Sacred & Unique Wedding Ceremonies
Sari draping & bridal henna:

12/13/2024

We always have a great time partnering with City of Goleta Government and Goleta Valley Library! Thank you to everyone who came out for Storytime at Stow House during Holiday at the Ranch!

12/08/2024

Tomorrow there will be no Sundays at the Ranch and no tours of Stow House. Our Visitors' Center and Museum Store will also be closed.

Come see us next weekend! Or, if you're trying to wrap up your holiday shopping early, you can always visit https://goletahistory.square.site/ for great Goleta goods!

12/05/2024

🎅🏼Holiday at the Ranch is this Saturday and VISITS WITH SANTA ARE NOW SOLD OUT! General admission tickets without a Santa visit are still available.

🎄Come enjoy festive holiday music and tour the Stow House halls decked out in delightful decorations! There will be children's crafts, tractor rides, storytime, a local artisans market, and food trucks too!

📯The music lineup includes Tony Ybarra , the Goleta Valley Junior High Orchestra, and Strings and Arrows. AR Catering and Sassafrass Lompoc will sell tasty bites (kids' meals, too!), and Considered Curbside Coffee has all your holiday beverage needs covered!

👩‍🎨Artisan vendors include Two Birds of Paradise, Jan Martin Winn Jewelry, La Goleta Glass Co., Sea to Silver, Sonja's Crafts, Ocean Jewel Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Coastal Candles, Liv West Designs, Faery Mysterium , Santa Barbara Chowdees, and Lone Pine Curiosities.

📚There will also be Story Reading on the side lawn of Stow House from 10:30am-1pm with Mayor Pro Tempore Luz Reyes-Martin, Councilmember James Kyriaco, and Kaeley Christensen, the Children's Librarian at Goleta Valley Library!

We can't wait to celebrate the Ho-Ho-Holidays with you! 🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼

Click here for tickets: https://holidayattheranch.eventbrite.com
If you have any questions, please contact Karen Poulter, Events Coordinator, at [email protected]

☃️❄️🔔🎄🎅🏼🌟☃️❄️🔔🎄🎅🏼🌟☃️❄️🔔🎄🎅🏼🌟


https://www.facebook.com/events/525373007136511/

11/30/2024

See you tomorrow for Sundays at the Ranch and our First Sunday Concert! Hang out with our chaps Sammy, Nutmeg, and Eddie in the Ranch Yard, then head over to the Stow House lawn to hear The Chaps play their crowd-pleasing blend of swing, bluegrass, folk, and rock & roll. Bring a blanket, pack a post-Thanksgiving picnic, and enjoy a super Sunday afternoon. We'll see you soon!

11/30/2024

🎄Holiday at the Ranch is next Saturday and there’s ❄️snow❄️ time like the present to get your tickets! Swipe for a sneak peek of the holiday magic, then come enjoy the family-friendly festivities on December 7th!

🎅🏼Meet Santa and his rein-goats, enjoy festive holiday music, and tour the Stow House halls decked out in delightful decorations! There will be children's crafts, tractor rides, a local artisans market, and food trucks too!

📯The music lineup includes Tony Ybarra, the Goleta Valley Junior High Orchestra, and Strings and Arrows. AR Catering and Sassafrass Lompoc will sell tasty bites (kids' meals, too!), and Considered Curbside Coffee has all your holiday beverage needs covered!

We can't wait to celebrate the Ho-Ho-Holidays with you! 🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼

For tickets visit: https://holidayattheranch.eventbrite.com

☃️❄️🔔🎄🎅🏼🌟☃️❄️🔔🎄🎅🏼🌟☃️❄️🔔🎄🎅🏼🌟


https://www.facebook.com/events/525373007136511/

11/27/2024

Can you believe it’s almost December? We sure can’t, but we’re very excited because it means The Chaps are on their way to play at Stow House! Join us for our free First Sunday Concert as we once again welcome The Chaps to the Stow House lawn!

The Chaps play crowd-pleasing swing, bluegrass, folk, and rock & roll originals plus your favorites from the 1930's to today. Bring a blanket, pack a post-Thanksgiving picnic, and enjoy a super Sunday afternoon. We'll see you soon!

Donations for performers are appreciated.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1995457064235520/

11/26/2024

Today we are shining the spotlight on Katherine Ida Stow, who was born 146 years ago today! The third child of Ida and Sherman Patterson Stow, Kate was born on November 25, 1878 at La Patera Ranch. She captured life on the ranch through her photography and we are lucky enough to have one of her personal photo albums in our archives. We also hold another special item of Kate’s in our collection, which you will see in the next slides… an invitation to her tenth birthday party in 1888! Can anyone figure out the true identity of the horses?

In 1902, when Kate was 23, she married Charles W. Ealand. Ealand was a successful cattleman, capitalist, and polo player. They had one daughter, Maria (b. 1904), who lived on La Patera Ranch until 2000, when she died at the age of 96. The marriage did not last, however, and Katherine divorced Charles Ealand in 1909. In 1917, she married Loren Van Horne in a ceremony held at La Patera Ranch. Loren was the superintendent of Hope Ranch when it was under the control of the Pacific Improvement Company, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Shortly after their marriage he was put in charge of the Crocker-Huffman Land and Cattle Company, and they relocated to Merced. Together they had a son, Garrett, and a daughter, Peggy. From 1928 to 1938, Katherine was House Manager at Cate School. She also became a prominent philanthropist and civic leader. She was on the board of directors of Cottage Hospital, and also helped found the Little Town Club. Katherine passed away on April 6, 1940 at the age of 61. After her younger brother Edgar passed away in 1949, Kate’s son Garrett took over the reins as ranch manager. His family was the last to live in Stow House before it was transformed into a museum.

Thanks to Kate, we are able to glimpse into the early days of Rancho La Patera, all while still enjoying the place she once called home. Happy birthday Kate!