Ventura County Landmark No. 1: Faulkner House
Located in the Santa Clara Valley near the city of Santa Paula, the George Washington Faulkner House and Farm is a spectacle of Victorian architecture. The property includes 27 acres of land, two large red barns, and a 4,500-square-foot Queen Anne Victorian home. The Faulkner House was designated a landmark in Ventura County in 1968 and earned national recognition in 1991. Major periods of significance and use are described below (Triem, 1991).
The Faulkner Family
George Washington Faulkner, an Ohio farmer, settled in Ventura County in 1876. In 1879, he purchased the originally 150-acre property, which would later be known as the Faulkner Farm. Faulkner became known for helping to develop the agriculture industry in Ventura County between 1880 and 1935. As a man willing to experiment with crops, he became the first to grow apricots and soft-shelled walnuts in the Santa Clara Valley. In addition to his contributions to agriculture, Faulkner’s commitment to various local organizations contributed to the growth of the valley (Triem, 1991).
After acquiring the property, the Faulkners hired local architects Herman Analuf and F.P. Ward to design and build the home. It took approximately 18 months and $13,000 to construct the home, which features 15 rooms, 2 enclosed porches, an octagonal tower, a full attic, a full basement, and many unique architectural features, including an irregular roof line, projecting gables, a gracefully curved porch, and ornate stained-glass windows. The front door contains more than 500 pieces of beveled, etched glass set in copper, and the upstairs library is crowned by a domed ceiling with a stained-glass skylight. The house was wired for electricity and piped for plumbing when it was built in 1894-1895, years before those services were generally available. Other modern features were a dumbwaiter from the basement to kitchen for delivery of firewood, a roll-top desk built into the living room wall, and a built-in speaking tube system, complete with bells (Faulkner Farm, 1985; Triem, 1991).
The Ayers Family
The property remained in the Faulkner and Ayers families for four generations after its establishment. George and his wife, Rhoda, raised three children in the home and grew mostly walnuts and lima beans on the farm. They left the farm to their son, G. Seymore Faulkner, who farmed the property until his death in 1981. Since he had no children, the property went to one of his favorite nephews, Loren S. Ayers. Allan, Loren’s son, owned and operated the farm with his wife Linda until 1990. Allan and Linda invited the Santa Paula and surrounding community to the yearly Ayers’ Pumpkin Patch and Christmas Tree Farm for seventeen years. Each October, the pumpkin patch drew over 40,000 people. While the Ayers’ lived there, the house underwent an eight-year restoration project to address deterioration issues. Since undergoing restoration, the property has been featured in many TV and film projects (Faulkner Farm, 1985; The Faulkner House, n.d.; Kelley, 1990).
UC Hanson Agricultural Research Center
The University of California Hanson Agricultural Research Center (HAREC) was located at Faulkner Farm from 1997-2021. HAREC served as an educational, agricultural center, providing “land, labor, equipment, and facilities to researchers for small to medium-sized plot projects relevant to Ventura County agricultural issues. Projects include water quality, availability, management and conservation, pesticide alternatives, new promising crops, and biological controls for weeds and pests” (University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, n.d.).
The UC Hansen Center also undertook a restoration project in 2013, including a roof replacement, exterior repainting, and a reinstallation of the original decorative spindle and spool wood details on the front and side porch (Triem, 2012).
The Graf Family
In March of 2021, the property was acquired by the local Graf family for $3,700,001. The property is now occasionally used for special events such as proms and weddings (Pacific Coast Business Times, 2021).
Additional Reading
References
Biasotti, T. (2023, March 5). UC Hansen Center buys New Farm property near Camarillo. Ventura County Star. https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2023/03/05/uc-hansen-center-buys-new-farm-property-near-camarillo/69956146007/
Faulkner Farm. (1985). The Faulkner Farm and the Ayers Pumpkin Patch. Santa Paula, CA.
The Faulkner House [archival text document]. Cultural Heritage Site Files. Ventura County Planning Division, 800 S. Victoria Ave. Ventura, CA 93009
Kelley, D. (1990, November 25). Pioneer family walking away from success : Growth: A prosperous farm couple’s decision to sell landmark property reflects their discontent with the change that has come to Ventura County. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-25-me-7243-story.html
Pacific Coast Business Times. (2021, March 17). Faulkner Farm Site in Santa Paula sells for $3.7M. Pacific Coast Business Times. https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2021/03/17/faulkner-farm-site-in-santa-paula-sells-for-37m/
Triem, J. (1991). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Faulkner, George Washington, House. United States Department of the Interior National Park Service.
Triem, J. (2012, April 30). Rehabilitation of Faulkner House [Memorandum]. San Buenaventura Research Associates.
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. (n.d.). About Us. Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center. https://harec.ucanr.edu/About_Us/
Date Designated: August 1968
Location: 14292 W Telegraph Road, Santa Paula
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