Wilder Ranch, Horse Barn, 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, CA

Significance: Wilder Ranch State Park's ranch buildings, while representative of rural vernacular architecture, reflect a century of traditions associated with innovative and progressive dairy ranching in California. Wilder and four succeeding generations of his family were quick to adopt the newly developed cream-separator, and the majority of the machinery was water powered using a Pelton wheel and a belt-driven system, including the electrification of the dairy in the 1890s. In the 1930s the emphasis at the ranch shifted from milk to beef stock, as well as thoroughbred horses and artichoke production. The architecture of the Horse Barn is unique because there appears to be no other horse barn of its type constructed in the region, and perhaps California, during this period.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-252
Survey number: HABS CA-2274-A
Building/structure dates: 1892 Initial Construction