Ardenwood in Fremont in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Ardenwood Historic Farm / George Washington Patterson Ranch
The
George Washington
Patterson Ranch
Has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
By the United States
Department of the Interior
November 29, 1985
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Notable Places. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1740.
Location. 37° 33.39′ N, 122° 3.061′ W. Marker is in Fremont, California, in Alameda County. It is in Ardenwood. Marker can be reached from Ardenwood Boulevard near California Highway 84. Marker is located just inside the entrance gate east of the parking area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, Fremont CA 94555, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Leal Tank House (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Machado House (approx. 1.4 miles away); Carter Brothers (approx. 2 miles away); The Beginnings of Centerville Presbyterian Church (approx. 2.4 miles away); Flight 93 Memorial (approx. 3.1 miles away); Site of the Nation’s First Successful Beet Sugar Factory (approx. 3.2 miles away); First County Courthouse (approx. 3.2 miles away); Pioneer Schoolhouse & Chapel (approx. 3˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fremont.
Regarding Ardenwood Historic Farm / George Washington Patterson Ranch. In 1849 George Patterson came to California to find his fortune in the gold fields of the Mother Lode. After a year and a half of mining, he was ill and broke. He turned his attention to the thing he new well: farming.
He worked for farmers near Mission San Jose and gradually purchased land. He married Clara Hawly in 1877, and by that time he was well on his way to acquiring nearly 6,000 acres and was one of the wealthiest and respected men of the region.
Today, Patterson’s home and farm is part of the East Bay Regional Park District. It is a working historic farm run just as George Patterson did. Draft horses still pull railcars and plows. The land still grows the same crops, and the farmyard is still full of animals. Docents, dressed in period clothing, show visitors chores and domestic duties as they were done in the late 1800 – early 1900’s. Tours of the house are available and train and wagon rides allow visitors to witness the 205-acre farm, its animals, and crops.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 20, 2010, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. This page has been viewed 3,760 times since then and 65 times this year. Last updated on July 2, 2021, by Diane Phillips of Pittsburg, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. submitted on March 20, 2010, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.