The Hacienda Ranch at El Rancho Tajiguas
Encompassing over 3,100 acres of majestic rolling hills and natural open space along the Gaviota Coast, The Hacienda Ranch at El Rancho Tajiguas embodies the spirit and history of Old California. Tajiguas means the basket but may actually be more accurately interpreted as the bowl where the narrow ocean front entrance to the ranch opens into one of the widest valleys on the Gaviota Coast -- containing the entire Tajiguas Creek watershed with the Santa Ynez Mountains as a backdrop.
The historic, fully operational ranch comprises 970AC of rangeland, 585AC of agricultural operations, over 100AC of riparian area, and 1,600AC of open spaces/wildlands. There is no place on the ranch that does not offer dramatic ocean and/or mountain views.
The rangeland operation supports a year-round cow-calf operation of approximately 200 animals, orchard access roads, water storage reservoirs, irrigatio...
The rangeland operation supports a year-round cow-calf operation of approximately 200 animals, orchard access roads, water storage reservoirs, irrigation facilities, crop storage and loading areas, cattle pen and loading area, and agricultural workshops and barns.
Water is abundant with fifteen wells, six reservoirs storing over one-hundred acre-feet, and creek diversion weirs offering free seasonal water. Tajiguas Creek runs through the middle of the ranch and flows year-round, offering water for agriculture and wildlife habitat preservation.
At the heart of this magnificent ranch is the historic Hacienda, originally designed by George Washington Smith with later additions by Cliff May, portraying the style of turn-of-the-century California adobe architecture. The Hacienda is Smiths only example of a traditional hacienda style house modeled on early California adobes. The Hacienda living areas are linked by an open-air corridor with a beamed roof supported by chamfered posts and pillow capitals. The protected valley floor location and traditional U-shaped layout of the Hacienda provides private and serene luxury homestead living, while surrounded by open rangeland and natural open spaces.
The Hacienda was recently designated a Place of Historical Merit by the County of Santa Barbara so that the open-air corridors could remain in conjunction with a Marc Appleton proposed remodel. Other character defining features of the home are the U-shape, one-story massing, white-washed adobe walls, red-tile roof, casement windows, and five-pane paired doors. The Hacienda exudes historical character coupled with the charm of its modern and sophisticated additions. Ancillary improvements include a pool and spa, detached garage, tennis court, barn, theater building, and two cottages.
The Hacienda Ranch at El Rancho Tajiguas has its own support village housing the staff and caretakers of the Hacienda as well as ranch employees. The improvements include 17 houses: The Hacienda, two guest cottages, managers homes, and agricultural employee homes. There is a maintenance complex with garages, tractor barns, mechanics bay, wood shop, and blacksmith shop. In addition there is a ranch headquarters building, two hay barns, a storage barn, and a nine-stall horse barn. All machinery, vehicles, and other equipment associated with the ongoing operation of the agriculture production and maintenance will be included in the sale of the ranch.
There are twenty-five underlying parcels providing land use flexibility and potential tax benefits through donation of a conservation easement. The parcels include three unbuildable lots on the ocean side of Hwy 101. This is a premier opportunity to own a legacy ranch in the heart of Santa Barbara County.
