Ventura County Landmark No. 96: Dent Ranch House

In this Craftsman or California Bungalow-style (Swiss chalet mode) residence, gabled and shingled dormers punctuate the roofline and a broad porch runs the width of the house. The stonework on the three fireplaces was done with local Foster Park sandstone. The house is located on a 160-acre property called Matilija Wildlife Refuge. It was built in 1910 and later moved to this location from the 2400 block of Ventura Avenue, where it was the main residence of the 150-acre Dent Ranch. John Dent raised walnuts, cattle, and apricots and was instrumental in forming a dried apricot association.