Shadelands Ranch

Shadelands Ranch is a Colonial Revival farmhouse featuring curved glass bay windows, classic white columns, and a hand-crafted shingle roof on its exterior. Built in 1902, the structure contains period rooms that visitors can tour to see how the family and their agricultural operations were organized.

Hiram Penniman founded the ranch in 1856 as one of the first major fruit and nut farming operations in California's Ygnacio Valley. The property grew to become an important agricultural center for the developing region.

The Walnut Creek Historical Society preserves this place as a museum where visitors can see how the family lived through original furnishings and household items. Educational programs help visitors understand the daily life and customs of people who worked the land in this valley during the early 1900s.

The house sits along Ygnacio Valley Road and offers guided tours through the interior rooms and grounds. Plan to spend about 1 to 2 hours exploring the property and learning about the family's agricultural history through the exhibits.

The property changed hands multiple times through the Penniman family line over several decades before a religious foundation donated it to the city in 1970. This transfer ensured the historic house would be preserved for public education rather than lost to development.

Location: Walnut Creek

Architectural style: Colonial Revival architecture

Address: 2660 Ygnacio Valley Rd, Walnut Creek, CA

GPS coordinates: 37.92611,-122.01944

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:08