The Dalton-Ferretto Ranch is eligible to the National Register as a district; the four major buildings and the ten outbuildings located on approximately six acres with fencing, an orchard, and other landscape features form an intact late nineteenth century and early twentieth century ranch complex. This ranch is one of the few extant Truckee Meadows ranches. The ranch is eligible under criterion A. Ranching was the major industry in the Truckee Meadows from shortly after gold was discovered on the Comstock until the middle of the twentieth century. At the turn-of- the-century, agriculture was the largest industry in Washoe County and Reno was the largest city in Nevada. The ranch was owned by Peter Dalton from to and Joseph Ferretto and family from to the present.
Dalton cultivated hay and grain, raised cattle, and conducted a dairy. The Ferretto family, an important Italian family in the area, purchased the property in and Joseph Ferretto ran the ranch. The ranch produced mostly alfalfa and wheat and fed beef cattle during the winter. The barn, circa is one of the few century vernacular barns extant in the Truckee Meadows. Built using a heavy timber post and beam structural frame with mortised, notched, and pegged connections, it is typical of the barns which were common from the through the # PETER DALTON RANCH (Josepir mem*StttK!ph BARN HABS No. (page 2) PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History 1. Date(s) of erection: circa 2. Architect: Not known. 3.
Original and subsequent owners: References to the chain of title to the land upon which the structures stand are in the Office of the Recorder, Washoe County Courthouse, Reno, Nevada. Patent, December 14, recorded in Book A, p. 66 of Patents. U. S. Government to John S. Bowker. Water rights, July recorded in Book 3, p. 19. John M. Hunter to John S. Bowker Deed. May recorded in Book 3, p. John S. Bowker to Peter Dalton acres) Water rights, February recorded in Book 21, p. 38. Jane Lake and the Washoe County Bank to Peter Dalton. (50 inches) Water rights, April 3, recorded in Book 21, p. Jane Lake and the Washoe County Bank to Peter Dalton. (10 inches) Deed, March 16, recorded in Book 37, p. Peter Dalton and wife to Robert T. Wilkerson and wife Deed, December 4, recorded in Book 41, p.
Robert Wilkerson to Angelo Ferretto (Faretto), Joe Ferretto, and John Ferretto. 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: Not known. B. Historical Context: See overall ranch report, HABS No. PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement 1. Architectural character: The barn is a large, rectangular-in-plan, one-and-one-half story, heavy timber hay barn built circa 2. Condition of fabric: The barn has been maintained and has a substantial amount of its original integrity intact. PETER DALTON RANCH (JoseidrtfenaKnSnch), BARN HABS No. (page 3) B. Description of Exterior 1. Overall dimensions: The barn is approximately 58 feet wide and 60 feet long. 2. Foundations: The foundation consists of large stones. 3. Walls: The exterior walls are sided with vertical boards and battens. 4.
Structural system, framing: The structural framing for the barn is a heavy timber post and beam system forming six bays along its north-south axis. The posts and beams are 8 by 8 with mortised and pegged connections. 5. Openings a. Doorways and doors: The primary entrance to the barn is through a pair of hinged board and batten doors centrally located on the south wall The central entrance is divided into three pieces horizontally allowing for a very tall opening. The upper most door gives access to the hay loft. A similar pair of doors are centrally located on the north wall. Two more entrances along the south wall are similar single leaf doors leading into the east and west portions of the barn. The east elevation has seven low openings with vertical board doors hinged on one side.
The northern most opening is larger than the others and is without a door. The west elevation has one single leaf door. b. Windows and shutters: There are two openings for ventilation on the west wall which are covered with sliding board covers. 6. Roof a. Shape, covering: The building is covered with a steep pitched gable roof with a catslide roof along both the east and west sides. The original covering was wood shingles; currently corrugated metal is the outer layer. b. Cornice, eaves: The roof extends with a moderate overhang and has exposed rafter ends. C. Description of Interior 1. Floor plans: See the accompanying sketch plan. The barn is divided into three long spaces following the roofline.
The central portion is open with six structural bays; the eastern portion is divided into two spaces - a small feed bin on the south end and a larger cattle stall to the north; the western portion is divided into eight horse stalls. 2. Stairways: Two wooden stair ladders are flat against the walls leading to the hay loft; one is located in the eastern portion of the barn and one in the western portion. 3. Flooring: The flooring is Soft wood wide planking. PETER DALTON RANCH (Jeseph^erfette-^aR^), BARN HABS No. (page 4) 4. Wall and ceiling finish; The interior walls and ceiling are vertical wooden boards. 5. Hardware: There are simple metal hinges and latches. 6. Mechanical equipment: The barn has exposed knob-and-tube wiring and bare light bulbs for illumination. D. Site 1.
General setting and orientation: The hay barn sits to the north of most of the other ranch buildings with only the old milking barn further to the north. Pasture surrounds two sides of the barn to the north and west. To the east is a small corral used for loading cattle. To the south of the barn is the drive and circulation area for the complex. Four rail board fencing divides the corral and pasture areas. Barbed wire fencing is also used in the pastures. PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. Original Architectural Drawings: None Found B. Early Views: None Found C. Interviews: # Louise Ghiggeri Ferretto, wife of John Ferretto who was the brother of Joseph Ferretto. Interview conducted September 1 PM. at her home 150 West Huffaker Circle, Reno, Nevada.
Genevieve Ferretto Golick, daughter of Joseph and Rose Ferretto. Golick grew up on this ranch. Interview conducted September 12, PM at her home at 510 Toiyabe, Reno, Nevada. D. Bibliography Census of State of Nevada. Volume 2, part 2, p. Davis, Sam P. The History of Nevada. Reno and Los Angeles: The Elms Publishing Company, p. "Early Resident of Nevada Dead" Nevada State Tournal. April 17, "John P. Ferretto Family" Early Day Families Washoe County Bicentennial Commission. "Local Teamster, Rancher, Joseph Ferretto, 91, Dies" Nevada State Tournal. May p. PETER DALTON RANCH (Jeseph-Fe^et^^^ich), BARN HABS No. (page 5) Nevada "The Silver State" Volume n. Carson City: Nevada. Western States Historical Publishers, Inc. p. Peckham, George E.
"Reminiscences of an Active Life" Nevada Historical Society Papers. Reno, NV: A. Carlisle & Company. p. Reno Evening Gazette, Aug. p. Wren, Thomas. A History of the State of Nevada. New York, New York: The Lewis Publishing Company. p. PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION The Nevada Department of Transportation is widening US 395 from Foothill Road, Reno, Nevada to the Patriot-Virginia Street Interchange, miles to the north. The current five-land stretch of highway will be expanded to accommodate an additional two lanes. Curbs and gutters will be added to control the flow of water. Two complexes of potentially historic buildings within the project area were inventoried: four buildings on the Huffaker site and five buildings on the Ferretto site.
Upon completion of the inventory, it was determined that the Ferretto Ranch site was eligible to the National Register of Historic Places as a district. It was determined that the project adversely effected the potential historic district as # the expansion of the U. S. Highway 395 along the east or front of the Ferretto Ranch came to within 43 feet of the brick Bungalow residence. The project alters relevant characteristics of the potential district and specifically alters characteristics of the residence that qualifies it to the National Register of Historic Places.
A Memorandum of Agreement was entered into by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the Federal Highway Administration with concurrence by the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer and the Nevada Department of Transportation in May to mitigate the adverse effect by recording the property and planting landscape elements. Prepared by: Ana B. Koval, Principal and Architectural Historian Katharine Boyne, Historian Affiliation: Rainshadow Associates, P. O. Box Carson City, NV Date: September PETER DALTON RANCH (J &epivfe*efe4te*Gh), BARN HABS No. (page 6) N 5parks U rruc ^^er lnwre Ferretto Ranch Vicinity Map 1" = approx. drawn by Katharine Boyne <5> \ e *> \ %\ %\ * \ / .
,$ / A \ JJ O \ Huffaker Lane / Ferretto Ranch Site Holcomb Lane PETER DALTON RANCH ge6epM*ewetto*meh), BARN HABS No. (page 7) Ferretto Ranch Site Plan 1" a appro*. 60' drawn by Katharine Boyne ^ * * * PETER DALTON RANCH (Joseph^i^attQuEaach), BARN HABS No. (page 8) tr o- Horse Stalls Hay Loft above Feed &in a, ,a- -01 fa- i. 5arn - First Floor overall by 60' ^ drawn N
Block