El Rancho
| El Rancho | |
|---|---|
| Location | Sisters RD, Deschutes NF |
| Tree Count | 5 |
| Species | 3 apple,1 pear |
| Varieties | 3 identified |
History
The El Rancho orchard is located at the historic Hubbard Ranch site in the Lower Metolius area, within the Deschutes National Forest (Sisters Ranger District).
The Hubbard Ranch
One of the last homesteads to be occupied in the Lower Metolius area was the Hubbard Ranch in Section 34, commonly known as El Rancho. It was one of the first guest ranches in Central Oregon.
Bureau of Land Management records show patent No. 48112 dated July 2, 1915, being issued to Carl T. Hubbard for this parcel. The date of application was prior to 1910.
In early days, access to the homestead was by trail. The 1915 Forest Service map shows the road from the Cove ending 2½ miles downstream from Hubbard's ranch. Upstream, the road ended at Allen Springs, 15 miles away. Not until 1928 was the road completed to the ranch. Telephone service came at an even later date.
El Rancho Lodge
Theodore Hubbard built El Rancho in the spring and summer of 1933. The Redmond Spokesman reported on May 4, 1933 that four cabins had been finished and that the lodge would be ready that summer. The newspaper added that the Hubbards were making a place that "would attract Central Oregon folk and tourists during fishing season and summertime."
A lodge, guest cabins, barn and chicken house, largely of native materials, were built at El Rancho. A small tract of level river bottom land was planted to fruit trees and garden, and for the first time on record, Metolius River water was used for irrigation. Water was diverted about one-fourth mile above the lodge and carried in a ditch, still visible, to the garden.
Hubbard's Ingenuity
Hubbard's accomplishments showed considerable ingenuity. The diverted water powered an undershot water wheel made with paddles mounted between two buggy wheels. Through a drive-belt, the water wheel drove the family washing machine and grindstone. A small sawmill was built later, but was powered by gasoline engine.
Decline
While summertime weather on the Lower Metolius is delightful, winters are such that anyone living along the Lower Metolius can be isolated. Such was the case in 1937 as Mrs. Theo Hubbard corresponded to The Redmond Spokesman, February 27, 1937: "Your correspondent has been marooned for some weeks. I haven't seen a soul, was completely isolated, a prisoner in my own domicile."
Not occupied after World War II, El Rancho was shamelessly vandalized to the point where the present owner deemed it wise to raze what remained of the buildings. All that remains at the old homestead today are a few fruit trees and the stone fireplace chimney of the lodge standing like a monument to the old homesteader.
2019 Scion Collection
On November 4, 2019, scions were collected from 5 apple trees at the El Rancho site for preservation at the Clarno Apple Arboretum, coordinated by Chris Jensen with Beth Johnson and Mike Boero.
Sources: "Oregon's Sisters Country" by Raymond R. Hatton; Clarno Apple Arboretum records 2019
Primary Sources
The following historical documents are available:
Orchard Map
Trees
- Tree #1- Unknown
- Tree #2- Unknown
- Tree #3- Gravenstein
- Tree #4- Red Delicious
- Tree #5- Yellow Transparent
Historical Documents
See also: Document Archive
