Rancho Oso History

The human history of Rancho Oso stretches back 3,000 or more years, to a time when all Santa Barbara County was inhabited by a tribe of Indians called the “Chumash.” The Chumash of the Santa Ynez Valley were a peaceful group of hunter-gatherers who hunted mule deer and rabbits and gathered native plants, roots, and acorns. The Chumash, who may have numbered 20,000 or more, had villages throughout the Valley, coastal regions, and even the Channel Islands off the coast. During the summers, the Chumash of the Valley would travel to the coast, where they fished and traded baskets and pelts for shellfish and ornaments.

Rancho Oso was the home of a substantial Chumash settlement. There are several known ceremonial and burial grounds on Rancho Oso, one located in the campfire circle of the campground’s “tent section”, the other located to the south of the security gate. While many small artifacts can be found on the grounds, please do not dig in these areas for artifacts—desecrating archeological sites is against the law.

The Chumash continued to inhabit the Santa Ynez Valley well into the 18th Century. Most succumbed to small pox and syphilis brought to them by Spanish Missionaries. Today, there are fewer than 1,000 Chumash left. Some may be found operating the Chumash Casino in the nearby town of Santa Ynez. An excellent Chumash Indian Hall may be seen at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

From Mexican Land Grant to U.S. Property

In 1845, a parcel of land which included what is now Rancho Oso was granted to Jose Dominguez by Pio Pico, the Governor of Mexico. This land, called Rancho Los Prietas y Nagalayegua, consisted of 48,728 acres. At the time of the land grant, the first known building was constructed at Rancho Oso. The building, now popularly called “the Flores Adobe” is located next to the security gate. It has recently been restored and is our Membership Information Office.

Because Rancho Los Prietas was considered rugged mountain land of little value, Jose Dominguez never bothered to have the title of the property confirmed by the land commission. In 1865, the property was acquired by Thomas Scott of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1866, he obtained an Act of Congress securing title to the land. However, by this time, settlers had already occupied the southern portion of Rancho Los Prietas. These settlers refused to leave and claimed “homesteader’s rights”. A lengthy legal battle ensued between Scott and the settlers. Fortunately for the settlers, quicksilver interests north of the mountains proved so profitable that Scott agreed to a new southern boundary and grants were issued to the homesteaders.

In the late 1800’s the property passed through several hands, eventually returning to the U.S. government.

E.W. Alexander’s Ranch

Edward W. Alexander was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1869. Both of his parents came from prominent Detroit families. In 1899, he married Henrietta Lydia Ladd. For ten years, Alexander owned the Alexander Umbrella Works, one of the largest manufacturing plants of its kind. After selling the umbrella works, Alexander became associated with Newton and Annis Furriers. Alexander also became a close personal friend of Henry Ford.

Alexander and his wife moved to Santa Barbara in 1911, where he represented Ford Motor Company in the Santa Barbara area. E.W. Alexander bought a 310-acre portion of what had been the vast Rancho Los Prietas. He became prominent in Santa Barbara life, where he served for a time as Chairman of the City Harbor Commission.

Alexander’s holdings in the Santa Ynez Valley were widely known as the “E.W. Ranch”. In 1926, the U.S. government issued Alexander a patent for his ranch, which is now known as Rancho Oso (a copy of the deed is on exhibit in the Stone Lodge). The area surrounding the E.W. Ranch was declared National Forest land, today part of America’s largest national forest, the Los Padres National Forest.

E.W. Alexander built the Stone Lodge as a hunting lodge and weekend retreat. He also built what is now called the Chapel/Pavilion. Alexander used the Pavilion as a cabana for a large swimming pool, which was located directly in front of the Pavilion, but was later filled in with dirt and landscaped with a walkway that leads from the Pavilion to the Stone Lodge Patio.

During the years 1910-1920, Santa Barbara, not Hollywood, was the center of California’s growing silent film industry. The famous Flying A Studios were located in Santa Barbara. Many silent film stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton were regular visitors to the E.W. Ranch, where they lounged at the pool, ate steaks in the Stone Lodge, and put on impromptu skits by the Pavilion.

Another friend of the Alexanders was famous cowboy artist Edward Borein. Borein was a frequent guest at the E.W. Ranch. He painted the cattle drive scene on the fireplace mantle in the Stone Lodge. Borein had attended a barbeque at the ranch in the 1920’s and offered to paint the mantle. Borein jokingly said that he would paint the mantle in payment of the beef he consumed. Borein would paint only a foot or so of the mantle during each visit, claiming that his slow progress would assure him of good beef on future visits. Unfortunately, Alexander died and the ranch was sold before Borein could complete the mantle. The mantle was restored and scenes on its sides completed by a Santa Barbara art historian in the 1960’s.

E.W. Alexander died at the age of 64 in 1933. At that time, he was Chairman and Vice-President of the County National Bank. Three years later, Henrietta Alexander sold the E.W. Ranch to T. Paul Dalzell.

From the T.P. Ranch to Rancho Oso

T.P. Dalzell was born in 1890 and came west, moving to Los Angeles in 1920, then to Santa Barbara in 1922. He formed the Puritan Ice company and later organized the California Lettuce Franchise. He renamed the E.W. Ranch the “T.P.Ranch” and developed a strain of Morgan horses here that won him many honors. Like other ranchers in the valley, Dalzell also raised cattle.

In the spring of 1946, Dalzell sold his T.P. Ranch to General Jacob McGavock Dickinson. General Dickinson owned an Arabian horse breeding farm in Tennessee. In August of that year, Dickinson moved his family and 60 prized Arabians to his new ranch, which he renamed “Traveler’s Rest Ranch”.

General Dickinson, who had purchased the ranch when California was verdant green from winter rains, was horrified to discover how dry southern California became in the summer. After a year and a half on the ranch, Dickinson packed up his prized horses and returned to Tennessee. His family, however, remained in Santa Barbara.

In 1949, General Dickinson sold the Traveler’s Rest Ranch to M.K. Duryea, who renamed the ranch “Rancho Oso”, a name the property has retained ever since. Rancho Oso means “bear ranch”. Duryea did not keep Rancho Oso for long.

Rancho Oso’s Strangest Owner

M.K.Duryea sold a ten-acre parcel of Rancho Oso, which included the Stone Lodge, to the Church of Christian Philosophy in 1951. The leader of this strange church was a minister, chiropractor, and well-known magician, named Dr. Leaf. The reverend Dr. Leaf used the Stone Lodge as his home and died there in 1959. He was feted with a large magician’s funeral in Los Angeles.

The Jamison Era and Beyond

M.K. Duryea sold the rest of Rancho Oso to Jay Jamison in 1952. Jay Jamison passed away later that year, leaving the property to his widow, Madelyn, and his son, Robert.

Bob Jamison renovated the building which is now the Adult Lodge for his family to live in. He constructed a log cabin atop the mountain, which is now the manager’s residence. Bob and his wife, Barbara, had four children at Rancho Oso. In recent times, son Jay Jamison has served as a popular Manager at a Thousand Trails resort.

In 1959, following the death of the strange Dr. Leaf, the Jamisons acquired the 10 acres that had belonged to the Church of Christian Philosophy. This restored Rancho Oso to its former E.W. Ranch boundaries. Rancho Oso remains 310 acres today.

The Jamison family ran cattle on Rancho Oso in the 1950’s. But with completion of the dams at Lake Cachuma and Gibraltar Reservoir, the state imposed a ban on cattle ranching near these important water sources. So, in the 1960’s, the Jamisons opened Rancho Oso as a children’s summer camp. Soon, they decided to open Rancho Oso as a “Fun Ranch”, a Western heritage that has now been restored and enhanced with the addition of the Guest Ranch & Stables.

The Jamisons built the barn, bought horses and began taking guests on trail rides. Rancho Oso became widely known throughout the county for its breakfast trail rides. The Jamisons also added two swimming pools, a campground (primarily the tent section and the river sites), and a trailer park.

The Jamisons and their family lived at Rancho Oso for over 30 years, finally selling their beloved ranch to American Trails in 1984. American Trails was purchased by NACO West in 1986. In July, 1996, the final payment was made to the Jamison family, and Rancho Oso became wholly owned by Thousand Trails, Inc.

The Western Village Guest Ranch

With the arrival of John Stanton, Rancho Oso Manager from 1992-1995, the guest ranch concept became a reality. Five rustic ranch cabins, 10 Conestoga-style covered wagons and a beautiful restroom were built in a meadow at the front of the Preserve. Corrals for visiting horses were added later, and people from all over California began to discover the uniquely wonderful destination we had created for their families, friends, and horses. Our stables now offers guided trail riding for the beginner to expert rider, on our own gentle horses. At the barn, visitors can pet calves, goats, and chickens, and watch as a farrier puts new shoes on the ranch horses.

Over the years, we have hosted hundreds of folks from scout troops to horse groups to private school classes, and look forward to seeing you and your family around the campfire soon!