Swamp Ranch history recalled

John Holmes, right, points out old ranch locations to Fred Fost. Photo by Conrad Weiler

There are still a few cattle to be found in the Sisters area, but not so very long ago this was real cattle country.

John Holmes presented an overview of the last 100 years of ranching and livestock drives in the local area to a large group attending the Friends of Black Butte Ranch (BBR) meeting last Thursday, May 8.

Using maps, old photos and other items, the grandson of rancher A.S. Holmes related the heyday of the Black Butte Land and Livestock Company (BBLL) to his interested audience.

Located on five ranches in the area, the BBLL operated between 1902 and 1918, raising thousands of cattle and sheep in Central Oregon's Crook County. In this same time period, the railroad reached Shaniko (1900), Redmond (1911), and Bend (1912), allowing easier shipment of livestock.

The five ranch locations were Allingham, Long Hollow (Lower Bridge), Nye (Grandview), Squaw Flat (Geneva) and Swamp (BBR). The last was named because of swampy water conditions on the land.

Water was a valuable commodity even in the early days and was purchased from the Squaw Creek Irrigation District with steadily increasing rates over the years.

When the company, with six directors, split up in 1918, A.S. Holmes, as his share, received 520 acres comprising the Long Hollow Ranch, 12 miles west of Terrebonne.

He later acquired adjacent lands until his holdings were over 3,300 acres for ranch use.

John, born in 1946, related summer cattle drives he took part in as a youth.

These covered 36 miles in four days starting at the Long Hollow Ranch and ending at Sparks Lake for summer grazing.

He recalled apple, pear and plum orchards on the ranch as well as chickens for eggs and meat and a milking cow. There also was a blacksmith shop on the ranch and electricity became available in 1946.

A single phone line for the area was in use until 1970, said Holmes. Paved roads were seen in the area in the 1940s although, even today, some roads remain unpaved four-wheel-drive passages.

Holmes talked about two local landmarks and their sale by Will Wurzweiller (former BBLL partner) to timber broker Samuel Johnson in 1924. He sold the 160 acres around the Head of the Metolius for a lumber mill which never transpired.

The second sale was Swamp Ranch (now Black Butte Ranch) in 1935 from Max Wurzweiller (Will's son) to Stuart Lowery. The original purchase was 577 acres while today's BBR comprises nearly 1,900 acres.

Presently, Long Hollow Ranch still exists as a working guest ranch and may be visited off Holmes Road.

The main house has been extensively renovated by owners Dick and Shirley Bloomfeldt and draws many visitors.