Ridgewood Ranch
Encyclopedia
Ridgewood Ranch is a large ranch situated 7 miles (11.3 km) south of Willits, California
in rural Mendocino County
. It is probably best known for being the final resting place of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit
.
peoples. The property was purchased by automobile magnate Charles S. Howard in 1919, and he quickly transformed it into a fully working ranch and thoroughbred
facility, complete with the Howard's large Craftsman
style home, and horse stud barn. In May 1926, Charles's son Frank was killed in a vehicle accident on the ranch. That tragedy led the Howards to fund the construction of Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital
, opened in 1928 in nearby Willits. At the end of Seabiscuit's successful racing career in 1940, he was put out to stud
and live his retirement at the ranch, finally being laid to rest on the property in 1947.
Today the property is owned by the Golden Rule Church Association, which has taken steps to preserve its historic and environmental value. The Howard family's house still stands, together with Seabiscuit's stud barn and the remains of an old Pomo village. The ranch is also home to nearly 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of first and second growth redwood, large Fir
forests and Oak
woodlands. It contains some rare vernal pool
s and provides habitat to a number of native species, including the Golden Eagle
and California Mountain Lion.
Recently the conservancy erected a statue of Seabiscuit to help preserve the heritage of the ranch, and guided tours of the ranch are offered to the public.
Willits, California
Willits is a city in Mendocino County, California, United States. Willits is located north-northwest of Ukiah, at an elevation of 1391 feet . The population was 4,888 at the 2010 census, down from 5,073 at the 2000 census. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and its redwood forests...
in rural Mendocino County
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
. It is probably best known for being the final resting place of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
.
History
Situated in a low mountain valley, the 5000 acres (20.2 km²) that would become Ridgewood Ranch were originally inhabited by the indigenous PomoPomo people
The Pomo people are an indigenous peoples of California. The historic Pomo territory in northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point...
peoples. The property was purchased by automobile magnate Charles S. Howard in 1919, and he quickly transformed it into a fully working ranch and thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
facility, complete with the Howard's large Craftsman
American Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
style home, and horse stud barn. In May 1926, Charles's son Frank was killed in a vehicle accident on the ranch. That tragedy led the Howards to fund the construction of Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital
Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital
Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital is a rural 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Willits, California, a northern Mendocino County community known as “gateway to the redwoods.”-History:...
, opened in 1928 in nearby Willits. At the end of Seabiscuit's successful racing career in 1940, he was put out to stud
Stud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
and live his retirement at the ranch, finally being laid to rest on the property in 1947.
Today the property is owned by the Golden Rule Church Association, which has taken steps to preserve its historic and environmental value. The Howard family's house still stands, together with Seabiscuit's stud barn and the remains of an old Pomo village. The ranch is also home to nearly 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of first and second growth redwood, large Fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
forests and Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
woodlands. It contains some rare vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
s and provides habitat to a number of native species, including the Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
and California Mountain Lion.
Recently the conservancy erected a statue of Seabiscuit to help preserve the heritage of the ranch, and guided tours of the ranch are offered to the public.