Sod House Ranch
Encyclopedia
The Sod House Ranch is a historic ranch in Harney County
in southeastern Oregon
, United States
. The remaining ranch structures are located south of Malheur Lake
in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
. The ranch was built by Peter French
, a well known 19th-century cattle baron. The Sod House Ranch became the headquarters for the northern operating division of the French-Glenn Livestock Company, which eventually covered over 140000 acres (566.6 km²). After French was murdered in 1897, the French-Glenn Livestock Company slowly sold off its ranch property. In 1935, the United States Government purchased the Sod House Ranch property to add to an adjacent wildlife refuge. The eight remaining Sod House Ranch buildings are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
of southeastern Oregon. Around 9,800 years ago, the Harney Basin was covered by a single great lake covering 255000 acres (1,031.9 km²). The birds, animals, and plants found in the wetland around the lake provided abundant food for early inhabitants. About 3,500 years ago, small villages began to develop around the lakes and along the banks of the river. Beginning about 1,400 years ago, extended droughts began to shrink the lake and surrounding wetlands.
While there are no records of the earliest people to inhabit the Harney Basin, Native Americans
used the wetland areas around Malheur Lake, Harney Lake
, and Donner und Blitzen River
for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers. By the time Europeans began to explore the area in the early nineteenth century, the Northern Paiute people were well established in the Harney Basin.
Hudson's Bay Company
fur trappers were the first Europeans to visit the Harney Basin. Peter Skene Ogden
passed along the north shore of Malheur Lake in 1826. Other fur trapping expeditions followed in the 1830s. Several military expeditions passed through the area in the late 1850s. Major Enoch Steen
was the first non-native to explore the Donner und Blitzen River area in 1860. Steens Mountain
, that dominates southern Harney County, was named in his honor. In the 1860s, the United States Army
established a number of military outposts in the Harney Basin.
in 1849. As a boy, he immigrated to California
with his family. Then as a young man, French went to work for Doctor Hugh J. Glenn
, who owned large tracts of land in the Sacramento Valley
. In 1872, Glenn decided to expand his operation into Oregon. To lead the venture, Glenn picked 23 year old Peter French. French was sent north with six vaquero
s and 1,200 head of cattle.
When he arrived in the Blitzen Valley, French ran into a prospector named Porter, who had not found much gold and was eager to move on. French bought Porter’s small heard of cattle along with his "P" brand
and rights to the west slope of Steens Mountain where Porter had prospected. French settled along the Donner und Blitzen River. Over the next few years, French drained and fenced thousands of acres of wetlands along the river. That land became the P Ranch
, which was named for the "P" brand acquired from Porter. French acquired the 43000 acres (174 km²) Sod House Ranch from A. H. Robie in 1877 along with Robie’s property the Diamond and Blitzen valleys. By the 1880s, the ranch was earning a good income for Glenn. Cattle were raised in the lush valley pastures. In the fall, French drove his cattle 200 miles (321.9 km) to the railhead at Winnemucca
, Nevada
.
In 1883, French married Glenn’s daughter Ella. Glenn was murdered three weeks later by a former employee. French continued to manage the Oregon operation for the Glenn family, selling more cattle to help pay the family’s debts. In 1894, Glenn’s heirs decided to incorporate the French-Glenn partnership into the French-Glenn Livestock Company, making French the company president.
Over the years, French expanded the company's holdings until the ranch extended from the foothills of Steens Mountain 40 miles (64.4 km) along both sides of the Donner und Blitzen River to Malheur Lake, including the Sod House Ranch property running along the south shore of the lake. It also covered all of neighboring Happy and Diamond valleys plus a large part of the Catlow Valley to the south. Eventually, the French-Glenn Livestock Company owned over 140000 acres (566.6 km²) of the Harney Basin. Some records indicate the ranch may have covered as much as 200000 acres (809.4 km²). The company built and maintained 500 miles (804.7 km) of barbed wire
fence to protect 30,000 to 45,000 head of cattle plus 3,000 horses and mules. In addition to the main P Ranch headquarters, the operation had four other divisions; the Happy Valley Division, the Diamond Division, the Catlow Valley Division, and Sod House Division. The Sod House Ranch served as French’s sub-headquarters at the northern end the property near the mouth of the Donner und Blitzen River and along the south shore of Malheur Lake.
French was not popular with new homesteaders in the area because he owned or controlled most of the water in the southern Harney Basin. His fences also made it difficult for some homesteaders to get to and from their property. On 26 December 1897, French was shot dead near the Sod House Ranch by a settler who had been unsuccessful in getting a road easement across French’s property.
F. C. Lusk, who was the secretary of the French-Glenn Livestock Company prior to French’s death, became executor of French’s estate and took over as ranch manager. To pay off company debts, Lusk gradually sold off ranch assets. In 1906, much of the French-Glenn property including the Sod House Ranch was sold to Henry L. Corbett and his partner C.E.S. Wood. In 1916, the property was acquired by the Eastern Oregon Live Stock Company. In the 1920s, the part of the property known as the Barton Lake Ranch was bought by John Jenkins. This property includes the well-known Pete French Round Barn
. In 1935, the United States Government bought the remaining property to expand the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
During the 1930s, the refuge hosted three Civilian Conservation Corps
camps. One was located at the Sod-House Ranch south of Malheur Lake. A second camp was located at Buena Vista Station and the third was located 5 miles (8 km) north of Frenchglen in the P Ranch area. Civilian Conservation Corps crews built a number of stone buildings to house the refuge headquarters near the Sod House site. In addition, they constructed several refuge buildings at Buena Vista, four lookout towers, the main refuge patrol road, four concrete dams, numerous canals and bridges, and hundreds of miles of fence before the camps were closed in 1942.
Because it played an important role in the development of the cattle industry in the western United States, the Sod House Ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district on 29 January 1979. The district covers 10 acre (0.0404686 km²). Today, eight of the ten original ranch buildings plus three other historic structures remain at the site. Most of the historic buildings are in good condition.
bunkhouse
, a large barn
, a workshop
, a carriage shed, adjoining chicken coop
and grain storage shed, a stone cellar, a small cabin, a beef wheel, and several original stockade fences. The ranch site is surrounded by a number of large cottonwood tree planted in 1892 by Emanuel Clark, French’s Sod House Ranch foreman.
All of the Sod House Ranch buildings were constructed using native materials including pine
and aspen
lumber, juniper posts, and locally quarried stone. Most of the buildings have been repaired, reroofed, or restored in some way, but all of the structures still retained their original character.
The barn was probably the first building constructed at site. It was probably built in the early 1880s. It is 120 feet (36.6 m) long and 50 feet (15.2 m) wide. It is a post and beam structure with heavy juniper posts supporting the roof, which is 30 feet (9.1 m) high at its peak. The exterior of the barn is finished with pine and juniper boards. The roof is covered with pine shingles
. The original roof was replaced in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps using the same kind is pine shingles that originally covered the structure. The interior of the barn is a single large room with a wide center aisle to accommodate a winter hay supply. Feed racks run the length of the barn on both the east and west sides.
In 1999, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
undertook a complex three phased project to stabilize and restore the barn. During the project, house jacks were used to lift the barn clear of the ground while failing interior support posts were removed and replaced by new juniper posts. Concrete piers were also placed beneath the interior posts for stability. The project also shifted the structure 23 inches back into vertical alignment.
At the same time, a number of partners joined the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to restore other ranch buildings. This conservation work took five years. The Sod House Ranch was reopened to the public on 18 October 2003. Among the partners that helped to restore the ranch were the National Park Service
, University of Oregon
Architectural Field School, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
, the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, AmeriCorps
, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
, the Harney County Historical Society, Malheur Wildlife Associates, the High Desert Museum
, and numerous local volunteer groups. Today, the Sod House Ranch is open to the public from 15 August through 15 October. It is closed the rest of the year because the area provides important nesting habitat for colonies of great blue heron
s, double-crested cormorant
s, and Canada geese.
The Sod House Ranch is 25 miles (40.2 km) southeast of Burns, Oregon
in direct line. From Burns, travel east on Oregon Route 78
for 2 miles (3.2 km); then turn south on Oregon Route 205
. Follow Route 205 for 23 miles (37 km) before turning east on the Narrows-Princeton Road. Approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) from that junction, turn south on the Sod House Ranch access road. Follow the access road for 1 miles (1.6 km) to reach the historic ranch site.
Harney County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Malheur National Forest *Malheur National Wildlife Refuge*Ochoco National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,609 people, 3,036 households, and 2,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 1 people per square mile...
in southeastern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The remaining ranch structures are located south of Malheur Lake
Malheur Lake
Malheur Lake is a lake in an arid region of eastern Oregon, United States near Burns, Oregon. The lake is fed by Donner und Blitzen River from the south and the Silvies River from the north. Malheur Lake has no outlet, though water escapes through ground seepage and by evaporation; widespread...
in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is located roughly south of the town of Burns, Oregon. The refuge area is roughly T shaped with the southernmost base at Frenchglen, the left top at Malheur Lake and the right top at Harney Lake....
. The ranch was built by Peter French
Peter French
Peter French was a rancher in the western United States in the late 19th century. The community of Frenchglen, Oregon was partially named for him.-Early life:...
, a well known 19th-century cattle baron. The Sod House Ranch became the headquarters for the northern operating division of the French-Glenn Livestock Company, which eventually covered over 140000 acres (566.6 km²). After French was murdered in 1897, the French-Glenn Livestock Company slowly sold off its ranch property. In 1935, the United States Government purchased the Sod House Ranch property to add to an adjacent wildlife refuge. The eight remaining Sod House Ranch buildings are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Early history
The Sod House Ranch is located in the Harney BasinHarney Basin
The Harney Basin is a structural basin in southeastern Oregon in the United States at the northwestern corner of the Great Basin. One of the least populated areas of the contiguous United States, it is located largely in northern Harney County, bounded on the north and east by the Columbia Plateau,...
of southeastern Oregon. Around 9,800 years ago, the Harney Basin was covered by a single great lake covering 255000 acres (1,031.9 km²). The birds, animals, and plants found in the wetland around the lake provided abundant food for early inhabitants. About 3,500 years ago, small villages began to develop around the lakes and along the banks of the river. Beginning about 1,400 years ago, extended droughts began to shrink the lake and surrounding wetlands.
While there are no records of the earliest people to inhabit the Harney Basin, Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
used the wetland areas around Malheur Lake, Harney Lake
Harney Lake
Harney Lake is a shallow alkali lake basin located in southeast Oregon, United States, approximately thirty miles south of the town of Burns. The lake lies within the boundary of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and is the lowest point in the Blitzen Valley drainage.- History :The lake has been...
, and Donner und Blitzen River
Donner und Blitzen River
The Donner und Blitzen River is a river on the eastern Oregon high desert which drains a relatively arid basin, the southern portion of Harney Basin, from roughly 20 to 80 miles south-southeast of Burns including Malheur National Wildlife Refuge...
for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers. By the time Europeans began to explore the area in the early nineteenth century, the Northern Paiute people were well established in the Harney Basin.
Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
fur trappers were the first Europeans to visit the Harney Basin. Peter Skene Ogden
Peter Skene Ogden
Peter Skene Ogden , was a fur trader and a Canadian explorer of what is now British Columbia and the American West...
passed along the north shore of Malheur Lake in 1826. Other fur trapping expeditions followed in the 1830s. Several military expeditions passed through the area in the late 1850s. Major Enoch Steen
Enoch Steen
Enoch Steen was an United States military officer and western explorer. He joined the United States Army in 1832, serving at posts throughout the United States including many remote locations in the west. During his military service, Steen explored parts of the western United States including...
was the first non-native to explore the Donner und Blitzen River area in 1860. Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain is a large fault-block mountain in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Harney County, it stretches some and rises from an elevation of about above the Alvord Desert to its peak at...
, that dominates southern Harney County, was named in his honor. In the 1860s, the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
established a number of military outposts in the Harney Basin.
Peter French
Peter French was born in MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
in 1849. As a boy, he immigrated to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with his family. Then as a young man, French went to work for Doctor Hugh J. Glenn
Hugh J. Glenn
Hugh James Glenn was a prominent businessman and politician in California. Glenn was born near Staunton, Virginia, and grew up in Monroe County, Missouri. He was educated as a physician at McDowell's Medical College in St. Louis, Missouri. Glenn served with Colonel Alexander William Doniphan's...
, who owned large tracts of land in the Sacramento Valley
Sacramento Valley
The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses all or parts of ten counties.-Geography:...
. In 1872, Glenn decided to expand his operation into Oregon. To lead the venture, Glenn picked 23 year old Peter French. French was sent north with six vaquero
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s and 1,200 head of cattle.
Branding iron
A branding iron is a tool which uses the process of pressing a heated metal shape against an object or livestock with the intention of leaving a mark....
and rights to the west slope of Steens Mountain where Porter had prospected. French settled along the Donner und Blitzen River. Over the next few years, French drained and fenced thousands of acres of wetlands along the river. That land became the P Ranch
P Ranch
The P Ranch is a historic ranch in Harney County in southeastern Oregon, United States. The remaining ranch structures are located on the west bank of the Donner und Blitzen River in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The ranch was built by Peter French, a well known 19th-century cattle baron...
, which was named for the "P" brand acquired from Porter. French acquired the 43000 acres (174 km²) Sod House Ranch from A. H. Robie in 1877 along with Robie’s property the Diamond and Blitzen valleys. By the 1880s, the ranch was earning a good income for Glenn. Cattle were raised in the lush valley pastures. In the fall, French drove his cattle 200 miles (321.9 km) to the railhead at Winnemucca
Winnemucca, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile . There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
In 1883, French married Glenn’s daughter Ella. Glenn was murdered three weeks later by a former employee. French continued to manage the Oregon operation for the Glenn family, selling more cattle to help pay the family’s debts. In 1894, Glenn’s heirs decided to incorporate the French-Glenn partnership into the French-Glenn Livestock Company, making French the company president.
Over the years, French expanded the company's holdings until the ranch extended from the foothills of Steens Mountain 40 miles (64.4 km) along both sides of the Donner und Blitzen River to Malheur Lake, including the Sod House Ranch property running along the south shore of the lake. It also covered all of neighboring Happy and Diamond valleys plus a large part of the Catlow Valley to the south. Eventually, the French-Glenn Livestock Company owned over 140000 acres (566.6 km²) of the Harney Basin. Some records indicate the ranch may have covered as much as 200000 acres (809.4 km²). The company built and maintained 500 miles (804.7 km) of barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
fence to protect 30,000 to 45,000 head of cattle plus 3,000 horses and mules. In addition to the main P Ranch headquarters, the operation had four other divisions; the Happy Valley Division, the Diamond Division, the Catlow Valley Division, and Sod House Division. The Sod House Ranch served as French’s sub-headquarters at the northern end the property near the mouth of the Donner und Blitzen River and along the south shore of Malheur Lake.
French was not popular with new homesteaders in the area because he owned or controlled most of the water in the southern Harney Basin. His fences also made it difficult for some homesteaders to get to and from their property. On 26 December 1897, French was shot dead near the Sod House Ranch by a settler who had been unsuccessful in getting a road easement across French’s property.
F. C. Lusk, who was the secretary of the French-Glenn Livestock Company prior to French’s death, became executor of French’s estate and took over as ranch manager. To pay off company debts, Lusk gradually sold off ranch assets. In 1906, much of the French-Glenn property including the Sod House Ranch was sold to Henry L. Corbett and his partner C.E.S. Wood. In 1916, the property was acquired by the Eastern Oregon Live Stock Company. In the 1920s, the part of the property known as the Barton Lake Ranch was bought by John Jenkins. This property includes the well-known Pete French Round Barn
Pete French Round Barn
The Pete French Round Barn, located near Burns, Oregon, United States, is a round barn listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The late 19th century barn was owned and constructed by cattle rancher Peter French; French trained horses there during the winter...
. In 1935, the United States Government bought the remaining property to expand the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
The Malheur Migratory Bird Refuge was created in 1908. Over the years, the refuge grew to encompass 81786 acres (331 km²) around Malheur Lake. In 1935, the United States Government purchased 64717 acres (261.9 km²) from the Eastern Oregon Live Stock Company for $675,000, adding the land to the refuge. The refuge was later renamed the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.During the 1930s, the refuge hosted three Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
camps. One was located at the Sod-House Ranch south of Malheur Lake. A second camp was located at Buena Vista Station and the third was located 5 miles (8 km) north of Frenchglen in the P Ranch area. Civilian Conservation Corps crews built a number of stone buildings to house the refuge headquarters near the Sod House site. In addition, they constructed several refuge buildings at Buena Vista, four lookout towers, the main refuge patrol road, four concrete dams, numerous canals and bridges, and hundreds of miles of fence before the camps were closed in 1942.
Because it played an important role in the development of the cattle industry in the western United States, the Sod House Ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district on 29 January 1979. The district covers 10 acre (0.0404686 km²). Today, eight of the ten original ranch buildings plus three other historic structures remain at the site. Most of the historic buildings are in good condition.
Structures
Originally the Sod House Ranch complex included ten buildings. The ranch buildings were constructed between the early 1880s and 1900. Today, eight of those building and several other historic structures remain at the ranch site. They are the main house, a buckarooBuckaroo
A Buckaroo is a cowboy of the vaquero tradition of the Great Basin and California regions of the United States, particularly one skilled in the handling of horses...
bunkhouse
Bunkhouse
A bunkhouse is a hostel or barracks-like building that historically was used to house working cowboys on ranches in North America. As most cowboys were young single men, the standard bunkhouse was a large open room with narrow beds or cots for each individual and little privacy...
, a large barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
, a workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
, a carriage shed, adjoining chicken coop
Chicken coop
A chicken coop is a building where female chickens are kept. Inside there are often nest boxes for egg laying and perches on which the birds can sleep, although coops for meat birds seldom have either of these features....
and grain storage shed, a stone cellar, a small cabin, a beef wheel, and several original stockade fences. The ranch site is surrounded by a number of large cottonwood tree planted in 1892 by Emanuel Clark, French’s Sod House Ranch foreman.
All of the Sod House Ranch buildings were constructed using native materials including pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
and aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
lumber, juniper posts, and locally quarried stone. Most of the buildings have been repaired, reroofed, or restored in some way, but all of the structures still retained their original character.
The barn was probably the first building constructed at site. It was probably built in the early 1880s. It is 120 feet (36.6 m) long and 50 feet (15.2 m) wide. It is a post and beam structure with heavy juniper posts supporting the roof, which is 30 feet (9.1 m) high at its peak. The exterior of the barn is finished with pine and juniper boards. The roof is covered with pine shingles
Roof shingle
Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. These elements are typically flat rectangular shapes laid in rows from the bottom edge of the roof up, with each successive higher row overlapping the joints in the row below...
. The original roof was replaced in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps using the same kind is pine shingles that originally covered the structure. The interior of the barn is a single large room with a wide center aisle to accommodate a winter hay supply. Feed racks run the length of the barn on both the east and west sides.
In 1999, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
undertook a complex three phased project to stabilize and restore the barn. During the project, house jacks were used to lift the barn clear of the ground while failing interior support posts were removed and replaced by new juniper posts. Concrete piers were also placed beneath the interior posts for stability. The project also shifted the structure 23 inches back into vertical alignment.
At the same time, a number of partners joined the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to restore other ranch buildings. This conservation work took five years. The Sod House Ranch was reopened to the public on 18 October 2003. Among the partners that helped to restore the ranch were the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
Architectural Field School, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department , officially known as the State Parks and Recreation Department, is the government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon which operates its system of state parks...
, the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a U.S. federal government program that was created under President Bill Clinton by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 and later expanded by 50 percent under President George W. Bush...
, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation protects, sustains and restores the wildlife, plants and habitats of the United States. Established by Congress in 1984, the Foundation directs public conservation dollars to critical environmental needs and matches those investments with private...
, the Harney County Historical Society, Malheur Wildlife Associates, the High Desert Museum
High Desert Museum
The High Desert Museum is located near Bend, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1982, it brings regional wildlife, culture, art and natural resources together to promote an understanding of natural and cultural heritage of North America’s high desert country...
, and numerous local volunteer groups. Today, the Sod House Ranch is open to the public from 15 August through 15 October. It is closed the rest of the year because the area provides important nesting habitat for colonies of great blue heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
s, double-crested cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
The Double-crested Cormorant is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It occurs along inland waterways as well as in coastal areas, and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico...
s, and Canada geese.
Location
The Sod House Ranch Historic District is located within the boundaries of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon. The historic district covers 10 acre (0.0404686 km²). The site is approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Malheur Lake and 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the Donner und Blitzen River. The elevation of the ranch is 4104 feet (1,250.9 m) above sea level.The Sod House Ranch is 25 miles (40.2 km) southeast of Burns, Oregon
Burns, Oregon
Burns is a city in and the county seat of Harney County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 2,806.-History:Burns was established in the early 1880s and incorporated upon Harney county's creation in 1889...
in direct line. From Burns, travel east on Oregon Route 78
Oregon Route 78
Oregon Route 78 is an Oregon state highway running from Burns in Harney County to Burns Junction in Malheur County. OR 78 is known as the Steens Highway No. 442...
for 2 miles (3.2 km); then turn south on Oregon Route 205
Oregon Route 205
Oregon Route 205 is an Oregon state highway running from OR 78 near Burns to Roaring Springs Ranch. OR 205 is known as the Frenchglen Highway No. 440 . It is long and runs north–south, entirely within Harney County.OR 205 has been designated the High Desert Discovery Scenic Byway by the...
. Follow Route 205 for 23 miles (37 km) before turning east on the Narrows-Princeton Road. Approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) from that junction, turn south on the Sod House Ranch access road. Follow the access road for 1 miles (1.6 km) to reach the historic ranch site.