The Heritage of the Hollister Ranch

The Heritage of the Hollister Ranch
"The Hollister Ranch is located in a unique part of the world, a 14,600-acre stretch of coastal California that has remained relatively unchanged over the centuries. It comprises 136 parcels, overlaid by a single cattle operation managed by the Hollister Ranch Cooperative. More than 98% of the land is designated to remain as open space.

"The Ranch and adjacent shoreline is a preserve of wildlife, diverse botanical resources, and thriving intertidal sea life, containing flora and fauna from northern and southern bio-regions, in addition to several species found nowhere else.

"It is impossible to be at the Ranch and not be aware of its compelling beauty. Gnarled old oak and sycamore trees living along its creeks and canyons, and a visitor from the distance past would recognize the shadowed faces of the hills. The survival of the Ranch is a miracle of sorts, helped along the way by wise land use decisions, responsible stewardship, cooperative effort, and a good deal of luck. It is a legacy that inspires gratitude and respect, and it is the foundation upon which our diverse community is built."

—From a Hollister Ranch Design Committee brochure.
For more information and photos, check out our friend Rick Sawyer's real estate site: HollisterRanch.com

Hollister Ranch on Curbed.com

Yesterday, the very popular real estate site Curbed.com posted a home page feature on Gaviota's Hollister Ranch. The post, titled "Bane to Surfers, Hollister Ranch Makes The Outdoors Exclusive" covered a few properties for sale and rent. This is how the author summed up the Hollister Ranch:

The 14,400-acre seaside tract north of Santa Barbara, Calif. known as Hollister Ranch has been a ranch since the tail end of the 18th century, and was acquired by the Hollister family in 1869. In 1971, a developer subdivided the coveted property into 136 parcels, each measuring 100-acres. With 8.5 miles of pristine shared beach, a beach club complex, 24-hour security, a 500-head shared herd of cattle, and strict community guest policy make for a unique blend of celebrity-level privacy and rustic Old West ranching. The focus on limited access has made the gated community a villain to local surfers, who now boat in and anchor off the coast to access Hollister's legendary breaks. And yes, in case you were wondering, the Abercrombie & Fitch spinoff Hollister Co. takes its name from the ranch. That sounds like strike two for, er, real surfers. One way around all the access b.s. is to buy or rent a place, but you'll need to be a millionaire beach bum for that.