Orcutt Ranch

 

History

William W. Orcutt was born February 14, 1869 in Concord, Dodge County, Minnesota and came to Ventura County, California in 1882 at the age of 12. He attended local schools in Santa Paula and Stanford University in its opening year of 1891. He graduated with Standford's pioneer class of 1895 alongside his good friend Herbert Hoover! He received his degree in civil and hydraulic engineering and was hired in 1899 to work for the Union Oil Company in Santa Paula.

June 9, 1897 he married Addah Mary Logan known as Mary to her friends.

In 1899 Orcutt became curious about a wildcat oil well at Rancho La Brea in Los Angeles (now known as the La Brea Tar Pits on Wilshire Blvd). In investigating the pond he discovered, although he did not realize it then, the largest group of Pleistocene Ice Age fossils in a single place. He then spent years hiking out and digging for bones that had been preserved in the tar from 10,000 to 40,000 years ago. He is noted for finding the first ever entire saber-toothed cat skull.

Willam and Mary Orcutt built their vacation home in 1921 which was referred to as the Rancho Somebre del Roble (ranch shaded by the oak). Originally this vacation home was on 200 acres and the house was over 3,000 square feet. Although only 24 acres remain there are still live oaks 400 to 600 years old on the property.

Mrs. Orcutt was very active in the community. She was a hostess during the 1932 Olympics held in Los Angeles. In 1947 Mary Orcutt purchased two acres of a peach orchard in order to build the Guadalupe Center where local farm hand families could socialize. This center is still open today!

 

Investigation #1

July 16, 2005

 

Time:	11:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Sunrise:	5:54 a.m.
Sunset:	8:05 p.m.
Weather Conditions:	Clear, Sunny
Lunar Phase:	First quarter Moon
Equipment:	35mm cameras digital cameras IR Thermometers Digital Recorders Sony Camcorder