In 1910, when Redmond was a bustling community of 216, a Texas oil man by the name of Gates purchased the property from homesteaders, forming what was known for years as the "Gates Ranch". The main ranch house, shown above, was built in 1916 and is still standing. It is currently used as the Crooked River Ranch Senior Center. It is available for weddings and receptions.
In 1961 the ranch was purchased by the Thomas Bell family. It was operated as the Z-Z Cattle Co. for the next 10 years.
Crooked River Ranch was developed by Bill MacPherson in 1972 as a recreational site. It is now the largest homeowners' association in Oregon and has grown to over 4000 in population and is continuing an upward trend towards becoming the largest subdivision of its kind.
The Clubhouse and pool were opened in 1973. The first nine holes of the Crooked River Golf Course were played in 1978.
The Ranch's zoning changed from recreational to rural/residential in 1980, and in 1992 final rezoning took place making it a residential subdivision.
Crooked River Ranch is, after all, a great place to hang your hat.
The Clubhouse
From The Crooked River Chronicle, December 15, 1972
Historical fixtures and furnishings from the famed Hoyt Hotel, in Portland, will become part of the decor for the clubhouse currently under construction at Crooked River Ranch. The Clubhouse is under construction near the foot of "Eyeball Hill", part of the main entrance road to Crooked River Ranch.
For nearly a decade, until just recently, the Hoyt was a major drawing card for tourists to Oregon because of its lavish "gay nineties" and other antique decor. The furnishings were primarily the collection of more than a quarter century by Oregon lumber man Harvey Dick. Gracie Hansen, famed for her impersonation of a turn-of-the-century entertainment lady and her Paradise nightclub at the Seattle World's Fair, acted as hostess for the Hoyt's showrooms.
When the antiques and other historical goodies from the Hoyt's show complex were sold recently, the auction brought decorators, Tiffany shade buffs, antique dealers and other buyers from as far away as Tennessee. Bill MacPherson, development boss of the ranch, attended the auction for four days. Among the things he bought were gaslights, the bar and the ornate back bar.
MacPherson plans that the bar will be installed on the main floor of the new clubhouse for operation as a "soda bar" for young people. The main bar, 24-feet long, is from the famed Barbary Coast area of San Francisco. It survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. The back bar is from the mining town of Wallace, Idaho.
The historical back bar includes a "perfect" mirror about 12 feet long. The two huge pieces, bar and back bar, weigh nearly four tons.
