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Richard Roland Hinton was born February 28, 1852 in Missouri, enroute to Oregon by ox team. His parents settled in the Willamette Valley as most settlers coming to Oregon did because the interior regions of Oregon are difficult due to uneven terrain, harsh climate and hostile Indians.
At the age of 19, Hinton struck out on his own. The crowded conditions in the Willamette Valley, the Homestead Act of 1862, and the discovery of gold in John Day by the 1860s, contributed to him crossing the mountains to the vast land east of the Cascades. Richard Hinton was one of the earliest settlers to homestead in the high plateau country. Most homesteading did not begin in the desert interiors of Oregon until after 1900.
The landscape in North Central Oregon is semi-arid high desert and broken canyon country. A portion of the Columbia Plateau, it is cut by rocky ridges and deep canyons. The initial impression can be bleak. Early explorers described it as "a barren region, furrowed by immense canyons," saying it was suited to the "wandering savage and the lonely seeker."[1] Rainfall is limited, with eight to ten inches annually; water for domestic use, livestock and wildlife is found in springs throughout canyons providing substantial and consistent water supply.
Hinton settled and filed a homestead claim in 1871, the same year Joseph Sherar was homesteading at Bakeoven and one year before a stage route began carrying supplies to the mines in Canyon City. Today the Imperial Stock Ranch is located in an area known as Bakeoven. As told by his grandson Bobby Hinton, he arrived with his saddle horse, packhorse and a six gun. A year later, Andy Swift built the Bakeoven Inn and the Bakeoven Stage Stop began operating on The Dalles - Canyon City Military Road. Prior to that, most traffic was by pack train. Bakeoven was established as a post office by 1876 and had a blacksmith shop and livery barn to serve travelers. By 1877, stagecoach service was increased to twice a week. Bakeoven was an important junction and overnight stop. By 1888, stage service through Bakeoven was six days per week. The town of Bakeoven would eventually become part of the Imperial Stock Ranch holdings. Richard Hinton first appears on the Wasco County tax roll in 1873 with a total net worth of $163. He held a claim, but owned no land.
Richard Hinton married Mary Emma Fitzpatrick in 1872, and brought his bride to the dugout cave that was his home about two miles down Hinton Creek (north) from where his ranch headquarters would eventually be built. With only a few head of sheep in the beginning, he began the tough job of trying to "prove up.” Homesteading implied farming, and farming was difficult in such marginal country. Where many other homesteaders would fail, Hinton was successful in persevering and being able to adapt to the conditions. He established a diverse operation, keying on stock raising, but also cutting hay to carry the stock through the winters, and producing grain for feed and for sale. Many settlers invested in stock, but failed to provide for the hard winters. Heavy and sustained winter snow caused critical losses in their herds. The early years were hard on the Hintons. The Hinton’s son, James E., was born in the dugout cave in 1874. Their daughter Lillian was born in 1876. Mary Emma worked beside her husband to build their future. The hardships of pioneer life, toil and sacrifice took their toll, and she died in 1884. Mary Emma (Fitzpatrick) Hinton is buried in the Hinton Cemetery one mile north of the ranch headquarters.
As tough as the homesteading scene was in marginal country like Oregon’s semi arid interior, Richard must have been both hard working and a shrewd businessman. Besides these qualities, he was also progressive in his thinking when it came to planning and building for permanence. Where most of the stockmen coming east of the Cascades were itinerant, some without even a home base for operations, Richard Hinton began to prove up on his homestead and accumulate stock simultaneously. He planned diligently to increase his land holdings. In 1883, he obtained title to his first piece of land, the original homestead of 160 acres where the ranch headquarters are located. By 1895, he held title to more than 2,000 acres and owned more than 5,000 head of sheep as well as cattle. Between 1895 and 1900, his holdings were expanding rapidly; so that by the turn of the century, he held title to nearly 10,000 acres and was running more than 10,000 sheep. When the Columbia Southern Railroad reached Shaniko in 1901, Hinton had positioned himself to be a dominant player in the county and the state's commerce. He was the largest individual producer of wool and sheep in this region of Oregon. By then, the Imperial Stock Ranch was more than 15,000 acres of deeded land, with an equal number of sheep and a thousand head of registered cattle.
During this period, particularly the early 1880s, the sheep industry was rapidly increasing in importance. Wool became one of Oregon's leading exports and sources of revenue. The dry interior regions were well-suited to raising sheep. At a time when Oregon was fifth in the United States in wool production and second in sheep production, 25 per cent of those products were being marketed out of north Central Oregon. "Most of the raw wool originated in Central Oregon, especially the Shaniko area, and the finest grades of wool being sought by eastern buyers were also being produced in the dry regions of Oregon's interior.”[2] The condition and quality of wool were excellent. Men like Hinton were improving their flocks. Richard Hinton was importing breeding stock, and began building a reputation that has carried forward to the present for fine grades and condition of wool coming from the Imperial Stock Ranch. It was during this period early 1880s to 1900, that the crossbreeding of fine wool sheep specifically Rambouillet, with typically heavier breeds of sheep to produce a dual purpose sheep suited to the desert interior, was so successful. This successful crossbred sheep by commercial range sheep men like Hinton and his neighbors in the Columbia plateau region gained the attention of the USDA and led to consideration, development and eventually naming of a new breed of sheep. The breed was officially developed as a registered breed later in Idaho (first “official cross” in Wyoming), just a few years prior to 1920. This quote from the Shaniko Leader (1902) gives great testimony, "Recently, he (Richard Hinton) has turned his attention to cattle, and is following the lines he pursued with the sheep, getting the best blood obtainable regardless of price ... his judgment of cattle is as good and thorough as that shown in selecting his flocks." (p. 124)
To insure long term availability of range for his stock, Hinton went about the business of acquiring land. This was at a period in history of some huge stock empires. However, most of those empires were not built on deeded land. As the number of settlers increased, and as more and more land was being fenced and brought under the plow, the character of ranching began to change. Hinton shrewdly positioned himself as a landowner. He kept his operation diverse, running cattle as well as sheep—a rare combination in the latter days of the 1800s, when range wars were being fought between sheep men and cattlemen. Eventually, he would also harvest thousands of acres of wheat; and wheat would inevitably overtake wool and lamb as top revenue export for Oregon. Richard Hinton did more than acquire land to insure range for his stock, he also protected its condition. Because sheep normally have a herder present who moves them often, range grazed by sheep can be in excellent condition. This was not always true. However, "most of the best privately owned ranges east of the Cascades were sheep ranges until recent years." (Jackman and Long, p. 138) In the Hinton operation, the sheep were never in one area more than three days. (Sappington) The range on the Imperial Stock Ranch has always had the reputation of being in excellent shape and remains so today. This philosophy of caring for the land and having reverence for grasses and plants was Richard Hinton's religion. (Hinton) There was much evidence of this in his ranching practices and his domestic life.
Richard Hinton had built himself into a very prominent position by 1900. The Columbia Southern Railroad was building into the interior of Oregon. The end of the line was to be the newly created town of Shaniko. Shaniko's location would be less than fifteen miles from the ranch headquarters. Hinton had quite an operational complex by then, and in 19OO, completed his new home. It was the showpiece of his empire. He was moving up in the business and social world. He had married for the second time in 1886 to Clara J. Bird, from a prominent family in The Dalles, and she would help influence the social circle in which the Hintons would move. Richard and Clara had two children, Richard B. "Dickie" in 1890, and Mary Lulu in 1891.
Shaniko emerged as Wasco County's number one city for business and trade. Millions of pounds of wool and other products shipped out by train, and millions of dollars changed hands in a day. The Columbia Southern became one of the most financially productive short lines in the United States; and Shaniko became the "wool capital of the world." (Rees, Shaniko, p. 35) Even though it was the railroad that made the difference, "credit for the rapid development of commerce when the railroad was built, must go to the homesteaders, sheep men and ranchers who had settled in Central Oregon by 1898." (Rees, Shaniko, p. 2) The Imperial Stock Ranch and Richard Hinton were very prominent players in the region.
Throughout the period of historic significance (1871 to 1945), the Imperial Stock Ranch was a community in itself. With up to 15 bands of sheep, representing 35,000 or more in number, cattle, horses, and up to 5,000 acres in crop, many men were required on the payroll. Even when sheep numbers were declining rapidly in Wasco County from 329,000 in 1910 to 65,000 in 1940, and only 29,827 in 1945, the Imperial Stock Ranch continued as a sheep empire on an enormous scale. (Due and Rush, p. 152) Most of the county's inventory belonged to the Hintons. There were herders, packers, farmers, cooks, camp tenders, chore boys, cowboys, a blacksmith, carpenter and more. Even the government trapper lived in the bunk house from the late 1920s into the late 1970s. He got free room and board, and sent the ears off predators he had trapped, to the government to collect his bounty. In fact, there were three government trappers on the ranch full time during a portion of the historic period. (Belozer) The sheep were on the home ranch from about October 1 until June 1. Then they would go to summer pastures leased from the Forest Service. This began in 1905. It took two weeks to trail them there, and two weeks to come home. The cattle and horses were on the home ranch all year long. The Imperial Stock Ranch took care of much of its food needs with large gardens, an orchard, hogs and chickens, sheep and beef, a slaughterhouse, smokehouse and milk cows. They could store eight tons of groceries on the shelves in the basement of the cookhouse. (Sappington) There was a large walk-in meat locker in the basement of the cook house that is still in working order.
For the family of Richard Hinton, the domestic scene was quite aristocratic by the period 1900 to 1945. They had a cook, servants and a little later, a chauffeur named Basil Littlepage. Besides the bounty of the ranch, the train coming into Shaniko made it possible to live very well. They could have specialty foods or luxuries of the day such as fresh seafood from the coast. The Hinton children did not go to public school, but were tutored on the ranch and then sent to private academies. James Hinton attended Bishop Scott Academy and then returned to the ranch to work in the ranching operation. Lillian eventually married J. L. Hollingshead in 1896. He became the first mayor of Antelope, Oregon, and later they moved to Boise, Idaho. Of Richard Hinton’s second family, Richard Jr. went to Hills Military Academy and Mary Lulu attended St. Mary's Academy in Portland.
The Hintons associated with prominent and wealthy families during that era. They were very close with Bishop Robert Paddock who would come and spend time at the ranch, sometimes staying a week or more. There was a close association with the William H. Moody family (son of ex- governor Zenas Moody) around whom much of Shaniko's social life centered. Richard would send the car up to Shaniko to pick up Mrs. Moody and bring her to the ranch where she instructed Mary Lulu in music on the baby grand piano in the living room of the Hinton home. Violet Melville lived at the Imperial Stock Ranch for years. She was a niece of Clara (Bird) Hinton and would eventually marry James E. Hinton. Violet was quite a socialite and a great friend to Mary Lulu. The girls would go to Portland for painting lessons. Another close association was the William Borah family of Idaho. Violet gave many pieces of hand-painted china to Mrs. Borah. People would come to visit the Hintons, like the Melvilles or prominent bankers and others of that circle, and Richard would send a rig up to Shaniko to pick them up. The Hintons had the finest horses and clothes that could be bought. The women of the Hinton family had their dresses tailored by the Shogren sisters of Portland. Both Richard Sr. and James were noted for their fine carriage and always wearing three piece suits, even when riding horseback or delivering supplies to a sheep camp. By 1915, Richard and Clara Hinton were traveling often and spending time in the winter in southern California. They stayed at an old Victorian hotel in La Jolla where the wealthy went for a holiday. And yet, Richard still had that frugal spirit upon which his work ethic and success were founded. He was always up early and made his own coffee, working in the gardens or helping with the canning. According to his grandson, Bobby Hinton, Richard was good-natured, although dominating in his presence. With all of this opulence around them, and the steady success of the Imperial Stock Ranch, who would guess the personal tragedies that would come for the Hinton family.
Richard Hinton Jr. (“Dickie”) was probably a disappointment to his father, as he developed a reputation for being on the wild side. Richard Sr. thought marriage might settle him down, and encouraged him to marry Minnie Wakerlig. They were married in 1909. Within the first year, a son Robert (Bobby) Hinton was born. It did not have any effect on Dickie however, and soon he and Minnie were divorced. Bobby stayed in the Hinton home on the ranch and was raised by his grandparents Richard and Clara until he was twelve years old. Dickie was never involved with the ranching empire.
Mary Lulu met an even more tragic fate. It is difficult to discover the true circumstances of her death after so many years. Only vague details appear in the newspapers at the time of her death in 1916, at 25 years of age. It is suggested she was mentally ill and either fell or jumped from an apartment window in Portland. Mary Brown, niece of Violet Melville Hinton, tells how Mary Lulu loved traveling to the city and had become unhappy at the ranch. She loved the shows, shopping and the social life of the city. Mary Brown confirms Mary Lulu's death as suicide. Bobby Hinton, who was living on the ranch during those years and adored Mary Lulu, testifies that she was certainly not mentally ill. He reports she was beautiful and vivacious, but that she became pregnant. He believes the pressures she must have felt over this scandal led to her suicide.
These were very stormy years for the Hintons. The culminating tragedy was the death of Clara (Bird) Hinton. The distress she experienced over the lives of her children and the death of Mary Lulu must have been great. In addition, Mary Brown testifies that Clara suffered from breast cancer, and it was not something openly discussed during that time period. Clara shot herself in the Hinton home in 1922.
James Hinton had been working alongside his father all through his growing up years, and they were operating together by the early 1900s. Richard Hinton sold the ranch to his son James in 1915 for one dollar, all but the 160 acre original homestead piece where the ranch headquarters is located. Richard remained at the ranch until the late 1920s, and then retired to California until his death in 1932.
James Hinton was dedicated to the Imperial Stock Ranch, working relentlessly. He carried on the work begun by his father, and became a reputable rancher and sheep man in his own right. James Hinton continued to build the Imperial Stock Ranch holdings by increasing both land and stock. He was as hard working, shrewd in business and driven as his father. Under James' leadership, the empire grew to just under 70,000 deeded acres in Wasco County alone, plus thousands of leased acres. It was carrying 25,000 to 35,000 head of sheep, more than 1000 head of registered cattle and pasturing 100 head of horses. James was reportedly interested in Violet Melville who was staying at the ranch, but she did not return his interest at the time. He married Leona Hayden in 1927, at age 53. Circumstances of that marriage are unknown. James did not have children, and therefore no one to carry on after him on the ranch. As James Hinton was aging (71) and had no heirs, he sold a partnership interest to George Ward in 1945. Ward had been working on the ranch since the early 1930's. The 1945 census listed the Imperial Stock Ranch as the largest individually owned ranch in Oregon. With this new partnership, the 75 year Hinton proprietorship had ended.
James Hinton did marry a second time in 1947, at 73 years of age, and this time it was to Violet Melville. James remained actively involved in the operation of the ranch until the late 1960s. In 1967, at age 93, he sold his remaining interest in the ranch holdings to George Ward. James E. Hinton died in 1971.
George Ward was born and raised on his father’s homestead near Antelope, Oregon, located about 25 miles from the Imperial Stock Ranch. He first came to work for the Hintons in the 1930s. George proved to be not only a dedicated and loyal hand, but excellent with livestock. George earned the respect of James Hinton, and in 1945, James sold half interest in the ranch to George and Mary Ward. Her parents (Charles Hampton) furnished the money for the down payment, and the partnership was formed. Over the years, George and Mary Ward carried on the reputation and traditions of the ranching operation, and were vital members of the agricultural community and surrounding region. As successful ranchers, they were both leaders in industry organizations. George and Mary had two children, Eric and Joan. They grew up active in the ranch’s activities and operations. Joan left the ranch shortly after graduating from high school. Eric worked as a partner with his father until his late twenties, when they separated some of the holdings and Eric went out on his own. Mary Ward preceded George in death. George carried on until the mid 1980’s, and then with no family taking over the home ranch, he began selling off portions of the operation. In 1988, he sold the remaining holding, and what had been the heart of the operation throughout its history, about 50 square miles of contiguous land including the headquarters complex, to Dan Carver. George died in 1989.
Even though it operated under a different name during a portion of its history (Hinton-Ward from 1945 to 1967; Ward Ranch from 1967–1988), the landscape in this portion of Wasco County has supported the agricultural activities of the Imperial Stock Ranch for more than 140 years. Today, the headquarters complex remains in good to excellent condition. The buildings are basically unaltered, and are being maintained for continued use and for their historic value.
The current ranch is approximately 32,000 acres or about 50 square miles. Production continues in all four commodities established by Richard Hinton in the early years, and continued throughout the ranch’s history: sheep, cattle, grains and hay. The economic strength of the ranch today (2011) is split between wheat and cattle production, supplemented by hay and sheep production. The Imperial Stock Ranch still maintains production of the Columbia breed of sheep.
The present owners, Dan and Jeanne Carver, have a deep love of history of the American west and a passion for the Oregon desert. They are both native Oregonians. They respect the land, and the heritage of those who have cared for it before them…both the native peoples who lived here first, and the tough-spirited pioneers who came after. The integrity and feeling associated with the physical resources and activities at the headquarters complex is truly historic. As McNeal stated when writing of the Bakeoven area, "post offices may come and post offices may go, but the Imperial Stock Ranch will go on forever." (McNeal, p. 262) The Carvers are working to ensure that it will.
Their efforts include preservation of the land, the ranching operation, the facilities, and the history. Diversity has been an important key to the ranch’s success throughout its history. Both crop production and livestock grazing are key elements in economic sustainability today. Managed livestock grazing is a key element to maintaining a vibrant and healthy landscape. In total, the ranch’s viability is an important contributor to the strength of the community. The ranch and its associated businesses provide employment for approximately 20 families today. The Imperial Stock Ranch finds itself challenged today, perhaps more than at any other time in its history, with regard to markets. In an increasingly consolidated, industrialized and outsourced world, selling your crop isn’t all that easy.
Since taking over the ranch in 1988, Dan Carver’s efforts have been centered around conservation work on the land, knowing that it would make for a significant economic return. He has been a leader in the region with progressive ranching practices. The Imperial Stock Ranch is recognized and awarded for its sustainable ranching efforts. All activities on the ranch are interconnected and managed in total for improved landscape health. Management of livestock, both cattle and sheep, in rotational grazing programs and all cropping practices and specific conservation work are part of the total ranch management plan. These practices are good for livestock, wildlife and the landscape. Our grazing animals revitalize plants, harvest sunlight, and help keep healthy stands of vegetation growing on the high desert landscape. The ranch’s 75 miles of creeks and many small lakes also benefit the ever improving fish and wildlife populations. Low input farming practices are exclusively used, from which soil is actually created, not lost. Our belief is that an ever improving landscape leads to a healthy ranch economy which in turn directly contributes to the vitality of our local and regional community. The Imperial Stock Ranch has received numerous awards for excellence in stewardship and land management practices. We are pleased to have been selected Honorable Mention for the 2004 National Patrick Madden Award for Sustainable Agriculture.
As public land becomes increasingly crowded and impacted by a growing population, the value of large private holdings for wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities is increasing. The Imperial Stock Ranch is home to a diverse population of big game animals and upland game birds. In addition, the ranch hosts numerous and diverse groups for tours by appointment.
In 1999, with processing and manufacturing facilities within the region closing, the Imperial Stock Ranch faced the single greatest period in its history with regard to marketing lamb and wool. In a four year period between 1996 and 2000, 26,000 sheep producers in America went out of business.
It was necessary to create our own markets, or sheep would disappear from the landscape. In 2000, the Imperial Stock Ranch put its first 100% wool yarns into the marketplace, and began selling lamb direct to chefs in the area. Since that time, Imperial Yarn has become one of the fastest growing yarn companies in the nation ( www.imperialyarn.com ), sold apparel to national clothing retailers (all produced within 100 miles of the ranch), sold yarns to other apparel companies, and headlined fashion runways. In addition, Imperial Stock Ranch lamb and beef is on menus in restaurants, and prepared by some of the top chefs in the northwest in Bend, Portland and the Columbia Gorge. Imperial Stock Ranch lamb has been featured at the James Beard House in New York numerous times. (www.imperialstockranch.com ) In the spirit of tough minded pioneers, the Imperial Stock Ranch is still finding a creative way to the future.
The Imperial Stock Ranch Headquarters Complex is a complete and functioning example of the operational centers of large stock ranch empires of the American West in the early 1900s. It is located in semi-arid range country approximately twelve miles southwest of Shaniko in Wasco County, Oregon. In the early 1900s, the Imperial Stock Ranch became the largest individually owned ranch holdings in Oregon. The area nominated as a National Historic District is approximately twenty acres in size, and includes the domestic and agricultural operations nucleus.
The headquarters complex is set in a sub irrigated valley along Hinton Creek, running south to north, and covers an area approximately 500 feet wide and 1900 feet long. This location is approximately two miles south of the dugout cave where Richard Hinton lived in the early years. It is presumed that Richard Hinton moved to the present location because there was room for the size operation he envisioned and the water from a spring in the east bank of the creek was excellent. It was a central location amid agricultural fields lying along the creek, and built mostly on sloping ground not as suitable for farming. When dropping into the valley, the landscape remains unchanged since long before the historic period, with the headquarters complex appearing much as it did in the early 1900s. The row of poplars, planted circa 1900, which shade the domestic buildings are a dominant feature. Their foliage, as well as the orchard and alfalfa fields along the creek, are a visual contrast to the golden bunchgrass and sage covered hillsides.
The complex consists of eighteen buildings and structures, one historic site and several historic objects. The southern portion of the complex holds the “domestic” structures, and the rest of the complex is made up of the agricultural resources. Twelve of the buildings or structures are considered historically significant under National Historic criteria. The dominant building in the domestic area is the Hinton House, completed in 1900. It was the showpiece of the empire,
Imperial Stock Ranch Headquarters Complex where the Hintons entertained and "held court" according to one source. (Brown) Photographs, descriptions and detailed maps of the complex and all contributing buildings and structures are included in the National Register nomination application on record. An exterior restoration of the Hinton House to national historic register standards was completed in 1993. All buildings are being maintained.
As a group, the resources in the complex exemplify the success of Richard Hinton, "a man who drastically altered the homesteading scene in southern Wasco County." (Rees, Shaniko, p. 21) Hinton’s story is representative of the American dream. He was a man who started with nothing and fought the battles of a harsh desert climate, marginal land, isolation, family tragedies and built his empire against the odds. He came like other homesteaders, lured by the opportunity to acquire free land. But unlike the typical homesteader, Hinton had the foresight and vision to think big, and the unique abilities to carry through. He would buy out many other homesteaders as they failed, and end up with vast holdings. Instead of southern Wasco County being dotted with small homestead holdings, much of it would become a part of the Hinton empire. Hinton's impact on the settlement and character of the southern portion of Wasco County, made him historically significant. The complex demonstrates the self-reliant and frugal spirit that was Hinton’s background and which grew into the completeness of his ranching operation. The quantity and size of the buildings give testimony to the size of the Imperial Stock Ranch operation. The Hinton House may at first seem too elegant and elaborate for a man with the meager beginnings of Hinton, but is an indication of the economic and social levels which he attained by the 1900s. The Imperial Stock Ranch "is an imperial ranch in every sense of the word, as Mr. Hinton is now the largest individual land, sheep and cattle owner in Wasco County, his holdings and belongings being an empire within itself." (Shaniko Leader 1901, p. 122) The fact that so many buildings remain today in good condition is evidence of his planning for permanence. In addition, all of the operational buildings that contribute historically are in use today, many in the same capacity as in the period of historic significance. This is a tribute to the continued significance of this ranch's prominence in the local area and county since the 1870s. Hinton had the resources as well as the foresight to build well. The buildings and structures have changed little since the historic period. Only the Hinton House has been modified greatly. The exterior restoration to near original was completed in 1993.
Since January, 2011, some upgrades were made to the interior of the Hinton House and a thorough clean up and preparation done, to establish it as the headquarters of the Imperial Yarn business. The Hinton House has been given new life based upon the old story of “wool” on the Imperial Stock Ranch. It now serves as a functioning office/warehouse/meeting space and show room for the growing wool yarn business. (www.imperialyarn.com)
1. Hinton House—completed in 1900. Residence of Richard Roland Hinton until the late 1920s. Residence of James E. Hinton until the 1950s. Residence of George Ward until 1972. Currently serves as Imperial Yarn Headquarters. Historic.
2. Servants’ Quarters—built shortly after the Hinton House. Housed domestic help. Residence for James E. Hinton until the 1920s. Also functioned as an office. During the Hinton-Ward era and after, housing for college students conducting research on sheep. Currently housing a part of the Imperial Yarn business. Historic.
3. Well—original well serving the Hinton House (c. 1900). Historic.
4. Ice House—c. 1900. Large blocks of ice were picked up by wagon in Shaniko and brought to the ranch. Chipping off portions of ice, it provided the main house “icebox.” Historic.
5. Smoke House—c. 1900. The ranch raised its own hogs and smoked the meat. Richard Hinton had hogs as early as 1875. Historic.
6. Garage—c. 1912. The Hintons had automobiles before 1915, probably some of the earliest in the area. Historic.
7. Cook House—built in 1940 to replace the original which burned. The original was a two story wooden structure with a dirt basement. The upper story was the bunk house. The existing cook house is located on the same site as the original two story building. It was a functioning cook house until the late 1960s, and housing for the ranch superintendent through the 1970s and 1980s. No longer serves in its historic role, instead is used as employee housing. Historic.
8. Bunk House—built in 1940 to replace the original which burned. Built on the site of the original Blacksmith Shop. Capable of housing up to 25 men, normally eight to ten men were housed there full-time at the headquarters. It is still in use today to house ranch employees. Adapted to provide cooking facilities. Historic.
9. Barn—built prior to c. 1912. Original use was primarily to house work horses used in freighting/ all ranch work. Contains four granaries, feeders for horses, hay storage and today, modified to include a tack room and museum room. Historic.
10. Round Pen/Breaking Corral – built prior to c. 1900. This was a particularly important element of the ranch prior to trucking, when the ranch was run with horses. There were still 100 horses on the ranch well into the 1950s. This structure and its associated fences, gates and pens give evidence of the quality and permanence with which Richard Hinton built. Huge heavy posts were set, then steel rods that went through the gates bracketed through the posts. This prevented gates from sagging and deteriorating. It took significant resources and investment to build in this manner. The corral has been maintained through the years and has always been an essential resource for working cattle. Historic.
11. Shearing Plant and 12. Sweat Shed—built before c. 1915. This is a two building unit which was a key in the operation and success of the empire, built to accommodate 12 shearers. In the early years, all shearing utilized manual clippers. Eventually, they could work off one drive shaft powered by a stationary engine located outside the building. The sweat shed would house approximately 500 sheep waiting to move through an alley and into the shearing plant. This unit functioned in shearing through the 1960s. Today, the accompanying shed is used for equipment storage. The shearing plant itself has functioned continuously to the present. Historic.
13. Orchard—planted around the Hinton House on all but the west side, prior to 1910. Primarily apple trees, but some plum also remain on the east side. The south portion of the orchard was removed to make room for a new ranch house built in 1972. The orchard is another feature giving evidence of the self-sufficient pioneer spirit of Richard Hinton. The orchard is still producing a good crop today. New trees have been added through the years (Peach, Cherry, Pear, Plum, in addition to replacement Apple trees), but some of the originals are still producing. Historic.
14. Ranch House and Pool—brick home built in 1972; currently, the main house for domestic use. The pool was built in the 1960s, and sits east of the new ranch house. It has been maintained and is functioning. Non-historic.
15. Shop—three bay shop facility built in the late 1940s. Originally, the ranch had a blacksmith shop located where the Bunk House now stands. It was torn down when the Bunk House was built. Non-historic.
16. Grain Elevator—built in the 1940s. It provided storage for grain, and the ability to take advantage of prices and bulk shipment. Still in use for grain storage today. Historic.
17. Lambing Barn—built in the 1970s. Today, we lamb out all sheep on the ranch at this facility. We have a closed flock, descended from the historic period. All lambing has taken place here at the headquarters since the 1970s. During the period of significance, lambing took place at four large lambing camps located on the range. Non-historic.
18. Feedlot, Sorting Pens and Scales—built in the early 1950s, and designed for size and convenience. They provide an environment for handling livestock efficiently. This facility allows for marketing directly off the ranch, and for marketing the hay produced on the ranch (through the calves) for maximum profits of both crops (hay and beef). Non-historic.
19. Hinton Automobile—Historic Object.
20. Jin Pole—used in hand stacking hay. Historic Object.
21. Blacksmith Forge and Implements—Historic Object.
22. Meat Wheel and Slaughterhouse Slab—Historic Object.
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Carver, Daniel. Personal Interview. As present owner, provided information about the ranch which came from conversations with George Ward during the purchase process and following. (Ward is deceased.)
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Company. 1912.
Genealogical Forum of Portland, Oregon. Abstracts from Genealogical Material in Oregon Donation Land Claims, Vol. I. 1957.
Hampton, Rusty. Personal Interviews. Brother of Mary (Hampton) Ward. Their father financed George Ward in 1945, in purchasing the partnership in the Imperial Stock Ranch. June through November, 1993.
Harrell, Michael. Conducted research in Pendleton Woolen Mills and Columbia Scouring Mills Archives. October, 1993.
Harris, Bruce. The History of Wasco County. Unpublished, located in Wasco County Library. 1983.
Hinton, Robert (Bobby). Personal Interviews. Born in 1910, grandson of R. R. Hinton and Clara (Bird) Hinton. Numerous interviews between May and November 1993; visited the ranch on August 7, 1993.
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea. Vol. II. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1912.
Hunt, Clarence N. "Sheep Ranching." Mid-Columbia Community Action Council, Inc., The Dalles. April - May, 1982.
Jackman, E. R., and R. A. Long. The Oregon Desert. Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd. 1973.
Lomax, Alfred L. Later Woolen Mills in Oregon. Portland: Binsford and Mort. 1974.
Lyman, Horace S. History of Oregon. New York: North Pacific Publishing Society. 1903.
Malarkey, Thomas Burgess, Sr. Excerpts of the Malarkey - Burgess - Tucker - Families. Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society. 1980.
Maupin Times Newspaper. Issues of 1914-1915. Located in the Maupin Library.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 1984.
McNeal, William H. History of Wasco County, Oregon. The Dalles: Wasco County Pioneers Association. 1950.
Nielsen, Lawrence E., Doug Newman and George McCart. Pioneer Roads in Central Oregon. Bend, Oregon: Maverick Publications. 1985.
Olsen, Ivan. Personal Interview. Born in 1908. Owned Shaniko store and had business dealings with J. E. Hinton. Worked some for R. R. Hinton when he was a boy. November, 1992.
Poppeliers, John C., S. Allen Chambers, Jr., Nancy B. Schwartz. What Style Is It? Washington, D. C.: The Preservation Press. 1983.
Potter, Miles F. Oregon's Golden Years. Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd. 1976.
Reeder, John. Personal Interview. Born in 1912. Long-time resident of Shaniko. Managed the grocery store there and handled the account with the Imperial Stock Ranch. October, 1993.
Rees, Helen Guyton. Schoolmarms. Portland: Binsford and Mort. 1983.
Rees, Helen Guyton. Shaniko, From Wool Capital to Ghost Town. Portland: Binsford and Mort. 1982.
Rees, Helen Guyton. Shaniko People. Portland: Binsford and Mort. 1983.
Sappington, Chuck. Written Testimony. Employed by the Imperial Stock Ranch in the early 1950s. October, 1993.
Scott, Harvey W. History of the Oregon Country, Vol. I. Cambridge: The Riverside Press. 1924.
Scott, Leslie M. Oregon Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 33 (edited by Scott).
Salem: Statesman Publishing Company. 1932.
Shaniko Leader, Illustrated Annual. Vol. II, No. 38. Shaniko, Oregon. January, 1902. Available at the Oregon Historical Society.
Sherman County Deed Records. 1880 - 1945.
Sherman County Tax Rolls. 1880 - 1945.
Ward, Eric. Personal Interviews. Son of George Ward. October and November, 1993.
Wasco County Birth and Death Extracts. Wasco County Library.
Wasco County Deed Records. 1870–present.
Wasco County Marriage Records. 1870 - 1950.
Wasco County Tax Rolls. 1865 - 1920.
Wasco County U. S. Census for 1880. Wasco County Library.
VI
Links
www.imperialstockranch.com
www.imperialyarn.com