Brad Ditton
Broker/Owner
Century 21 Ditton Realty
40307 Highway 41
Oakhurst, CA 93644 |
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| direct: (559) 760-3485 • office: (559) 683-7653 • email: b.ditton@C21Ditton.com |
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Then
Charles O'Neal came to California in 1857. He managed the Santa Rita Ranch for cattle baron Henry Hildreth, and then for "California's Cattle King" Henry Miller. Charles and his wife Bettie then purchased the Gilmore-Mace Ranch in Spring Valley. In 1887 he became postmaster and built a store and a hotel. He gave this new "town" his name. Harmon Bigelow ran a phone line from his house to his
mother-in-laws in 1903, launching the Bigelow Telephone Co. The Bigelow Stage Line, servicing Sugar Pine, Bass Lake, and North Fork made O'Neals a stage stop for a short time also.
Now
Cattle ranches are still a way of life for the people of O'Neals. In fact, the O'Neal's are still in the cattle business here, along with many other pioneer ranch familes like the Bissetts, Ellis', McDougalds, and the Browns.
Harmon Bigelow's Telephone Company is now The Ponderosa Telephone Company. With a population of 434, O'Neals also supports the Spring Valley School and the up-and-coming Westbrook Winery. Be sure to call the Westbrook Winery for an advanced tour reservation. You can become part of the whole wine making experience when Tammy and Ray Krause host private tours of their winery. Who knows, after the tour, you may want to become part or their harvest team.
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