Rankin Ranch

Walker Basin was originally named "The Park" before being named for Joseph R. Walker, an early day scout. Walker Rankin, the founder of Rankin Ranch, was 22 when he left Pennsylvania in 1854 for the California Gold Rush. He founded Rankin Ranch in 1863 and married Lavinia Lightner, whose family had settled in the basin in 1858. The Rankin home and barns, still in use today, were built in the mid 1870's. From that time to the turn of the century, Rankin Ranch was a stage stop for overland mail and travelers enroute from Caliente to Havilah and Kernville. The Rankin family continues this longtime ranching tradition in Walker Basin.

California · United States