Beginning in the 1850's, the Steele Brothers pioneered one of the first large-scale commercial cheese and dairy businesses in California. They extended their operations from Point Reyes to Rancho Punta de Año Nuevo in 1862. This 7000 acre ranch consisted of five dairies extending from Gazos Creek to Point Año Nuevo. For a century, the Steele Brothers' dairy ranches were of major importance in California's agricultural development.