Including U.S. and California governments of the pre-Civil War and Gold Rush eras, the ranch—formerly known as Circle S—had ten generations of ownership before Peter Read was introduced to it. A Civil War veteran, William Clarke, actually bought the ranch from the state in 1864 with scrip he received for fighting in the war. It would subsequently change hands seven more times over the next century and a half. As a modern winegrowing property, Circle R falls within the contemporary history of the Atlas Peak viticultural area, which was established in 1992. Compared to the traditional business of cattle ranching practiced by those earlier generations, the cultivation of wine grapes is a much more recent endeavor on the ranch. But it is an essential one, employed by Peter and his family to help ensure that conservation of the surrounding land is their contribution to the ranch’s historical timeline.
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Chain of title2015 - present 1955 - 2005 1941 - 1955 1932 - 1941 1918 - 1932 1913 - 1918 1879 - 1913 1869 - 1879 1864 - 1869 1849 - 1864 1841 - 1849 |
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