History

Located in the Napa area, the Triple S Ranch was originally part of an old Spanish land grant of thousands of acres. Settled in 1854, the property was used as a ranch, with cattle roaming the Maycamas mountains. It was a state-of-the art agricultural facility with two large redwood barns, a carriage barn, an apricot drying oven, a 60-foot well with a gravity water system from a hand-dug reservoir. There were also orchards of apricots, peaches, and walnuts, which were dried and shipped from the property.

The property where the Triple S Ranch stands has always been a place of gatherings. The ranch was located on the main wagon trail from the Russian River Valley to Calistoga. Some of the early notables who frequented the property included Robert Lewis Stevenson and Jack London.

In 1958 the Schellenger family purchased the property and turned it into a family resort. They converted the main barn into a restaurant and roadhouse, built 14 cabins/houses, and added a swimming pool. Activities for guests included horseback riding, swimming, hiking, bocce ball, and relaxing. Many clients stayed on property for up to a month. The restaurant was the main gathering spot in Calistoga for over 30 years with mouth-watering steaks, a heavy-handed bartender, and a raucous jukebox.

During this resort era, Rocky Marciano trained in the orchard, Robert Mondavi regularly ate Sunday dinners in the restaurant, and Kate Spade did her first photo shoot in front of the barn.

In 2012 Derek Webb purchased the by-then dilapidated ranch and restored the property using reclaimed architectural salvage collected from around the world. His goal was to exhibit the pride and dignity with which American farmers and ranchers built their properties in bygone eras. Historically, farms and ranches were fastidiously built while staying in harmony with the natural world, and the Triple S Ranch continues to honor this tradition today.