China Ranch
In the late 1890's, a Chinese man who had worked in the borax fields in Death Valley came to this canyon. He began a modest farm and ranch, raising fresh produce and meat for the local mines and their workers. It became known as the Chinaman's Ranch and became a desirable place for obvious reasons when compared to the surrounding terrain.
In 1900 the Chinese man suddenly and somewhat mysteriously disappeared, a Dave Morrison filed a deed on the property, proclaiming that it was now Morrison's ranch. Although the chinese fellow was never heard from again the name stuck and continues to be known as the China Ranch.
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History of China Ranch, Tecopa, California
Indigenous Presence and Archaeological HeritageThe oasis now known as China Ranch lies in a region originally inhabited by Native American peoples long before any ranch was established. Tribal Heritage: Ethnographic evidence indicates the area was used by both Western Shoshone (Koso) and Southern Paiute (Chemehuevi) groups in historic times. The Shoshone and Paiute were nomadic hunters and gatherers who visited the Willow Creek oasis seasonally. They harvested mesquite beans and small game around the Tecopa Hot Springs (which they called Yaga) in winter, and retreated to cooler uplands in summer. In fact, the native village at Tecopa Hot Springs had about 70 inhabitants when encountered by Mexican trader Antonio Armijo in 1830. This indicates a longstanding indigenous presence in the Amargosa/Willow Creek area.
Prehistoric Occupation: Archaeological findings show human use of the China Ranch area dating back thousands of years. The oasis environment of Willow Creek, with its reliable water, drew people as early as the Paleo-Indian period. Archaeologists have documented that by ~10,000 B.C. early hunters frequented nearby Lake Tecopa and Lake Manly (ancient lakes of Death Valley), leaving behind bone and stone tools. Later, prehistoric campsites along the Amargosa River and Willow Creek indicate continuous use through the Archaic and Late Prehistoric periods. Notably, limited excavations by the Pacific Coast Archaeological Society in the 1970s uncovered artifacts such as stone tools, pottery, and even a rare figurine. One report describes a small anthropomorphic figurine discovered near China Ranch – a unique find suggesting ceremonial or cultural activity. These surveys confirm that the lush canyon was a well-traveled oasis supporting indigenous life for millennia.
Cultural Landscapes: The convergence of Willow Creek and the Amargosa River made this spot a key waystation on old trade routes. The Old Spanish Trail passed just north of the canyon by the 1830s, and earlier, the natural spring (Willow Spring) was a reliable watering point noted by explorers like John C. Fremont. In 1844 Fremont’s party camped at Willow Creek; his journal praised it as the best grazing spot in the desert. In subsequent decades, prospectors and miners also came to appreciate the canyon’s water and forage. By the late 19th century, miners had begun exploiting the “white veins” in the surrounding hills – deposits of borates, gypsum, and nitrates (saltpeter) – leaving behind prospect holes and later mining infrastructure. This mining activity foreshadowed the ranch’s later development. In fact, an 1890 report in the Mining and Scientific Press already nicknamed the locale the “Chinese Ranch,” remarking that the site on Willow Creek (then called Clark’s Fork) would be an ideal location for a ore smelter. This is the earliest known reference to a “Chinese Ranch” in the canyon, hinting at the presence of a Chinese settler by that time.
The Chinese Settler “Ah Foo” (Quon Sing) and Chinaman’s Ranch
By the late 1890s, the canyon was indeed home to a solitary Chinese settler whose labor gave China Ranch its name. According to local tradition and early records, a Chinese man known variously as Quon Sing or Ah Foo arrived in the canyon and developed a small farm there. He had spent many years working in the borax mines of Death Valley – likely as a laborer or cook at operations such as the Harmony Borax Works or the Amargosa borax fields. In the wake of the borax mining busts, he sought opportunity in this well-watered gulch.
Sometime in the 1890s, Ah Foo (Quon Sing) settled at Willow Spring and established a modest but thriving ranch. He dug irrigation ditches to develop the water source and planted fruits, vegetables, and fodder crops along the creek. He also raised some livestock (poultry, hogs, goats) – enough to supply fresh meat and produce to nearby mining camps. In the rugged mining district of Tecopa, this oasis farm became a valued provisioning point. Miners and teamsters began referring to it simply as the “Chinaman’s Ranch.” Contemporary sources describe Ah Foo as an entrepreneurial and industrious figure: he created a verdant haven with gardens and orchards amidst the harsh desert. One newspaper account from 1902 even dubbed him “the lone Chinaman of Death Valley” and noted how he had built himself a home there and fiercely defended it.
Historical Evidence: A vivid description of Ah Foo’s ranch appears in the Los Angeles Herald in February 1902, indicating his story had spread beyond the local area. The article recounts that Ah Foo constructed a fortified homestead: behind his simple house he enclosed a natural cave in the hillside, walling it up with bricks made of local nitrate-rich caliche as a secure bunker. With threats of bandits or claim jumpers not uncommon in those lawless days, Ah Foo literally built a stronghold “and defended it with his life.” This suggests that at least one violent confrontation occurred at the ranch. Local lore holds that Ah Foo kept a shotgun close at hand to guard his property and produce. The 1902 Herald story corroborates the essence of these legends, portraying him as a solitary settler who stood his ground on the remote ranch.
Interestingly, records differ on this pioneer’s actual name. “Ah Foo” sounds like an informal nickname, whereas “Quon Sing” could be part of his formal name. The National Park Service has referenced a Quan Sing as a Chinese cook at the Harmony Borax Works, suggesting it may be the same individual who later farmed at China Ranch. In any case, by 1900 the oasis farm was firmly associated with its Chinese proprietor, and the moniker “China Man’s Ranch” (later shortened to China Ranch) entered the maps and mining reports of the day.
Morrison’s Takeover (1900) and Early 20th-Century Ownership
Around 1900, the story of China Ranch took a dramatic turn. As the narrative is preserved locally, a shady character named Morrison showed up coveting the little green oasis. Accounts vary on exactly what transpired, but all agree that the Chinese farmer lost his claim to the ranch circa 1900. One version holds that Morrison ran Ah Foo off at gunpoint, essentially seizing the property by force. Another version suggests Morrison may have paid a token sum (one tale says $100 in gold coin) for the ranch, though possibly under duress. In either case, Ah Foo “disappeared” from the canyon around 1900 and was never heard from again in local records. The name of the place, however, China Ranch, endured as a reminder of its first developer.
Who was Morrison? Later sources identify him as R.D. Morrison (and some call him “Dave” Morrison) – essentially a drifter who recognized the value of the irrigated land. Morrison promptly filed a deed for the property in 1900, declaring it his own ranch. Indeed, land documents and maps of that period begin referring to the site as “Morrison’s Ranch.” Notably, a detailed 1890s survey map (updated in 1905) labels the willow creek homestead explicitly as “Morrison Ranch.” This is consistent with county records: Morrison’s ownership appears to have been formalized by a recorded claim in Inyo County in 1900. It’s worth mentioning that earlier maps (e.g. 1896) had called the property “Evans Ranch,” implying a prior claimant with the surname Evans. In fact, an Inyo County mining location notice from June 1892 lists two men – J.J. Evans and Samuel Evans – as witnesses and likely owners of the “Evans Ranch (today China Ranch).” This suggests that before Morrison, the ranch land may have been squatted or claimed by the Evans family, or perhaps the Evans were associates of Ah Foo. The exact relationship is murky, but by the time Morrison arrived, the Chinese settler was in actual possession even if not the legal owner. Morrison’s 1900 takeover thus either usurped Ah Foo directly or jumped a dormant Evans claim.
Aftermath of the Ouster: Little is known of Ah Foo/Quon Sing’s fate after 1900. Being a Chinese immigrant in that era, he had limited legal recourse – the Chinese Exclusion Act barred Chinese from citizenship (and thus from homesteading federal land), which likely enabled Morrison’s land-grab. Whether Ah Foo left under threat of violence or accepted a payoff, he fades from the historical record. A poignant local legend has him departing so hastily that some of his humble belongings and irrigation ditches were left behind, gradually eroded by the desert. The Los Angeles Herald article implied he put up a fight; however, no known charges or reports were filed regarding the incident. It is possible he returned to work in mining camps elsewhere, but his name does not reappear in regional censuses or newspapers beyond that period.
Morrison did not occupy the ranch for long. Sources indicate Morrison sold out after a few years. The turn-of-the-century mining boom in the area may have motivated him to monetize the asset quickly. By 1903–1905, the property was caught up in the “nitre” (nitrate) mining speculation that swept the Amargosa Valley. Prospectors had discovered deposits of sodium nitrate in the caliche hills adjacent to the ranch. A company called the Pacific Nitrate Company took interest in the area. In 1903, a small masonry building (often called the “1903 building” or assay office) was erected near China Ranch as part of experimental nitrate mining operations. Archival research shows that in January 1905, the old 1896 map (showing the ranch as Evans Ranch) was re-filed, likely in preparation for selling the claims to Pacific Nitrate Co. This suggests Morrison (or subsequent owners) transferred rights to the mining company. During this era (1905–1907), the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad was built through Tecopa, and a short spur line was even run up the canyon toward the nitrate works and a gypsum mine. Ultimately, the nitrate mining venture was not very successful – the rich deposits of Chilean saltpeter never materialized in economic quantities in California. By about 1907 the nitrate scheme collapsed, and the assay office and mine camp were abandoned, leaving behind picturesque ruins that still dot the canyon.
From “Willow Ranch” to Date Farm: 20th-Century Development
After the Pacific Nitrate episode, the ranch returned to private agricultural use, changing hands frequently. In local memory it went through a “hot potato” phase of ownership. Early 20th-century owners tried a variety of farming and ranching endeavors on the property: one turned it into a sheep station, another raised hogs, others pastured cattle or planted alfalfa in the irrigated meadow. For a time it was even known simply as “Willow Ranch” for the creek that sustains it. Documentation from the 1910s is sparse, but it’s clear the ranch never became a large profitable enterprise and was often idle or “next to abandoned” before new buyers tried again.
One notable chapter began around 1916–1920, when a young couple, Alexander Modine and Vonola Modine, acquired the ranch. Vonola (Fairbanks) Modine was the daughter of Death Valley pioneer Ralph J. “Dad” Fairbanks (founder of nearby Shoshone). She had grown up in the desert frontier, and her sister Stella was married to Charles Brown, a prominent local businessman and politician. Thus, the Modines were connected to two influential frontier families. When Alex and Vonola Modine took over the neglected Chinaman’s Ranch (as they still called it) in the late 1910s, they set out to make it productive again. Alex Modine worked in a local mine to help fund improvements, while Vonola put her energies into the farm itself.
Introduction of Date Palms: Vonola Modine made a visionary decision that would shape China Ranch’s future. Inspired by a magazine article about new date palm plantations in Coachella Valley, she decided to try growing dates – an exotic crop for the region at that time. Having never seen a date palm in person, Vonola ordered date seeds by mail. In the early 1920s, she planted those seeds in two long rows, intending them to grow into stately palms lining the driveway of a future farmhouse. These were likely Deglet Noor or Medjool dates, which were being introduced to California agriculture around that period. The climate in the Tecopa desert proved ideal for date palms. While the seedlings slowly grew, the Modines also cultivated more traditional crops and livestock to make a living.
Tragedy struck the Modine family in the mid-1920s. Around 1924 or 1925, the Modines’ young son (just five years old) died in a fire, reportedly after suffering severe burns. This heartbreaking incident had a profound effect on Vonola. She became distraught and – as later recounted in family lore – developed a superstition that the ranch was an ill-fated place for her family. Determined to leave China Ranch, Vonola took drastic action: one day, while Alex was away, she burned down their house on the property. Facing the charred ruins of their home and memories of their lost child, Alex Modine finally agreed it was time to depart. The Modines sold China Ranch around 1925 and relocated to Santa Paula, California. This move proved fortuitous in some ways – Vonola gave birth to a daughter, Nola Modine, soon after, and Nola Fairbanks (her stage name) went on to become a successful Broadway actress in the 1950s. The Modines’ grandson is actor Matthew Modine, illustrating how the family’s story diverged from the ranch.
When the Modines left, they abandoned the nascent date grove they had planted. Those palm trees continued to grow untended for years, quietly reaching maturity. The new owners of the ranch – whoever they were – did not immediately capitalize on the dates. Through the late 1920s, 1930s and beyond, ownership changed repeatedly. The ranch was used sporadically for small-scale farming, but records of this period are scant. The site appears on maps and in memories under various names (Chinese/Chinaman’s Ranch, Willow Creek Ranch, etc.), but none of the ventures achieved lasting success. The harsh environment and isolation made it hard to sustain a profitable farm.
The Brown Family and the Modern China Ranch Date Farm
By the mid-20th century, China Ranch was mostly quiet, though locals still knew of the “lush spot in the gulch.” In 1970, the property came full circle to the Fairbanks/Brown family network. Charles Brown Jr. and his sister Bernice Brown Sorrells purchased China Ranch in 1970. These two were children of State Senator Charles Brown of Shoshone and Stella (Fairbanks) Brown – Stella being Vonola Modine’s sister. In other words, Charles Jr. and Bernice were Vonola Modine’s nephew and niece. Thus the ranch returned to a branch of the family that had been connected to it decades before. Upon acquiring the ranch, the Brown/Sorrells family reclaimed its heritage and saw new potential in the old date palms.
In the ensuing years, the Browns revitalized the property. They officially renamed it “China Ranch Date Farm,” honoring both the Chinese founder and the Modine date legacy. In the 1990s, Brian Brown (son of Charles Jr.) and his wife Bonnie began expanding the date palm groves, planting additional varieties and increasing the orchard to over 1,300 palms. By this time, Vonola’s original palms – planted from seed 70+ years earlier – were towering, mature female date palms yielding heavy crops of fruit. The Brown family built modern infrastructure as well: in 1991 they completed a large adobe-style ranch house (constructed from 18,000 handmade adobe bricks using local clay). This unique home stands as a tribute to traditional methods and even withstood earthquakes in the early 1990s without damage.
Starting around 1996, China Ranch Date Farm opened its gates to the public as a tourist-friendly working farm. The family set up a date shop and bakery in the old ranch buildings, where visitors can sample fresh dates, famous date shakes, and baked goods. They also developed interpretive hiking trails through the scenic canyon, some following the historic Tonopah & Tidewater railroad grade and old mining sites. What began as a family farm has become a cultural and eco-tourism destination, with thousands of visitors each year coming to experience the oasis. The ranch remains in the Brown family to this day, preserving the legacy of all those who came before – Indigenous peoples, a lonely Chinese miner-turned-farmer, prospectors, settlers, and visionary date growers.
Rare Sources and Historical Research
Much of what we know about China Ranch’s history comes from a patchwork of local lore, archival research, and even archaeology. A few lesser-known sources shed light on the ranch’s past:
Contemporary Newspapers: The 1902 Los Angeles Herald piece on “Ah Foo” is a rare primary account of the Chinese rancher’s life and struggles. It provides details (like the nitrate cave fortification) not found elsewhere, suggesting the author visited the site or interviewed people who knew of it.
Mining Era Maps and Documents: Historic maps (1892, 1896, 1905) of the Amargosa nitrate claims preserved in the Inyo County Recorder’s office show the ranch labeled under different owners (Evans, Morrison). These maps, analyzed in a report by the Amargosa Conservancy, help validate when Morrison took ownership and how the property was tied into the mining district plans.
Pacific Coast Archaeological Society Publications: In 1971, archaeologists Aileen McKinney, Duane Hafner, and Jane Gothold published “A Report on the China Ranch Area” in the PCAS Quarterly. They documented archaeological sites in and around the canyon, confirming long Indigenous occupation. In 1973, researcher Lavinia C. Knight described “A Figurine from China Ranch (4-INY-962),” detailing a prehistoric artifact found near the ranch. These obscure journal articles are valuable for understanding the deep-time context of China Ranch.
Oral Histories and Memoirs: The story of Vonola Modine burning down the house, and other personal anecdotes, have been passed down through families and recorded by local historians. The Shoshone Museum (in nearby Shoshone, CA) holds collections on the Fairbanks and Brown families and has compiled regional oral histories. The China Ranch website itself encourages visitors to explore the Shoshone Museum for more local history.
Miriam A. Romero’s Research: The Miriam A. Romero Amargosa Niter Collection contains research notes intended for a monograph on the people and history of the Amargosa region. Such collections likely include information on early ranchers like Ah Foo and the nitrate prospectors, gleaned from interviews and regional archives (UNLV Special Collections, Eastern California Museum, etc.).
Through these combined sources – from academic studies to family recollections – the full tapestry of China Ranch’s history emerges. It is a story of survival and adaptation: from Indigenous peoples finding sustenance at Willow Creek, to a Chinese borax worker creating a desert garden, to pioneers and miners vying for its precious water, and finally to a family-run date farm preserving not only in written records, but in the very landscape - the ancient springs, the hand-dug ditches, the adobe ruins, and the grove of date palms that whisper of history with every desert breeze.
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China Ranch near Tecopa, California, is an interesting and unique area rich in history. Located in the Mojave Desert, it is famous for its date farm and picturesque landscapes, including rugged mountains, and lush, green areas fed by natural springs. The history of China Ranch can be traced back to the 19th century.
Here's a brief overview of its history:
1. Early History: The area around Tecopa and China Ranch was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, notably the Shoshone.
2. China Ranch's Name Origin: The name "China Ranch" is believed to originate from a Chinese man who cultivated the land in the late 1800s. He reportedly developed an irrigation system and grew fruits and vegetables, selling his produce to the local mining camps.
3. Mining Era: The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a boom in mining activity in the region, particularly for gold and borax. The ranch's location made it a crucial spot for water and fresh food for miners in the area.
4. Acquisition by Morrison Family: In the early 1900s, the ranch changed hands several times. It eventually was bought by the Morrison family, who have been operating it for generations. They were responsible for introducing date palms, which have become a hallmark of China Ranch.
5. China Ranch Today: Today, China Ranch is a popular tourist destination. It offers a unique blend of natural beauty, history, and agricultural significance. Visitors can enjoy hiking trails, bird watching, and exploring the old mining sites. The date farm is especially popular, offering a variety of date products and baked goods.
6. Environmental and Ecological Significance: The area around China Ranch is ecologically significant due to its location at the edge of the Mojave Desert, offering a unique habitat for a variety of plant and animal species.
7. Cultural and Historical Preservation: Efforts have been made to preserve the historical and cultural aspects of China Ranch, including maintaining its traditional agricultural practices and protecting its natural resources.
China Ranch stands as a proof to the human ability to thrive in harsh desert environments and serves as a window into the diverse historical and cultural past of the region.