The History of Mountain Home Ranch

Emma and Ludwig Orth left Germany with their young son, Richard, at the turn of the century with a dream, a dream of land in California. They realized their dream with a homestead in the hills outside of Calistoga in 1913. Grandpa, (Ludwig) had to take the train into San Francisco to work, leaving Grandma (Emma) and Son, Richard, and young daughter, Emmy, (born in Colorado in route) in a cabin in the canyon. But soon their friends from the Bay Area came to visit their “Mountain Home”, to soak in the natural mineral spring in the canyon and hike in the redwoods. Grandma, being of good German stock, put her foot down: If she was going to cook and clean for all of these friends then she was going to charge, so they bought cots and tents for their friends and Mountain Home Ranch Resort was born.

The Ranch expanded out of the canyon when Grandma and Grandpa bought the Franz farm.  Guests from all walks of life then, as now, enjoyed the healthy home cooking.  Rocky Marciano often ate here while training to defend his heavyweight boxing title.  Harry Bridges, the founder of the Longshoremen’s union and organizer of the general strike that closed San Francisco in 1934, rested here every summer with his family – alongside families of executives of the local shipping companies.  Who knows how many strikes were averted by the camaraderie fostered by the peaceful Ranch atmosphere.  Emmy grew up and took over the operation of the resort with her husband Bob Fouts, all the while raising eight children. The Ranch operated like a ‘Dirty Dancing’ type of facility. Mom and kids would come up for the summer and Dads would commute up on the weekends. The Ranch offered three meals a day, and activities every night. Son, George and his Hawaiian wife Joey, took over the Ranch for a time while raising their three boys, operating more like a bed and breakfast and opening a restaurant that became a local favorite. Things continue to change with the times and the Ranch now operates as a group retreat facility while continuing to accommodate individual families as a bed and breakfast.  When you visit, you can meet John and Suzanne, third generation family members, who continue to share the land and the tradition of good healthy food with others. They have been busy over the last 15 years, caring for the property, and expanding the hiking trails and garden beds. One of their goals is to be growing most of what they serve to the guests naturally, off the land. The energy of the land continues to support those wishing a peaceful experience.