Gaviota Rangeland

I know very little about raising cattle and what I know about ranching comes from watching old cowboy movies. But I do know the beauty of nature. Open range land, rolling hills dotted with cattle and horses, occasionally a wind mill, barn, and farm house are sights which stir memories of times past. These are sights I so enjoy and which refuel my spirit. Too often, however instead of drinking in the beauty of undisturbed land, I find myself trying to remember what it looked like before development paved over paradise.

Bless you, Louise Hanson, for the gift you have given! Your gift is not only 14,000 acres of splendor but will remind generations of a lifestyle rarely experienced today. Your generosity has provided a treasure of unsurpassed beauty. As people drive through, I hope they will slow down, take in the view, and know that because you loved the land it will remain this marvelous place. What a gift! What a remarkable lady!