Log Home

“Our home was an eleven room log house built by my grandfather, W.P. Vandevert. He started in 1892 right after my father, Claude, was born and it was added to over the years and completed in 1909. There were five bedrooms upstairs and one down. There was a large living room, dining room, and kitchen with pantry. The pantry was a room with cupboards, shelves and a work table where most of the bread and baked goods were put together. There was a “cooler” built into the outside wall where a few things could be kept for a day or so. We kept all of our pots and pans, dishes, silverware, and extra dishes in this pantry, and it was an easy workspace to use.

“We also had what we called “the milk house” right outside the pantry door. It was made of wood frame with double walls which were filled with sawdust. It had a concrete floor and had tables and shelves for storage of all the canned goods and “store bought” goods that we had. It stayed cool in the summertime and kept the milk fresh for days. Then we used it for cheese and butter or for the animals. Also a small burner stove was used in the winter when the temperature went below zero. Otherwise everything would have frozen. Sometimes the milk would be frozen over in the pans and we would have to let it sit inside the house for a while to thaw. There was also a milk separator that was kept in the milk house in the wintertime and on the back porch off the kitchen in the summer. It separated the cream from the milk, and it had a lot of parts to it that required careful washing and sterilizing for the next batch of raw milk. It turned by a crank and really worked well, I thought! Washing it was no fun though! There was a small space in the roof of the milk-house where it was also covered with sawdust. It was a great place to play and where the cat usually had her kittens.” (from “Home on the Vandevert Ranch” by Gracie Vandevert McNellis, page 22. Used by permission.)

Outhouse

“The only other outbuilding at that time was the proverbial outhouse! It was west of the house about one hundred feet or so and, of course, was moved every couple of years to a new location. Thank goodness for inside plumbing nowadays! I do not miss that part of ranch life at all.” (from “Home on the Vandevert Ranch” by Gracie Vandevert McNellis, page 29. Used by permission.)

Rock Pile

The rock pile was a landmark on the ranch from the very beginning and was a favorite play area for the Vandevert children.  The photo shows the Vandevert family at the rock pile in 1895.  William P. Vandevert is behind the baby carriage.  For more information about the people in the picture, click on Family.
 

Return to Ranch Map circa 1935

Continue to Points of Interest Page 5

Note: Black and white photographs are the property of Grace Vandevert McNellis and are used by permission.
Text quoted from her book is copyright 1999 by Grace McNellis. All other copy and art is
copyright 2005-2010 by T. Haynes & G.V. McNellis. Neither the The Vandevert Ranch Association nor its members guarantees the accuracy or completeness of information or representations on this Web Site.  Buyers should obtain
definitive information from their real estate agent.