HISTORIC AND MASSIVE "GOLD RUSH" ERA CATTLE RANCH IN BC'S SOUTHERN INTERIOR TO BE SOLD BY ONLINE BID IN AUGUST
BC's pioneering Parke family began ranching in the Upper Hat Creek Valley between Whistler and Kamloops in 1900
CACHE CREEK, BC, July 9, 2024 /CNW/ - A piece of BC heritage, and one of the province's top cattle ranches handed down over four generations, will be sold to a new owner Thursday, August 15th, after being founded by the Parke Family in the Upper Hat Creek Valley more than a century ago.
The legacy ranch land near Cache Creek, originally dubbed "The Parke Ranch, Upper Hat Creek" when Philip Parke bought it in 1900, has been bundled for sale with other adjacent ranch properties in the valley, and is being offered as a single package called the "Hat Creek Ranch Collection".
Combined, these rare and expansive properties cover more than 74,000 acres of the valley and will change hands to a buyer who will have the opportunity to advance the ongoing story of this mammoth property, and hand it down to future generations.
It was the Cariboo Gold Rush that brought Philip Parke by ship from Ireland in 1862. He arrived at Vancouver with gold on his mind, but Philip never finished the long hike to join the other miners at Barkerville. Instead, he stopped his journey at the grasslands surrounding Cache Creek 200 miles to the south and bought his first cattle ranch just outside of town.
But eventually, his attention was drawn to a different property in the Upper Hat Creek Valley halfway between Whistler, B.C. and Kamloops. Philip Parke made the deal to buy property there in 1900, knowing the crops and cattle potential of the dry, grasslands region that was just opening up in BC's southern interior.
Bordered by mountains to the east and west, and enclosed at its northern and southern ends, the protected valley, just 30 miles southwest of Cache Creek, is renowned for growing grass "to a horse's belly".
There were no paved roads or trucks there in those days, and travelling with cattle and supplies was arduous. Today, the valley is easily accessible by road, or a short flight by helicopter or small plane.
The Parke family's ranch was handed down through four generations until ownership eventually changed hands. However, the Parke family tradition continues to this day, with fifth-generation Brian Parke still living on site and managing the entire 74,000-acre ranch collection, which encompasses 31 separate land titles.
The Hat Creek Ranch Collection will be sold as a single block by online escalating bid August 15th at CLHBid.com. Investor demand for large swaths of land like this outweighs what's available, making Hat Creek a rare opportunity to live the rancher's life, while owning a piece of the old west and historic gold rush dating back to the 1860s.
"This is more than an opportunity to own a piece of British Columbia heartland, it's an invitation to become part of a story that has spanned generations and has barely begun," said Tyler Ruttan, Director of Sales for CLHBid.com. "It's more than just a ranch. Hat Creek offers an entire world where nature still dictates the rhythm of life, a rare gateway to a life less ordinary. It's a place where history, heritage, and opportunities converge and that's the value here as much as a simple property investment."
ABOUT THE COLLECTION
The Hat Creek Ranch Collection covers 74,716 acres, comprised of 2,387 deeded acres, 61,531 acres in Grazing Licences, 9,518 acres in Grazing Leases, and 1,280 acres in a BC Hydro Agricultural Lease.
The collection has multiple ranch houses, including an exclusive owner's retreat resembling the quintessential ranch homes often found in Hollywood westerns.
The valley can support 450 or more cow/calf pairs which can graze on the very same endless pastures Philip Parke worked more than century ago. Angus beef is raised here, and the cattle are known for exceptional genetics and closed herd integrity. 400 acres in the valley are irrigated, making the area self-supporting in terms of hay production.
The surrounding region is also a recreational paradise. The Clear Range mountains to the west are known for excellent off-roading and mountain biking, as well as the beautiful and peaceful Marble Canyon Provincial Park which is close enough to enjoy a picnic lunch or a day of adventuring.
Prospective buyers can learn more about The Hat Creek Ranch Collection at https://www.clhbid.com/auctions/hat-creek-ranch-collection.
The starting bid for the sale on August 15 will be $5.9 million.
EDITORS: High-resolution images may be downloaded at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KwPTDC_lA3GgDL6iS_jQNg3-nWAkoO6T
High-resolution videos may be downloaded at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_Fnh65fSPVxz16OOZA9TvO9BIaM8GR8P
About CLHbid.com's online auction system
CLHbid.com auctions typically take place over two hours. A minimum starting bid provides a safety net to the owner, as no buyers can bid below that price. As the expiration time nears, if a bid comes in, the expiration time will automatically be extended giving all buyers an opportunity to bid again.
About CLHbid.com
Western Canada-based CLHbid.com is a pioneer in online agricultural land sales with thousands of acres available online. The company was created in 2016 by the law firm CLH Law. CLHbid.com never discloses bidder's names to any party, including the seller. Only the successful buyer's name is ever disclosed to the seller as part of the closing process. CLHbid.com's unique price discovery system, commitment to equal opportunity for bidders, and comprehensive support makes it the ideal choice for buyers and sellers alike.
SOURCE CLHbid.com
Media contact: Trevor Pancoust, [email protected], 778-386-0843
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