Pole Creek Ranch

John, Marcus, and George Wilt set off from Kansas for Oregon with their families in three wagons, arriving in October, 1885. They applied for land patents in Section 8, built log cabins and barns, and cleared the land to raise their first crops of corn, beans, and tomatoes. Patents were received in 1892 and 1893. John bought an adjoining 40 acres from John H. Smith for $40 in 1896. The Wilt brothers were the first to obtain water rights to Pole Creek.

John sold his property to J. M. Allen in 1912, who in turn sold it to Meredith Bailey in 1913. The parcel owned by Marcus changed hands several times before being sold by E. C. Wyman to Meredith in 1919. Meredith and Maida Rossiter married in 1918 and moved to the ranch, renaming it VU Ranch. Sheep raising was the ranch's main activity, starting with one band (1,000 - 1,500 sheep) and gradually expanding to three. They also grew corn, beans, alfalfa, grass, and grain. They later focused on fattening and selling lambs. After Meredith died in 1931, Maida, a progressive agriculturist, continued farming and became a leader of the Sisters community, serving on city, county, and state library boards.

Ohioan Richard Patterson bought the ranch in 1968 and began a remarkable sequence of livestock raising, beginning with a Polish breed of Arabian horses. The sales agreement allowed Maida to continue living on the ranch until her death in 1972. Their stately barn was inspired by Polish farm architecture. They developed a widely adopted grading system for the breed and produced highly prized colts. Horse raising eventually gave way to llamas, domesticated elk, and camels. For years Pole Creek Ranch supported the nation's largest llama herd.

In 2017, the ranch was sold to Glenn and Jennifer Cole who raise premium red Angus cattle in partnership with the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe. Pole Creek Ranch also supports a thriving hospitality business providing vacation lodging and hosting special events.