Family sold 53,000-acre California island for $30m, stayed 25 more years
In 1986, the United States government acquired Santa Rosa Island for close to thirty million dollars. This pivotal purchase marked the end of longstanding private ranching and agricultural practices on the sprawling island. Following the removal of cattle in 1998 and the cessation of residency in 2011, efforts towards environmental restoration commenced. Today, the island stands as a protected…
In December 1986, the United States federal government acquired Santa Rosa Island for $29.5 million, completing a deal previously struck in December 1986. The 53,000-acre island, situated 26.5 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, was purchased from its long-standing private owners, the Vail & Vickers ranching partnership.
The ranching family retained a 25-year reservation to use and occupy a seven-acre area at Bechers Bay, allowing cattle operations and commercial hunting to continue for a limited time while the island transitioned to full public management as part of Channel Islands National Park. Santa Rosa Island underwent a significant transformation, evolving from an ancestral Native American home to a working cattle ranch and finally into a protected national sanctuary.
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