Gilcrease Orchard

Gilcrease Orchard is a family ranch and orchard formed in 1920 by Elda and Leonard Gilcrease, as well as their sons John Theodore and William Orr. Leonard came from Lemoore, California, and met Elda at UNR, where both were pursing bachelors' degrees. They married and used Elda's inheritance from her family to purchase 900 aachres in the Las Vegas Valley for a family ranch and farm. The couple divorced in 1930 and Elda ran the farm by herself until her death in 1968, passing it on to her son's to continue the family business.

Over the years, John Theodore and William worked their parents' farm and kept it alive. They cultivated nearly 200 acres and owned almost 1500 acres at the peak of the Orchard.In 1997, William and John Theodore established a non-proft organization to keep the Orchard going in perpetuity. However, there were financial setbacks in the early 2000's and the family sold most of the land. The original 60 acre Orchard is still open to the public as a pick and pay orchard as well as a recreational and eductaional experience to teach about agricultural lifestyles in the desert.

Source:

Orchard, Gilcrease. “History of the Orchard.” thegilcreaseorchard.org. Accessed January 14, 2021. http://www.thegilcreaseorchard.org/history-orchard.