In 1866, Enoch Kidder Parrish arrived in Oak Glen and traded four mules and a wagon for 160 acres of land. By 1867 he had planted the first full-scale orchard in Oak Glen, just over an acre of mainly Rome Beauty trees. By 1900 he had just over 22 acres and Oak Glen was rapidly becoming a thriving commercial apple growing area. Apples from this historic orchard are on sale in the main barn each fall along with cider, apple butter, jams, jellies and syrups.
Parrish raised his family in a home he built on the property that, in later years, was used briefly as the Oak Glen schoolhouse. The oldest all-timber home in San Bernardino County, it still stands today and served as an antique shop since 1976 until recently.
The ranch’s restaurant, Apple Dumplin’s is housed in the former ranch equipment and horse barn built in 1867, the second oldest stick-framed structure in the county. The original beams are still visible above the diners and outside a giant sequoia tree grows that was planted in 1905.
Other shops have been built around the ranch over the years and Parrish Ranch is currently home to an artist’s studio, toy store and more. In addition to the shops, restaurant and house, Parrish Ranch is home to a variety of wildlife. A large family of miniature sheep live at the ranch and are sheared each spring to the delight of the visiting school children. There are also pygmy goats, a miniature donkey named Miss Covergirl, Apples, a miniature horse, and a miniature Angus cow named Georgia. In addition to the livestock there are emu, a variety of chickens and peafowl.
