It was in 1889 when Capt. John Pope's placer mining claim was filed in the United States Patent Office. Gold fever was everywhere. Yreka gold fields had been established and operating long before this and he wanted to try his luck. From early records it would appear that some found fortune and others it passed by as the eighty acres was bought and sold over and over again sometimes changing hands as often as every three to four months. Finally someone realized that the gold might truly be in the land in what the land itself could provide the miners. Fruit and nut trees were planted. Chestnut trees were imported from Italy. Gardens were planted and the harvest was sold to the miners in the community.
In the 1920's George Taylor and his family moved onto the river front property. (I have found no record of him owning the place.) He dug the river irrigation well. Designed and put in irrigation lines. In 1929 he, his son and his son's friend Joey Lucas, (Dr. Lucas' boy), hand dug the well down to a spring. They constructed a water reservoir, pump platforms, water purification system and well house. Additional irrigation ditches worked with the water purification system.
In the early 1930's it became the summer place for William and Margaret Osborn owners of Oakland Brass and Copper Foundry. The forty acres on the other side of the river became the sight of four large homes. Two hundred over night guests could be accommodated with staff to meet their every need. There was a soft water plant. A mine full of water for the control and prevention of fires. During this time many famous people were entertained by the Osborns. The estate was abundant with wild life; fishing and hunting were most popular. Even Clark Gable vacationed at the newly named WilMar Oaks.
During W.W.II there was little to no time for using the summer homes. William Osborn's brother living on the place. Margaret died in the early '50's, Willie remarried, and his new wife did not care for the rural life style. With little use, nature took over the estate.
After the 1963 flood the tin garage was added for the storage of supplies in the repairing and painting process. By 1967 the California Highway System was being expanded. Two routes were being considered: one over the mountains out of Yreka, the other through Montague. Local citizens were afraid that if the main byway was taken away from the County seat, it would die. Through political pressure, both rights of way were purchased. Old 99 which is now Highway 96, made way for Interstate 5 and 43 acres of the estate's original 80 acres were condemned under public domain laws. This action broke the heart of William Osborn. He died shortly thereafter.
Three friends of the Osborns approached the widow and bought the remaining property on the Highway 96 side of the Klamath River. Their dream was to build a mobile home park for 220 double wide homes. Plans were engineered and drawn by a firm in San Francisco, but the endeavor ended there.
In 1975 the Gregg's, in search of a New England style farm, purchased this remaining acreage of William Osborn's Summer Estate. Early in their arrival the Gregg's noticed that there were an exceptional amount of rainbow's which formed over the farm. Mrs. Gregg wrote childrens' stories about her family's lifestyle. It is her desire that the new owners grow in personal awareness of nature and life, with all the lessons that only can be taught by the love and magic, on the farm called WilMar Oaks, at the Rainbow's End.
