1. About
  3. Our Story

Our family has called this place home for nearly 80 years

The story of the Ranch began back in 1935 when Muriel Van Hoosear was stuck in the hospital for a few days with a now forgotten ailment. Her husband Dick, who had a successful business milling and selling feed for livestock (apparently even during the depression farmers fed their animals well), loved nothing more than buying gifts for his wife. When he showed up at Muriel’s infirmary bed with a glamorous diamond bracelet, Muriel was appreciative but—always the practical one—she had another idea. “I love this,” she said, “but don’t you think we’d be happier with a place in Sonoma?” Dick returned it and started looking for property in Sonoma. The rest, as they say, is history.

We look forward to sharing more of the rich and storied history of Westerbeke Ranch with you. In the meantime, we invite you to become part of the Westerbeke story by coming to stay with us. If you’ve been here before, we’d love to hear about your experience. Please use the form at the bottom of this page to add your voice to the story of Westerbeke Ranch.

Westerbeke Ranch, Sonoma, CA
Wendy Westerbeke and her husband Ted Bucklin

A Message from Wendy

For over four generations my family’s lives have revolved around entertaining guests at the Ranch. Our grandparents built on this land. Our parents grew up here. We grew up here. Our children were raised here.

This is our family home, and when you come here you feel like it’s yours too.

The Ranch wears its history well. The buildings glow with the lovely patina of age, built in the Mission style of old California and Mexico. Made of brick, clay tile, stone and redwood, they are well-built and well-worn.

The way things were is the way things are at Westerbeke Ranch.

The grounds on our eleven acres have been cultivated by my family for a long time; they are tranquil and loose, well grown in. Many of the trees were here before us—they have been shading this ground for centuries.

When my mother was nine years old her father planted a redwood tree above the pool. To this day there is a little metal label that Grandpa Dick attached to the trunk that says “Sequoia Sempervirens 1936 RVH.” RVH is Richard Van Hoosear, my grandfather. The tree is now so large it takes two people to reach around it.

Come join us at our family home. Before you know it, you’ll be family too.

— Wendy Westerbeke, CEO

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