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History of Devil's Gulch Ranch
The best we can tell is Devil's Gulch got the name well before the ranch was formed. Devil's Gulch was the passageway between Nicacio Valley and Paper Mill creek. The local history seems to indicate that the gulch got its name because of how treacherous this important trail was. In 1864 Devil's Gulch ranch (873 acres) split off from a larger parcel and was purchased by two Martinelli Brothers, Union Army Civil War officers using their wages to start fresh in California.
The main barn built in 1867 is still in use today. It was part of the dairy farm selling cream and cream for butter while the skim milk went for the production of pork. The ranch was passed on from heirs to heirs until 1969 when John Moreda sold the ranch to a developer who split the ranch into parcels. In 1971 Mark Pasternak purchased the heart of the ranch (65 acres), moved there, and began the creation of the ranch as it is today. The remainder of the 873 acres was purchased by other individuals, and was subsequently purchased by the federal government in 1980, and is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area.
Mark was joined by his wife, Myriam in 1987 and their two daughters, Lydia and Kyla, thereafter. Mark and Myriam’s combined agricultural experience totals more than 60 years (including Myriam’s large animal veterinary degree from UC Davis).