Ponderosa Ranch According to the Andersons, tourists would regularly show up at their gates asking where the Ponderosa was. Smelling opportunity, the Andersons contacted NBC and "Bonanza" creator-producer David Dortort. They proposed turning their small ranch into a theme park. NBC, Dortort, and the cast saw the tie-in as a "bonanza" for everyone. All parties being of one accord, the cast agreed to promos being shot at the ranch site and the Virginia City set - including the nearby Silver Dollar Saloon - for financial consideration. The ads stimulated revenue for the park. The park opened to the public in 1968, complete
Cross S Ranch Headquarters Cross S Ranch Headquarters The Cross S Ranch Headquarters is a historic building located in farmland south of Olustee, Oklahoma. The two-story stone building served as the headquarters of the Cross S Ranch, a cattle ranch founded in 1891. As a major cattle trail passed through the area, the ranch took advantage of the open land to raise free-range cattle. By 1902, the ranch had decreased in size due to homesteaders and raised horses rather than cattle. The ranch eventually became a wheat farm, reflecting a broader shift in Jackson County agricultural production. A larger wheat farm purchased the ranch