Oasis in the Desert: Gilcrease Farms
Many tourists who come to Nevada spend their time in the Las Vegas Strip. Between all the hotels and casinos, restaurants and bars, and multitude of shopping establishments, it is easy to lose track of time and find yourself heading to the airport without stepping foot outside of the Strip. However, if you are looking to explore outside of the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, come join me in exploring an oasis in the desert.
Gilcrease Orchard was founded in 1920 by Elda and Leonard Gilcrease. Leonard, originally from California, met his wife Elda while attending the University of Nevada. The couple had two children, John Theodore and William Orr, and bought 900 acres of land in the Las Vegas Valley. The couple worked their farm together but faced many financial difficulties that ultimately led to Leonard leaving Elda and their two children and moving back to California. Despite her financial and personal hardships, Elda was tenacious, refusing to give up in the face of terrible luck. Along with her two sons, Elda continued running the ranch until her death in 1968.
After Elda's death, her two sons completely took over the responsibility of running the ranch. They continued to buy property, expanding their ranch size to about 1,500 acres. Although both Ted and Bill were involved in running the ranch, Ted was the main cultivator for all elements of the ranch. In 1997, after suffering from poor health, Ted established, with the approval of his brother, the non-profit Gilcrease Orchard Foundation to oversee the ranch. The Gilcrease Orchard Foundation manages the ranch to this day.
Located at 7800 N Tenaya Way, visitors to the ranch present day have the opportunity to pick their own fruits and vegetables grown directly on the farm. With a wide variety of produce available, including pomegranates, tomatoes, pears, peaches, and corn, no visitor will leave empty handed. With special events being hosted regularly, visitors can swing by in the fall to have the opportunity to go pumpkin picking or drink some fresh apple cider. A visit in the spring time entice guests with the amazing sites and smells of the peach trees in full bloom.
Although currently closed for the winter, the Gilcrease Orchard should be top priority on places to see on your next visit to Las Vegas. While there, don't forget to stop inside the shop at Gilcrease Orchard to get their famous apple cider doughnuts, or to take home your own gallon of apple cider. It's destined to bring a smile to your face.
Special thanks to the following people for information and inspiration for this article:
Michelle Roberts-Garcia at Narcity
If you are interested in learning more about the Gilcrease Orchard or want to learn about hours and contact information, you can check them out at http://www.thegilcreaseorchard.org.
I hope you enjoyed learning about this little slice of Las Vegas, and welcome home.
Samantha P.
NV. Lic. S.0188535
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