When Antiques Galleries of Palm Springs owners Mike and Linda Rivkin visited Lost Creek Canyon Ranch in 2019 to purchase antiques from the owner, the couple found more than vintage goods. As soon as they stepped foot on the property, they were faced with a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“The antiques were OK, but the ranch — notwithstanding the 10 years of deferred maintenance — we thought it was magical as could be,” said Mike.
The property, which sits at the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains in Whitewater, is a historical landmark complete with a ranch house, several dwellings, a fruit orchard, a working blacksmith forge and panoramic mountain views.
Lost Creek Canyon Ranch was established on a 160-acre land grant in 1866 to Frenchman Henrici Stubbe, and it later grew to over 400 acres through occasional land acquisitions. As people began moving to and circulating through the West, the ranch was located along a stagecoach route, so Stubbe opened a bordello. A historical marker sits outside the building recognizing Stubbe as the original owner of the property.
One challenge after another
Buying the property proved to be a challenge — according to property records, it’s changed hands very few times over the years, and was passed down through several generations of a previous owner’s family.
“(The previous owner) had offers to sell the property to some of the windmill companies, someone wanted to build a high-rise and there was interest in doing some substantial development on the property. She didn’t want that and wanted to keep it as pristine as she could and (wanted to) find someone who would be a steward,” said Mike.
According to Mike, Lost Creek Canyon Ranch was six weeks away from foreclosure, and even as time was running out, the previous owner — who is now deceased — was hesitant to negotiate the purchase through a real estate agent. The Rivkins were also stunned to see over 100 exceptions on the title report, some going back to the 1930s and ‘40s. After a month of the Rivkins’ attorneys settling issues related to trustee holders and tax liens, they became the new owners of the property.
Even though the Rivkins saw the repairs needed on the surface, they weren’t prepared for the rats, rattlesnakes and other surprises along the way, which included supply chain issues during the pandemic. One of the dwellings had a large bump on the floor and they realized a nearby tree’s roots had ruined the foundation and tiling. Another structure with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace had railroad ties in the floor, which had become separated because it wasn’t sealed properly.
But cleaning out, restoring and making some renovations to the main ranch house was the biggest project of all. Some of the previous kitchen renovations were not properly done, and some appliances, such as the refrigerator and stove, were installed at confusing angles.
Mike wouldn’t reveal what they paid for the property or the cost of the renovations, but said “the cost of renovations has been equal to or even greater than the acquisition price.” According to property records, the Rivkins paid $2.6 million for the main 160 acres of the property that includes the ranch house where the couple resides. When Mike described the sale as “trading a diamond for a dollar,” Linda quipped “it was more than a dollar.”
“Renovating a historic property, especially as big as this one, is never an inexpensive proposition,” said Mike.
From a bordello to a hermit’s hideaway
Another monumental task the Rivkins are still working through is piecing together a historical narrative of the ranch. Linda has done extensive studies through local libraries, Ancestry.com and the autobiography of one of the ranch’s previous owners, Charles Luckman, an American businessman, property developer and architect known for designing renowned buildings such as Madison Square Garden in New York, The Forum in Los Angeles and Prudential Tower in Boston.
According to Luckman’s autobiography, a small group of employees from Luckman’s firm discovered the ranch shortly after World War II while hiking in the area and its owner at the time, Herman Luhrmann, who Luckman referred to as “Herman the Hermit.” Luhrmann was selling the property for $28,000 and turned down an offer by the Girl Scouts of the USA for $26,000. Luckman and his wife, Harriet, drove down from Los Angeles and found Luhrmann “sitting on a tree stump with a nearly blind dog by his side,” living in a shack and the property littered with tin cans, empty jars, old newspapers and other trash.
“But the scenery was magnificent,” Luckman wrote.
Herman and Luckman agreed on the $28,000 price tag, but Herman refused Luckman’s check for the entire amount, said “I wouldn’t know what to do with that kind of money” and asked for $500 monthly installments until he was paid up.
When Luckman took ownership, he added 2 miles of walking paths and cultivated gardens along the streams of the canyon, installed electricity, barns for cattle and other buildings. Property records confirmed miscellaneous agricultural additions on the land, including the carport and pool during the late ’40s.
During a recent tour of the property, the first stop was what used to be the main building of a bordello. Inside, The Rivkins have built a new modern kitchen with a large dining area and decorated the open space with rustic décor, which features a lounge in front of a large stone fireplace that includes brick that Mike said was gifted to Luckman by President Henry Truman.
Up the road near the ranch house is another building with a dwelling occupied by a renter, which the Rivkins said is where the late author Sidney Sheldon came to write many books.
At one spot along the walking paths, there’s rusted equipment from a mining operation, with a long decaying pipe and ladder leading from a 100-foot-high shaft on one of the formations. Mike said he successfully attempted the challenging climb up to the shaft only once and doesn’t plan to do it again.
‘A unique experience away from the cities’
As owners of a picturesque fruit and nut orchard, beekeeper’s hut and a spacious chicken coop, the Rivkins have plans to supplement the maintenance costs by inviting visitors and local residents to experience the beauty of the ranch. However, Mike has made it clear that their aim is not to transform it into a bustling tourist destination akin to Knott’s Berry Farm, high-rise hotels, or a music festival site.
Linda hopes to create a trail riding program. She has noticed that at some local stables a 90-minute ride can cost up to $250 or more, and she aims to offer similar experiences at their ranch at a lower cost with more trails. Also, they plan to provide low-footprint, environmentally friendly nature tours, rockhounding experiences, bird watching, meditation retreats and opportunities for private corporate events.
Following a visit from a wedding planner, the Rivkins were informed that their ranch is more accessible, cleaner and more affordable than other event venues in areas like Joshua Tree. Furthermore, there is an exciting possibility of converting the bordello building into a captivating farm-to-table dining experience and utilizing the setting as a filming location.
“We can offer more because we have different nature trails and a place where we can make almost anything for them,” Linda said.
“There’s an opportunity for small groups to come up here, have a unique experience away from the cities and we’re only 20 minutes away from downtown Palm Springs,” Mike said.
If you go
What: Lost Creek Canyon Ranch (available to rent for film and TV shoots and private events)
Where: 12-000 Rushmore, Whitewater
More info: Visit www.lostcreekcanyonranch.com, call 858-337-6766 or email info@lostcreekcanyonranch.com
Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment for the Desert Sun. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs antiques sellers now own a slice of Whitewater history
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