The Crandall Ranch

The Crandall Ranch west of LeRoy is home to descendents of the oldest herd of Purebred Angus cattle in the United States. The progenitors of the herd were brought to Lake Forest, Illinois from Aberdeen, Scotland, by Mrs. Maude Crandall’s grandfather, James Anderson, and his partner 105 years ago. The family later moved to Allendale farm in the Iola area, and upon her marriage, Mrs. Crandall was given ten head of cattle with the original bloodline as a gift from her parents.

The Crandall Ranch once covered 5,000 acres and shipped cattle to many point across the country. Although the Ranch House is gone, the milk house and the old smoke house are still standing on the Abbott Crandall property and are in good condition. Both are made from stone quarried in the area.

The Crandall Horse Barn held over 20 horses and remained intact until recently destroyed by fire. It was recognized by the decorative design on the front, a reproduction of the popular painting, “Pharaoh’s Horses,” which was first executed by a relative and was retouched from time to time.