Peña Adobe Historical Society joined vendors and Community Partners at the Annual Rush Ranch Open House!

The Open House was held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, November 18th at Rush Ranch, 3521 Grizzly Island Rd. in Suisun City.  The free event featured arts and crafts, entertainment, exhibits and presentations, raffle, food, vendors, and community partner tables.

Peña Adobe Historical Society members shared with park visitors the history of the Peña Adobe and showed guests how to make corn husk dolls.  Our booth was located in the barn across the blacksmith shop, one of the many historical buildings at the Ranch.  Despite the pouring rain, we spent time with 26 visitors sharing the history of not only the Vaca and Peña families, but the Rush family.  Hiram Rush, his family and his cattle arrived in the Grizzly Island area in 1852, all the way from South Bend, Indiana.

Rush purchased land near the Potrero hills and started a cattle and horse ranch, which grew rapidly to encompass more than 5,000 acres.  Hiram Rush quickly became a member of local organizations, among them the Masonic Suisun Lodge No. 55.

Hiram’s son, Benjamin Rush grew interested in politics. In 1904, he decided to run for the California State Senate as a Republican, representing the fifth district of Napa and Solano. He won the seat with a landslide victory over his opponent and for the next six terms, he served as senator. He was a member of the special committee for selecting a location for the state agricultural farm.  A tract of nearly 800 acres at Davisville - today’s Davis - was chosen for the agricultural department and is now UC Davis.

Rush Ranch was purchased by Solano Land Trust in 1988 with a grant from the Coastal Conservancy.  In 1991, at the grand opening of the Rush Ranch, Benjamin Rush, grandson of Senator Benjamin F. Rush and great grandson of the founder, Hiram Rush was in attendance to witness the beginning of a new era for Rush Ranch.  The once busy cattle ranch now provides recreational and educational opportunities to thousands of visitors each year who enjoy its historical buildings and self-guided trails.