Colby Ranch

Originally a plot of 40 acres homesteaded by W.H. Potts, a Glendora Pioneer, the old Colby Ranch was built around 1890. It is located at 301 W. Bennett Avenue.  

The Colby family appeared to be the 2nd owners of the home. An article in the March 8, 1906, Glendora Gleaner states that “W.J. Cox sold his home, including 20 acres of fine orange grove, to George A. Colby of Great Falls, Montana for the sum of $20,000," noting also that “this is one of the finest orange groves of the valley.” 

Mr. Colby was a large stock rancher in Montana and bought this home for “a California home” that he would occupy a part of each year with Mrs. Colby. 

The Colby Ranch house is two stories with several rooms and bathrooms. It has had several owners through the years and the exterior remains very much the same as it did in the 1890s. At one point it was rumored to be a hotel, but upon further investigation this was found untrue; instead several rooms had been rented out during WWII to a family from Arkansas. Interesting to note was that one set of owners found scrawled writing on a wall at the back of a linen closet: “Mrs. D.A. Cole, 1891”. There is no record of a Cole Family residing in this house, yet the 1898 City Directory lists a D.A. Cole as a rancher in Glendora. 

Rumor has it that a baby died in the nursery and that the mother walks the house at night. Some of the previous occupants claim to have seen her on several occasions. 

One of the families, who resided in the house for over 20 years, had many encounters with a male ghost and maintain they photographed it, but the photos were lost over the years. They affectionally called their ghost “Herman” and never had any bad experiences. 

Battler, Bobbie. Colby Ranch. The Glendoran Magazine. March 1st, 1987. 60.

"Important Real Estate Transfer." The Glendora Gleaner (Glendora) March 8th, 1906. Vol.3 ed, sec.52.