▁bu yer ▁was ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁oil man ▁Ed win ▁St anton . ▁St anton ' s ▁purchase ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁part ▁of ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Island ▁brought ▁a ▁major ▁shift ▁in ▁agricult ural ▁production ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁After ▁trying ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁time ▁to ▁continue ▁the ▁sheep ▁operation , ▁bringing ▁in ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁head , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁switch ▁to ▁be ef ▁production . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁be ef ▁industry ▁in ▁California ▁was ▁growing ▁rapidly , ▁with ▁Santa ▁Barbara ▁County ▁among ▁the ▁top ▁ten ▁be ef ▁produ cers ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁Ed win ▁St anton ' s ▁ran ch ▁on ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Island ▁saw ▁changes ▁that ▁reflected ▁the ▁evolution ▁of ▁cattle ▁ran ch ing ▁in ▁a ▁working ▁landscape . ▁While ▁retain ing ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁structures ▁d ating ▁from ▁the ▁C aire ▁period , ▁St anton ▁constructed ▁a ▁few ▁buildings ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁needs ▁of ▁his ▁cattle ▁ran ch , ▁the ▁most ▁notable ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁Ran cho ▁del ▁Norte ▁on ▁the ▁is th mus . ▁Past ure ▁f encing ▁and ▁corr als ▁were ▁alter ed ▁to ▁suit ▁the ▁cattle ▁operation ▁and ▁an ▁extensive ▁water ▁system ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁provide ▁water ▁to ▁the ▁cattle . ▁ ▁The ▁G her ini ▁family , ▁descend ants ▁of ▁Justin ian ▁C aire ' s ▁two ▁daughters ▁who ▁successfully ▁su ed ▁to ▁break ▁up ▁C aire ' s ▁legacy , ▁continued ▁their ▁sheep ▁ran ch ing ▁operations ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁end ▁of ▁Santa ▁Cruz