George Hearst (1820–1891) bought over 30,000 acres (120 km2) of Rancho Piedra Blanca, an 1840 Mexican land grant, in the late 19th century.
[1] A third collection of Hearst ranches was acquired by the Army to form Fort Hunter Liggett.
The Hearst ranch produces branded grass-fed beef for the retail markets, selling primarily to Whole Foods in Southern California.
[2] The ranch is permanently protected under a conservation agreement signed in 2005 by the Hearst Corporation, American Land Conservancy, California Rangeland Trust, and the State of California.
[2][3][4][5] The ranch has a private airstrip, Hearst Airport.