It became part of the extensive Spanish land grant known as Rancho Nuestra Señora del Refugio, operated by the family of José Francisco Ortega from 1794.

The land was purchased by William Welles Hollister after the Civil War as part of a large acquisition, the center of which was at Glen Annie, Tecolotito canyon.

As a result of the Hollister Ranch Owners' Association CC&Rs, Santa Barbara County zoning and California's Agricultural Preserve Program, when fully built out, over 98% of the property will continue to be devoted to cattle grazing.

For decades the boat launch at Gaviota Pier allowed unfettered access to all Californians and visitors to the state tidelands all the way up to Point Conception.

[6] The working cattle operation that has shipped as much as 1,000,000 pounds of beef in a good and rainy year has been criticized as primarily existing for tax-front purposes and as being subsidized by the owners.

Regardless of the fact that cattle have continuously grazed at Hollister Ranch since the 1860s, some environmentalists note the potential impact such an operation could have on native flora and fauna.