The Sod House Ranch became the headquarters for the northern operating division of the French-Glenn Livestock Company, which eventually covered over 140,000 acres (570 km2).

In 1935, the United States Government purchased the Sod House Ranch property to add to an adjacent wildlife refuge.

The eight remaining Sod House Ranch buildings are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The birds, animals, and plants found in the wetland around the lake provided abundant food for early inhabitants.

By the time Europeans began to explore the area in the early nineteenth century, the Northern Paiute people were well established in the Harney Basin.

As a young man, French worked for Doctor Hugh J. Glenn, who owned large tracts of land in the Sacramento Valley.

[2][3][4][5] In the Blitzen Valley, French met a prospector named Porter, who had not found much gold and was eager to move on.

[2][3] Over the years, French expanded the company's holdings until the ranch extended from the foothills of Steens Mountain 40 miles (64 km) along both sides of the Donner und Blitzen River to Malheur Lake, including the Sod House Ranch property running along the south shore of the lake.

[10] The company built 500 miles (800 km) of barbed wire fence to protect 30,000 to 45,000 head of cattle plus 3,000 horses and mules.

The Sod House Ranch served as French's sub-headquarters at the northern end the property near the mouth of the Donner und Blitzen River and along the south shore of Malheur Lake.

In 1935, the United States Government bought the remaining property to expand the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

In 1935, the United States Government purchased 64,717 acres (261.90 km2) from the Eastern Oregon Live Stock Company for $675,000, adding the land to the refuge.

[6][15][16] The Sod House Ranch buildings were constructed using native materials including pine and aspen lumber, juniper posts, and locally quarried stone.

The interior of the barn is a single large room with a wide center aisle to accommodate a winter hay supply.

[15] At the same time, a number of partners joined the US Fish and Wildlife Service to restore other ranch buildings.

Among the partners that helped to restore the ranch were the National Park Service, University of Oregon Architectural Field School, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, AmeriCorps, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Harney County Historical Society, Malheur Wildlife Associates, the High Desert Museum, and numerous local volunteer groups.

It is closed the rest of the year because the area provides important nesting habitat for colonies of great blue herons, double-crested cormorants, and Canada geese.

[15][16] The Sod House Ranch Historic District is located within the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon.

[6][18] The Sod House Ranch is 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Burns, Oregon in direct line.

Approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) from that junction, turn south on the Sod House Ranch access road.