About Us

The ranch [about 1540 acres east of Chama in the Tierra Amarilla land grant] was purchased in 1967 from Rosinda Rivera Valdez by a small group in individuals [Ernest Bryant, Wallace Leland, Charles Orth, Jere Knight – the initials used for the name ‘BLOK’ – and Kirk Smith] who shared a common desire to obtain a large piece of primitive mountain land. The agricultural aspects would provide funds to operate and improve the ranch; and the fish, wildlife and alpine setting would provide recreational opportunities. The intent was to maintain the original wilderness character of the land as much as possible.

The group formed the BLOK Corporation as a mechanism to finance and manage the property. At the time of incorporation it was agreed that the corporate stock would be held in no more than ten equal-size blocks or units and that stock ownership would be limited to a natural person or to a husband and wife as opposed to ownership by two or more persons (not husband and wife), partnerships, businesses or other corporations. In opening the corporation to other stockholders, the incorporators sought investors who shared their philosophy and vision for the operation and future of the ranch. To help preserve this intent the By-Laws were written so that the corporation and its members would have first and second rights of refusal should a stockholder decide to sell his/her/their block of shares.

Rather than break up the land into ten parcels, it was decided to keep the ranch undivided and issue 25-year leases to the stockholders. A lease would be offered to each holder of ten percent of the shares. A map was constructed with 25 lease sites, of which ten have been selected. [2 are undeveloped, and 1 has only 2 small trailers on it.] The sites (15 to 20 acres) were carefully laid out so that most of the grazing and timber-covered land and the major streams would be held collectively for all to use, and so that disturbance of wildlife by human presence would be minimized. The current [25-year] leases are due to expired on [November 8, 2033]. more...

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