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Avimor is being created on the site of Spring Valley Ranch, a cattle and horse ranch dominating the northern horizon of the Treasure Valley, owned by the McLeod Family. Its 38,000 acres spread nearly 20 miles east to west, and 10 miles north to south across three counties (Ada, Boise and Gem). Earlier time on the Ranch, however, were much more humble.
Land records show Eliza R. Howell as the first owner at the heart of the ranch. An 1897 USGS map identifies the current ranch headquarters as "Howell," which once hosted a general store, blacksmith shop and post office. "Howell" changed hands in 1910 when Eliza and William Howell sold the site. Purchasers W.C. Cleveland and John Archabal apparently added surrounding parcels to the ranch. When they sold Spring Valley Ranch to Colin McLeod I (and W.J. Hodgson) on October 4, 1916, there were 1400 acres, including the 2.5-mile-long Spring Valley itself.
The McLeod Family
Colin McLeod was born in Ardgay, Rosshire, Scotland, on February 27, 1880. It was in 1899, as a young man of 19 years, that Colin came to Idaho from Scotland and entered the sheep industry at Rockville with Finley McKenzie, his employer of six years. McLeod began his own business (with John Bruce) with 10,000 head of sheep at the camp, Jump Creek, 18 miles south of Caldwell. McLeod eventually sold out of the operation, and in 1916, purchased Spring Valley Ranch.
McLeod was recognized as one of the most progressive and enterprising young sheepmen of Idaho and did much to improve the conditions of the industry. After his death, his son, Colin "Smokey" McLeod II, continued the sheep business until about 1982, when the ranch transitioned to cattle. Smokey's son, Sandy (Colin III), took over the ranch in 1995 upon his father's death and continues to operate it today.
The Ranch and the Creation of Avimor
Like many western ranching families, the McLeod Family has maintained ownership of Spring Valley Ranch for a long time--over nine decades. The McLeod Family has taken a legacy view toward the use and development of their property. As community-minded stewards of the land since 1916, they have resisted the opportunity to sell off portions for fragmented rural subdivisions. The family preferred to hold to the vision of creating a conservation-oriented community that would benefit future residents of the region.
Their search for a responsible development partner led them to SunCor Development Company. Based on the company's track record of creating outstanding, livable communities, the McLeods entrusted more than 23,000 acres of their 38,000-acre ranch in a forward-looking development agreement with SunCor in July 2003. It is the heritage of 90 years of McLeod family ownership and concern for the land that forms the basis for the future--and for development of a "place" upon that land for succeeding generations. It is the Scottish heritage of the McLeod family that led to the selection of the name Avimor that is derived from Scotland's Aviemore, which is a thriving, active-lifestyle resort town in the Highlands region and the gateway to a major national park.
Goals shared by the family and SunCor are to craft a series of communities, or "Villages", that hold to the McLeods' conservation-oriented vision.
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