Sheep Ranch (formerly, Sheepranch) is an unincorporated community in Calaveras County, California. It lies at an elevation of 2359 feet (719 m).

Sheepranch was named after a sheep ranch. Officially listed as “Sheep Ranch”, the official post office stamp did at one time read “Sheepranch” (Zip: 95250). One of the very few “free-range” areas in California, there are several hundred freely roaming sheep throughout the town. Sheepranch is located approximately half-way between O’Neal Creek and San Antonio Creek on Sheep Ranch Road in the center of Calaveras County.

Sheepranch has a surprisingly colorful history. The town was once surrounded by sheep corrals, and in 1860 gold ore was discovered in the corrals where the sheep were kept at night. Soon Sheepranch was a bustling gold mining town. Before the turn of the century there were five flourishing gold mines and one had a ten-stamp mill. The town also supported 15 saloons. The town was patented on August 4, 1880 by Judge Ira Hill Read.

The main mine in town was known as the Hearst mine. George Hearst, who with partners bought the mine in 1897, was the father of William Randolph Hearst. The mine operated under various company names until shut down by the government in 1942.

At one time the town of Sheepranch held two churches, one Catholic and the other Protestant. The local red school house, which still stands as a private home, employed two teachers until 1907 when the enrollment dwindled to 30 pupils taught by one teacher. The Eagle Hotel and the Pioneer Hotel were the two prominent local establishments, but only the Pioneer Hotel still stands.

Many scenes from the 1982 movie Honkytonk Man were filmed here.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honkytonk_man

The first post office opened in 1877, and was renamed Sheepranch in 1895.

From Wikipedia