The Bull Hill Story

Before 1903 the mountain we sit on was nameless. Bull Hill was an uninhabited, uncharted, natural mountaintop paradise. In 1903 the mountain had waited long enough and accepted its first permanent host, Peter Ansaldo. Bull Hill has been watching over and hosting since that time.

Peter Ansaldo left Italy in 1900 in search of a new life in America, leaving the small village of San Giorgio, Italy. After arriving on Ellis Island, Peter headed west in search of work and a place to start a new life.

Peter made it as far as Butte, Montana when his journey came to a halt in 1901. The long endeavor proved to be a challenge and a financial drain. As a result, Peter began working in the mines to save enough money to send for his wife, Mary.

Peter sent for Mary and they had two daughters (Lena and Katherine) while living in Butte.  After working for two years in the mines of Montana, and suffering from black lung, Peter’s doctor suggested he move to an area with an abundance of trees.  Peter knew that some of his extended family members had established homesteads in northeast Washington and across the border in Canada.  Moreover, Peter had reviewed the homestead claims listings for the area and decided to head for Washington.  Peter bought a Hereford Bull “Curly” and arrived with Curly, the first and only Hereford bull in the area, on what is now Bull Hill. He staked claim on the land, built a homestead on what is now Ansaldo Lake and prepared the land for crop.

In 1921 Minot Guglielmino, chose to leave Italy to experience freedom and a better life in the United States.  He spent his twenty-first birthday on the ship, which delivered him to Ellis Island.  Minot’s family had stayed in touch with the Ansaldo family so Minot endeavored to travel to the Northport area.  Initially, Minot worked in the Lead Point mine near Northport before meeting and marrying Peter and Mary’s daughter Katherine (Kate). Together, Peter and Minot grew the cattle herd and developed Bull Hill into a profitable ranch.

In 1928, Minot and Katherine had their first and only child, Don Guglielmino. Don worked on the ranch, living with his parents in what is now the “Old House” above the barn, and attended school at the white schoolhouse at the bottom of the hill. Don later graduated and met Kathleen (Kassie). Don and Kassie married and raised six children, Jeanne, Susan, Don, Pete, Tom, and Joe.

In 1995, brothers Don and Pete started a guest ranch alongside the cattle ranch. Don handled the business side of things while working another job and Pete ran the day to day operations with the cattle and guest ranch. Beginning with only the cookhouse, several horses, a few tents, and working out of the “old barn”, Bull Hill Guest Ranch has grown into what you see today as “the hill” still continues to host us all.

The Family

Pete Guglielmino, along with his wife Patsy, have owned, lived on and managed the cattle, and later, guest ranch operations since 1981, after graduating from Eastern Washington University. Pete is a licensed aircraft pilot, professional horse trainer and fly fishing/hunting guide. Pete proudly served as the past President of the WCA (Washington Cattlemen’s Association) and currently serves on the National Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Pete and Patsy and their three children, Tucker, Hunter and Kassie have worked together as a family on the ranch to farm, wrangle, serve and host the guests who visit the ranch. Most recently, Tucker returned to the guest ranch, after graduating from Washington State University, to become our Marketing Director.