FRESNO, Calif. – A well-known property along the San Joaquin River north of Fresno has a new name.
The site formally known as Sumner Peck Ranch is now being called “Running River Ranch,” according to the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust.
The name change comes after the Peck family, who owned and operated the ranch for decades before they sold it to the non-profit in 2020, issued a cease and desist letter last month demanding the organization stop using their family name.
In the letter, written by attorney Charles Manock, the family argued the name was never included in the sale of the property and said its continued use during a public controversy has caused confusion for the public as well as damaged their family name.
“The reputational damage to the Sumner Peck name is ongoing, substantial, and irreparable with each passing day that the Trust continues to use the name,” the letter reads.
That concern is partly tied to recent controversy surrounding the property.
Earlier this year, local leaders revealed that soil created through human composting – also known as natural organic reduction soil – had been spread along parts of riverbanks at the site.
The practice drew criticism from local leaders.
At a press conference in early March, Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld referred to the practice as “reckless and unauthorized.” The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians later issued a press release calling the practice “deeply troubling and profoundly disrespectful.”
Shortly after that, Parkway and Conservation Trust Executive Director Sharon Weaver said the organization had stopped applying the soil at the site.
This week, Weaver said the organization has already begun implementing the name change.
“The property formerly known as Sumner Peck Ranch is now called Running River Ranch,” Weaver wrote in an email. “We were happy to change the name as we believe this shows more consistency with other Parkway properties and reflects our commitment to protecting the San Joaquin River.”
Weaver said references to the old name have been removed from the organization's website and social media pages, and that new signs are currently in development.
She added that the name was used by the Trust as a geographic identifier, not a business name.
The Peck family argued the name was built over generations of agricultural work and community service.
“The name "Sumner Peck Ranch" was used continuously and exclusively by the Peck family in commerce,” the cease and desist letter reads. “As a working ranch, farm, and winery - for approximately fifty to sixty years.”
