Establishment, 1876-1878
This chronology tells the story that led to the establishment of the Empire Ranch when Walter Lennox Vail (age 24) and Herbert R. Hislop (age 23) purchased a 160 acre homestead in Southeastern Arizona.
The information recounted comes primarily from letters written by both partners during the formative years of the Empire Ranch.
1879-1928
This chronology documents the history of the Empire Ranch between 1879 and 1928.
During this time period the ranch grew from the original 160 acres purchased by Walter Lennox Vail and Herbert R. Hislop in 1876 to over 100,000 acres. The discovery of silver deposits on the northern pastures of the Empire Ranch in 1879 led to the development and operation of the Total Wreck Mine. Between 1881 and 1887 the mine produced over $500,000 in revenue that allowed for the rapid expansion of the Empire Ranch through the purchase of more land, cattle, and other ranch improvements.
The information recounted comes primarily from letters written by Vail family members, newspaper accounts, and History of the Empire Ranch by Gregory Paul Dowell. Master’s Thesis, University of Arizona, 1978.
1879-1928
This chronology documents the history of the Empire Ranch between 1928 and 1969. In 1928, the Empire Ranch was purchased by the Chiricahua Ranches Company (CRC), successor to the Chiricahua Cattle Company (CCC) and the Boice, Gates & Johnson Company. The CRC was incorporated by three Boice brothers, Henry Gudgell, Frank Seymour, and Charles Gudgell. Cattle ranching was a family business begun by their father, Henry Stephen Boice, so the chronology includes the history that led to the Boice family ownership of the Empire Ranch.
1970-1988
This chronology documents the history of the Empire Ranch between 1970 and 1988.
In 1969 Boice & Company sold the Empire Ranch to Gulf American Corporation (GAC) which planned to build a housing development on the land. Boice & Co. retained a grazing lease with GAC so Pancho Boice continued to live at the Empire Ranch.
In 1975 GAC sold the Empire Ranch to Anamax Mining Company and discontinued the grazing lease with Boice & Co. Rancher John Donaldson assumed the grazing lease with Anamax.
In 1988 the Bureau of Land Management acquired the property owned by Anamax as part of a land exchange.