…p was 50% Pancho Boice and 50% Bob and Miriam Boice. Pancho managed the day-to-day operations of the Empire Ranch and Bob did the same for the Slash S. Grant Boice recalls: “…we would ship the calves from the Empire up to the Slash S. Instead of selling them at the Empire, we’d pasture them on the Slash S from the fall through the spring. We would sell them from the Slash S in the spring. Everything they did, they did together.” [Grant Boice oral…
…ivate Memorial Room at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, CA. Courtesy of Find-A-Grave On December 7, 1919 Henry S. Boice died in Pasadena, CA. He had been ill for several months. He was survived by his wife, LuBelle and their five children. Will Barnes wrote in his obituary of Henry S.: “In his home life he was singularly happy, his relations with his children being more that of a big brother than a father.” [The Breeder’s Gazette, 2/12/1920] Henry…
…that height, the gable portion is only eight inches thick. Evidence of two-by-six-foot joists spanning the bottom chord of the truss to the six-inch deep ledge at the west adobe wall suggests the presence of a partial hay-loft at one point along the west end. It is covered by a steep sloping roof with gable ends. This barn was used for horses. Throughout the life of the barn, many alterations have taken place. An early twentieth century fire caus…
…25, 1876—Hislop’s “Little Accident” Hislop writes (8/7/1876): “The little accident that occurred was I happened to get on a bucking horse and no sooner I was on his back than he began bucking with me. I stuck there a little time but at last he had me off and then kicked at me, but luckily missed and bolted away as hard as he could. I did not get hurt except my hip was all bruised, as the horse was 16 hands high and was a good height to tumble from…
…rol of land adjacent to Cienega Creek would prove to be essential to the success of the Empire Ranch. Courtesy of Dave Tuggle. Walter’s Travels—November-December 1877 Walter spent the latter part of 1877 traveling. He first visited his cousin Tracy in Kansas where he was able to hunt for prairie chickens. December found him in Los Angeles visiting Uncle Nathan and Aunt Anna Vail. He met an acquaintance from Arizona who: “… said that when he left o…
…be paying well. I see by the paper that Fish has advertised everything for sale in Tucson and amongst other things his ranch, the sale comes off the latter part of this month.” The E.N. Fish and Co. Store in Florence, AZ, built in 1867. Source: Wikimedia July 12, 1876—Florence to Tucson Hislop writes: “Got up or at least rolled out of my blanket at 5:30 a.m. and went and bathed in a pool about a mile from Florence. I enjoyed this as it was the fir…
…fice. Some of the rooms at the historic Empire Ranch headquarters are wheel-chair accessible through the front breezeway (zaguán) entrance; the public restrooms are wheel-chair accessible. The terrain around the Empire Ranch headquarters is primarily dirt with uneven surfaces that can be challenging for some mobility scooters. While often providing serenity and quiet, several times during the year special events are hosted by the Empire Ranch Foun…
…Bernard L. Fontana. Overland Press, 1965. [available from libraries or out-of-print dealers] Empire Ranch by Gail Waechter Corkill and Sharon E. Hunt, Charleston, SC, Arcadia Publishing, 2011. Images of America series. [order from the Empire Ranch Foundation] Heart of the Empire. Historic Structure Report, Empire Ranch, Arizona by Laura Soulliere Harrison and Paul Niedenger, Volume 1, December 1992, revised 2020. Historic American Landscape Surve…
…ehabilitation of the Empire Ranch House (2016-2018) Installation of two ADA-accessible paved parking spaces at the front of the public restrooms (2017) Refurbishment of the public restrooms to mitigate erosion (2017) Split duct heating and cooling system installed in the Huachuca House (2017) South door of the Adobe Haybarn restored and rehung (2017) Painting of the Empire Ranch House windows and doors–Phase I (2015-2016) Replacement of the Mechan…
…pire Ranch and the Foundation. When possible we have an array of items for sale from our gift shop. Education Foundation speakers are available to provide educational presentations to classrooms or community groups on the history of the Empire Ranch and the Empire Ranch Foundation. Listed below are several talks currently available. We are happy to tailor presentations for specific interests. Classroom presentations are free of charge. We apprecia…