Coming July 13th! Outdoor Screening at 7:30 pm of Red River at Empire Ranch Headquarters off Highway 83, Sonoita, AZ. A FREE Family Event of Solar Cinema in special partnership with The Loft Cinema’s Shot on Location series. Spend an evening under the stars. Bring your own seating, food & flashlights. Don’t miss it! Questions? Call 888-364-2829
Plan to celebrate National Day of the Cowboy at the Historic Empire Ranch on Saturday July 27, 2019, 9am-1pm. It’s a FREE family event with demonstrations, presentations, ranch tours. Rex Dalton’s chuckwagon lunch fixin’s will be available for purchase.
Click here to view photos of the the 2018 celebration.
During the summer months (June-August) reservations are required for docent-led tours. Tours are scheduled for 11am on the second and fourth Saturday of the month. Click here to make a reservations or call 888-364-2829. Reservations are due by 5 pm on the Friday before the tour.
The Foundation’s outreach volunteers had a busy 2018 staffing booths at a variety of community events. Over 800 individuals learned about the historic Empire Ranch and the Foundation at events and through presentations.
During 2019 the Outreach and Education committee hopes to participate in community events monthly, and provide more presentations to local audiences. If you have events to suggest or want to request an ERF speaker for your group or organization contact Marti Conroy by
email: Wrangler4504@gmail.com or phone: (520) 247-6097.
Did you know that in 2018 membership dues provided 36% of the Foundation’s income? ERF’s first membership drive was held in 2002 to implement one of the Foundation’s strategic planning goals– to expand the number of interested, contributing members to provide a continuing source of funds for preservation and outreach programs, and to participate in Empire Ranch Foundation programs and activities. Current membership in 2018 totaled 367.
A strong membership base is as critical to ERF’s success today as then. If you are not a member, please consider joining by clicking here. If you are a member we hope your membership is current. If you’re unsure of your membership status contact Lahsha Brown, ERF Administrator.
Over 250 guests attended the Empire Ranch Foundation special milestone celebration on Saturday, March 23, 2019 to commemorate the stabilization and preservation work on the historic 1876 Empire Ranch House. Click here to view photos of the event.
On a beautiful cool day 91 horse and wagon riders enjoyed the Empire Ranch Trail ride on April 6, 2019. Over 100 riders, guests, and volunteers savored a chuck wagon lunch in the Adobe Haybarn. It was a great day! Click here to view photos of the day.
Dedicated volunteers have been key to preserving the historic Empire Ranch House and Headquarters. Join us for the next Volunteer Day on Saturday, June 1st from 8am to noon. To volunteer, please submit a Volunteer Opportunities Form, and we will contact you with more details!
The re-opening of the Empire Ranch House provides a wonderful opportunity to update and add exhibits and interpretative materials. Two long standing exhibits are being revised and updated. The History of the Empire Ranch Timeline, on display in the Living Room of the Victorian addition, will now cover the time period 1870-2000, ending with the establishment of Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. The focus of the Who Lived Here? exhibit in the Master Bedroom will change from individuals who actually lived in the Master Bedroom to Empire Ranch Families. Throughout the Ranch House we will add some furniture and interpretive signs to explain items on display and architectural features of the building. In the Children’s Addition we will install an exhibit of toys dating between 1886 and 1960.