San Rafael Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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San Rafael Ranch
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The San Rafael Ranch House in 2014.
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 Location in Arizona
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| Location | Lochiel, Arizona, USA |
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| Built | 1884 |
| MPS | Cattle Ranching in Arizona MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000001 |
| Added to NRHP | 2008 |
The San Rafael Ranch, also once called the Greene Ranch, is a very old and important cattle ranch. It is found in the beautiful San Rafael Valley in Arizona, USA. The ranch is about a mile and a half north of a small place called Lochiel, Arizona. It's also very close to the border with Sonora, Mexico.
Contents
A Look Back: The Ranch's Story
The land where the San Rafael Ranch now stands was once part of an old Mexican land grant. This grant was known as San Rafael de la Zanja.
Early Days and a New Home
In the 1880s, a man named Colin Cameron, who was a big name in the cattle business, bought this land with some friends. Soon after, Cameron built a two-story house for himself. But sadly, this house burned down on Christmas Eve in 1899. A candle on a Christmas tree caused the fire.
Just one year later, Cameron built a new house. This one was made of brick and had three stories. It was even bigger and fancier than the first one! However, Cameron didn't live in it for very long.
New Owners and Growth
In 1903, Cameron had a disagreement with his neighbor over land. He decided the ranch was too much trouble and sold it. The new owner was Colonel William Cornell Greene. Colonel Greene owned huge copper mines nearby in Cananea, Sonora.
Colonel Greene bought many properties over the years. He owned about 600,000 acres of ranch land. This land was on both sides of the international border. The San Rafael Ranch House became the main office for his company, the Greene Cattle Company.
Cattle, Horses, and a Famous Visitor
The Greene Cattle Company raised thousands of Hereford cattle. These cattle were first brought from New York by Colin Cameron. The company also raised many horses.
The Greene Cattle Company became very successful. It even caught the eye of Pancho Villa, a famous Mexican revolutionary. He visited the San Rafael Ranch more than once in the early 1910s to get horses.
A New Chapter and Filming Location
Colonel Greene passed away in 1911. His daughter, Florence Sharp, and her husband inherited the ranch. In the early 1950s, the ranch became famous across the country. It was chosen as the place to film the classic Western movie "Oklahoma!". The movie starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones.
After the movie, Florence Sharp and her family started working to protect the ranch house and its land. They wanted to make sure it would be saved for future generations.
The Ranch Today
The ranching era at San Rafael finally ended in 1998. This was after Florence Sharp passed away. The ranch was then sold to The Nature Conservancy, a group that protects natural areas.
In 1999, Arizona State Parks bought 3,557 acres of the property. This included the historic ranch house. They wanted to use it as a Natural Area. Arizona State Parks also bought a special agreement called a conservation easement for the rest of the original ranch land.
The San Rafael Ranch now covers 18,500 acres that are owned directly. It also has rights to use the natural area for grazing. In 2008, the ranch headquarters was named a National Historic District. This means it's a very important historical place. However, it is not currently open for everyone to visit.
What Makes the Ranch Special?
The historic area of the San Rafael Ranch includes the main ranch house. It also has several other buildings. These include a machine and blacksmith shop, two barns, and corrals. Corrals are pens for livestock. There are also other structures used for raising animals.
The ranch is important for two main reasons. First, the ranch house is built in a French Colonial Revival style. This style is quite unusual for a ranch in the Arizona countryside. Second, the ranch shows how the ranching industry grew in Arizona from 1884 to 1957.
Images for kids
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Colonel William Cornell Greene, who owned the San Rafael Ranch.
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The barn and the corral next to the San Rafael Ranch House.
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Old farm equipment used at the ranch.
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An Arizona State Parks truck.
