Pete Kitchen Ranch

Pete Kitchen Ranch is a historic property near Nogales in Santa Cruz County, featuring an L-shaped stone structure with a flat roof. The building is marked by a 4-foot parapet that originally served as protection against Apache raids, and the property includes several smaller outbuildings and dugout caves that provided shelter for workers.

The property was founded around 1862 by Pete Kitchen, who developed it into a significant economic center of the border region. It played a key role in early European settlement and commerce in southern Arizona.

The adobe construction methods show traditional building techniques of the American Southwest from the 19th century. These methods were well-suited to local materials and the region's dry climate.

The property is located near the town of Nogales and is accessible to visitors interested in exploring the history of the border region. The building functions as part of a restaurant establishment, which means visitors should approach with awareness of ongoing operations.

The property preserves traces of worker camps with surviving dugout caves, rare evidence of daily life during 19th-century border commerce. These underground structures offer a seldom-seen glimpse into living conditions for people who labored on isolated homesteads in southern Arizona.

Location: Santa Cruz County

GPS coordinates: 31.40222,-110.95444

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:41