Empire Ranch, Historic cattle ranch in Pima County, Arizona, United States
Empire Ranch is a historic cattle ranch in Pima County, Arizona, situated within the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. The main building contains over 20 rooms built with adobe and wood frame construction, positioned among native grasslands.
The ranch was purchased in 1876 by Walter Vail and Herbert Hislop and grew from a small holding into a large cattle operation. The property changed hands several times over the following decades, with the buildings repeatedly expanded to meet operational needs.
The main building shows how western ranch architecture evolved, with spaces organized to reflect the working life of cattle operations and family needs. Visitors can see how adobe and wood construction techniques were combined to create a structure suited to the desert environment.
The site is open daily from sunrise to sunset and lies near Interstate 10 and Arizona Highway 83 for easy vehicle access. It helps to check ahead for any guided tour options, as access to certain building areas may vary depending on maintenance or special events.
The property contains remnants of silver mining operations that generated supplementary income for the ranch owners in the 1870s. These traces show how early western settlers often combined multiple economic activities to sustain their operations.
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