Special Collections Online Exhibits

Empire Land and Cattle: Remembering an Empire

Historical Photos

azu_ms506_vault_breakinghorses_1.45.jpg

Breaking Horses

Cowboys breaking in horses on the Empire Ranch. The Empire Ranch raised their own horses bringing in some stallions from the Chino Ranch in California and some Hamiltonians, a standard bred horse.

azu_ms506_vault_broncorider_1.46.jpg

Bronco Rider

Cowboy riding a bucking horse. Horses were critical to the running of any ranch. Mr. Vail turned over the breaking of horses to his best men. Harry Heffner stated "the horse from his withers forward belonged to Vail; the other part belonged to the cowboy."

azu_ms506_b1_f11_s.jpg

Empire Ranch Buckboard Supplying Camps ca. 1899

Two horses tethered to a buckboard filled with supplies for the camps. The Empire Ranch expanded by purchasing other ranches or contracting to operate and place cattle on other ranches. At one point it was estimated the ranch covered a little over a million acres. During the rodeo season there were scattered camps along the ranch. Supplies were transported using buckboards.

azu_ms506_b1_f10_p.jpg

Cattle Herding at Empire Ranch ca. 1900

Three women, one man and two children in the cattle pen. The Empire Ranch began a "breeder-feeder" formula which was a basic pattern of shipping cattle outside of Arizona to fatten. This proved very profitable and helped with the overcrowded rangelands conditions.

azu_ms506_b1_f10_o.jpg

Cattle Inspection at Pantano ca. 1900

Men and women on horses getting cattle ready for an inspection at Pantano. In 1885 Walter Vail as President of the Arizona Stock Growers Association worked with his committee to formulate legislative proposals to protect the livestock industry of Arizona, one of those proposals involved cattle inspection.

azu_ms506_vault_cattleroundup_1.58.jpg

Cattle Roundup

A cattle roundup. As cattle wander far in grazing, herds become mingled. The roundup permits separation of each owner’s stock, and because calves always follow their mother, the finding and branding of the past year’s calf crop is easily accomplished.

azu_ms506_vault_cowboy_1.56.jpg

Cowboy

This cowboy (most likely Harry Heffner) at Empire Ranch is dressed in typical cowboy regalia standing next to his horse. Harry Heffner reminisced that the cowboys liked fancy bridles with silver but as far as their clothing was concerned, Levi Strauss and a $2.50 pair of boots were okay.

azu_azswp_empire_ranch_cattle_herding_f1_t.jpg

Empire Ranch Cutting Gate ca. 1924

The cutting gate at Empire Ranch. The cutting gate allows for the separation of animals such as horses, cows or the like, into two or more holding corrals.

azu_azswbf_vail_edwardvail1926.jpg

Edward Vail 1926

Portrait of Edward L. Vail in 1926. During the 1920’s Edward wrote many stories about his experiences as a cowboy and rancher. These include a column recounting his cattle drive of 1890 for the Arizona Daily Star (1922) , his recollection of the first railroad in Arizona (1926) and three other sketches.

azu_azswp_empire_ranch_cattle_herding_f1_u.jpg

East Side of Empire Ranch Corral ca. 1896-1898

These horses are shown on the east side of the Empire Ranch corral. In 1884 Empire Ranch decided to include the breeding of race horses as a sidelight to their ranch operations. At one time they had a total of 250 to 300 broke horses.