Browse Items (308 total)

A letter dated November 23, 1875 from Walter L. Vail to Edward L. Vail describing Walter's first impressions of Tucson upon his arrival by stagecoach, his meeting the Governor, and discusses at length issues involved in acquiring property and the…

The railroad Walter Vail and his partners used to ship cattle to other locations such as Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, and California. The prospect of shipping cattle to Eastern buyers caused ranchers to improve their herds and occupy the…

Edward Vail's account of the happenings near the old Cienega Stage Station, now known as Pantano, including the Southern Pacific's Apache Trail Route with gravestones, Farishes' History of Arizona, and a story about robbery and murder of a U.S.…

Edward Vail's account, The First Railroad in Arizona, written February 24, 1926, recalls the completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad from Los Angeles to Maricopa Wells in 1879. This was the first railroad ever built in the State of Arizona. In…

The Empire Ranch homestead was originally a four-room adobe building without windows and doors. Improvements were made such as adding a kitchen, pantry, cook's room, and business office. Further improvements were made with the arrival of Walter's new…

Edward Vail's sketch briefly describing Southeastern Arizona and Southern New Mexico's fiercest and most warlike tribe of Apache Indians, the Chiricahuas, and the names and locations of various Apache tribes.

Close up of the 1883 map of Arizona Territory showing Pima County and the location of the Fish Ranch.

1883 map of Arizona Territory shows the location of the Fish Ranch, also known as the Empire Ranch, which was purchased by Walter Vail and his partner in 1876. In 1880, the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in Arizona. This map shows the routes of…

Map carried by Edward L. Vail on the 1890 cattle drive from the Empire Ranch to the Warner Ranch in California. The map shows the route taken from the Empire Ranch to Yuma, AZ. The camps that were made during this portion of the cattle drive are…

An original Southern Pacific Company Thousand Mile Ticket used by Edward L. Vail, stamped February 14, 1901. The ticket included travel between railroad stations in Arizona, New Mexico, and El PasoTexas. It is punched on the days it was used. Note…

Edward L. Vail agreed to lease a building he owned for the Rosemont School at the rate of ninety-five dollars per year. The building was located on the Fair View Placer Claim approximately 1/4 mile east from the Post Office in the Village of…

Pages 71-77 of an interview of Harry Heffner, Foreman of the Empire Ranch from 1893 to 1905, by Charles U. Pickrell on June 4, 1960. The interview discusses the history of the Empire Ranch giving details on people involved with the ranch and Southern…

Pages 61-70 of an interview of Harry Heffner, Foreman of the Empire Ranch from 1893 to 1905, by Charles U. Pickrell on June 4, 1960. The interview discusses the history of the Empire Ranch giving details on people involved with the ranch and Southern…

Pages 51-60 of an interview of Harry Heffner, Foreman of the Empire Ranch from 1893 to 1905, by Charles U. Pickrell on June 4, 1960. The interview discusses the history of the Empire Ranch giving details on people involved with the ranch and Southern…

Pages 41-50 of an interview of Harry Heffner, Foreman of the Empire Ranch from 1893 to 1905, by Charles U. Pickrell on June 4, 1960. The interview discusses the history of the Empire Ranch giving details on people involved with the ranch and Southern…

Pages 31-40 of an interview of Harry Heffner, Foreman of the Empire Ranch from 1893 to 1905, by Charles U. Pickrell on June 4, 1960. The interview discusses the history of the Empire Ranch giving details on people involved with the ranch and Southern…

Pages 21-30 of an interview of Harry Heffner, Foreman of the Empire Ranch from 1893 to 1905, by Charles U. Pickrell on June 4, 1960. The interview discusses the history of the Empire Ranch giving details on people involved with the ranch and Southern…

Pages 11-20 of an interview of Harry Heffner, Foreman of the Empire Ranch from 1893 to 1905, by Charles U. Pickrell on June 4, 1960. The interview discusses the history of the Empire Ranch giving details on people involved with the ranch and Southern…