Browse Items (308 total)

This bill of sale is from Henry M. Kemp to Vail and Hislop. Vail and Hislop bought 160 acres from Fish and Silverberg for $2000 in gold coin according to the Pima County Recorder Book 3, pages 551-554 (not shown here). Afterwards they purchased the…

1880 map of Arizona shows the seven counties at the time: Mohave, Yavapai, Apache, Yuma, Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima. The Empire Ranch location is shown on this map in Pima County.

Agreement with J. S. Vosburg, signed by Walter L. Vail to brand up to 1000 calves belonging to the Pantano Ranch with the Heart brand (used by Vail on the Empire Ranch) instead of the Double-box brand used by Vosburg.

December 1, 1898 letter (page 1) from C. W. Gates to Walter Vail which discusses the impact of James T. Gillette's declared bankruptcy in November of 1898 and its effect on their business and the cattle market. The letter discusses strategies to…

This 1906 map of Arizona shows thirteen counties and railroad routes. Included on the map is the town of Vail, which was named for Walter Vail, who deeded land to the railroad for its stop. The Empire Ranch location is not shown on this map as it was…

Letter dated February 5, 1954 from Harry L. Heffner (Foreman from 1893 to 1905) to Mary Boice, wife of Frank S. Boice, owner and operator of the Empire Ranch at the time. The letter is a partial history of Walter L. Vail's acquisition and start of…

Edward Vail's sketch about a Mexican dance put on by the Greaterville placer gold mining camp and the cowboys attempt to join the dance after the Mexican miners decided not to let the cowboys in.

Men on horses rounding up broncos. Tom Turner one of the foremen at Empire Ranch was known as a hard boss and his roundup hours were rather early and rather late which didn't please many cowboys.

The holding gate at the Empire Ranch. A holding gate keeps animals in the holding area so they can be sorted out.

Rate notices and bill for dues from the Arizona Cattle Growers Association which was $2.00 annually, plus one-half cent per head above 200 head. The document is stamped paid and has hand written notation of calculation indicating Vail's dues of…

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.

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…

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…

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…

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