Empire Ranch Foundation

Empire Ranch Foundation The Historic Empire Ranch
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09/01/2026

A Proper Burial—March 1890

I was angry and shocked at his act, as I had never seen a man shot in the back before. I then saw the other Fox boy walking toward his brother’s body, which was still lying on the ground. The officers who had him handcuffed tried to detain him, but he said, “Shoot me if you like, but I am going to my brother.” He walked over to where the body lay and looked at it. Then he asked me if we would bury his brother and I told him he could depend on us to do so.
Then I told the sheriff there was no excuse for killing the boy as he could not get away in that kind of country. He replied that he was very sorry about what had happened but said, “You know, Vail, that I got my man without killing him, and that it was impossible for me to prevent it, as I had my hands full with the other fellow at the time.”

Tom Turner was not in camp when this happened as he had gone out around the cattle. The sheriff and his posse left shortly after and took their prisoner with them, but they left the body of young Fox lying on the ground where he fell. We dug a grave and, wrapping the young man’s body in his blanket, buried him near the place where he fell. It was the best we could do. I saw a man in Tucson last week who told me he was at Carrizo Creek a few years ago where he saw the grave which had a marker with the inscription, “Murdered.”

Photo caption/credit: Headstone at Frank Fox grave Courtesy of Gary Turner.

09/01/2026

A Tragic Ending—March 1890

As nearly as I remember I said: “Sheriff, you know the reputation of our outfit; it has never protected a horse thief and has always tried to assist an officer in the discharge of his duty.” I also told the sheriff that the boys had done the best they could to help us in crossing the desert and that I was sorry to hear they were in trouble. I felt it was my duty to tell him that the boys were well armed and quick with a gun. “You have plenty of men to take them,” I said. “Be careful. I don’t want anybody hurt.” The sheriff answered, “If they ask you anything, tell them that we are mining men going out to look at a mine.”

I knew if the boys were sure that the men were officers there would be bloodshed at once. It was a very unpleasant position for me as I really felt a good deal of sympathy for the brothers and I knew them to be young and reckless. The older one came to me and said, “Who are those men and what do they want?”

I had to tell him what the sheriff told me to say: viz, that they said they were mining men out to look at a mine near there. I could see he was not satisfied and was still anxiously watching the sheriff’s party.
Very soon after I was standing on one side of the chuck wagon, the elder brother was leaning against the back and his brother near the front wheel on the opposite side of the wagon from me. Suddenly I heard a scuffle and when I looked up I saw the sheriff and another man grab the elder boy and take his gun. His deputy and assistant were holding his brother on the other side of the wagon. They had quite a struggle and young Fox pulled away from them, ran around the wagon past me with the deputy in pursuit. He ran about a hundred yards up a sandy gulch and the deputy was quite close to the boy when he raised his gun and fired. Young Fox dropped and never moved again. I was close behind the deputy as I had followed them. When the latter turned toward me with his six-shooter still smoking and he was wiping it with his handkerchief. “I hated to do it,” he said, “but you have to sometimes.”

Photo caption/credit: Roundup chuckwagon at the 41 Ranch in Wyoming, 1947. ERF archives: B407-106 courtesy of Jim Van Auken.

08/30/2026

The Sheriff’s Unexpected Arrival—March 1890

Young Fox and I found some grass and brought it to the sick steer. Fox was a pleasant young fellow and said that Tom Turner had offered to give them work on the Empire Ranch if they would go back there with our men. A little later was surprised to see a carriage with four men in it coming toward our camp from the west. One of the men beckoned to me and I walked over to see what they wanted and who they were. They were the first people we had seen since we left the Colorado River, about a hundred miles back. He said he was a sheriff from Arizona and as he spoke, I recognized him. He then asked if we had two Americans with us who joined us near Yuma, and I replied that we had. Then he introduced me to the other three men, one of whom was his deputy and the other, his driver, who was from Temecula, California, and I think he said a deputy sheriff there. The fourth man, the sheriff told me came with him from Arizona and was the owner of some horses which he said the Fox boys had stolen from his ranch. The sheriff then told me that he and his deputy had followed the Fox brothers all the way to Yuma and then they had followed our trail after the boys until we crossed the line. They then returned to Yuma and took the train for California, as he could not go into Mexico.

Photo caption/credit: Tom Turner’s Santa Cruz County Sheriff badge. Turner was sheriff from 1901-1904. Courtesy of Jim Loushin.

🎥🎬🍿 Join us at the Loft Cinema in Tucson on Sunday, September 27, 2026 for a special showing of A Star is Born starring ...
08/30/2026

🎥🎬🍿 Join us at the Loft Cinema in Tucson on Sunday, September 27, 2026 for a special showing of A Star is Born starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson to celebrate the movie's 50th Anniversary.

A VIP Reception begins at 2:00pm with refreshments and a Making of the Movie talk with Kris Kristofferson's stand-in, Bunker de France, who has stories about the stars and what it was like filming at the Empire Ranch, Sonoita, Tucson, and ASU.

Tickets are $15 for just the movie, or $30 for the VIP Reception and movie. https://loftcinema.org/film/a-star-is-born/

All proceeds benefit the Empire Ranch Foundation's preservation efforts.

Thank you to and

08/29/2026

Carrizo Creek—March 1890

When we reached Carrizo we found a shallow stream of water in a wash the banks of which were white with alkali. Not only the stream but the hills, barren of all vegetation, were full of the same substance. I never saw a more desolate place in my life. In all of Arizona there is nothing to compare with it that I know of.

The next morning the cattle were scattered up and down the creek most of them lying down and a few of them eating what little salt grass they could find. They had come through all right from our last camp, except one young steer that could not get up. We tried to lift him on his feet but he could not stand so I told the boys I was going out to see if I could find bunch grass along the hills and the youngest of the Fox brothers offered to go with me. He was a good looking young man, nearly six feet tall and about 20 years old I should think. His brother was a rather short and heavily built. These boys had worked cheerfully since they met us and were on good terms with all our men.

Photo caption/credit: Ruins of the Carrizo Creek Butterfield Stage Station. California State Parks.

🤠🎉 The historic Empire Ranch marked its 150th Anniversary on August 22, 2026 - but the celebration hasn't stopped!Show...
08/29/2026

🤠🎉 The historic Empire Ranch marked its 150th Anniversary on August 22, 2026 - but the celebration hasn't stopped!

Show your support with the very first limited-edition belt buckle created especially for the Empire Ranch.

This hand-engraved buckle, made from German silver and a copper/brass mix with or without turquoise, pays tribute to the historic home and its ranching history.

The back is inscribed "Historic Empire Ranch Est 1876 Sonoita AZ" and a branded wooden box is included.

Every purchase helps the Empire Ranch Foundation in its mission to protect, preserve, and sustain the historic buildings and landscape of the Empire Ranch for future generations.

Pre-sales are open! Order yours before September 15, 2026. https://empire-ranch-foundation.square.site/

08/29/2026

We've been out exploring even more of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area!

This month’s stops took us to a little bit of everything—from the Western National Parks Store and local wineries to San Xavier del Bac Mission, the Patagonia Museum, and the Sky Islands Welcome Center. Each stop offers a different way to experience the history, culture, landscapes, and communities that make our region so special.

VVC ventures featured, clockwise from top left: 1. Tohono O’odham baskets at the Western National Parks Store in Oro Valley 2. Rune Wines in Elgin 3. Inside Patronato San Xavier del Bac Mission in the Tohono O'odham Nation 4. The Patagonia Museum in Patagonia 5. Visit The Sky Islands of Arizona Welcome Center in Patagonia 6. Educational Programming at the Western National ParksWestern National ParksWestern National Parks Association in Oro Valley 7. the entrance of Patronato San XavierPatronato San XavierPatronato San Xavier del Bac Mission in the Tohono O’Odham Nation 8. Los Milics Vineyards in Elgin

Visit a site, snap a photo, and share it with us by using , tagging , or emailing your photos and a short note to [email protected]. We can't wait to see where you explore next! 📍

08/29/2026

On to Carrizo Creek—March 1890

From our camp at New River we drove to Indian Wells, north of Signal Mountain. Late the next day we started for Carrizo Creek which makes the western boundary of the desert. This was the longest drive without water we had to make crossing the Colorado Desert. I think it was 40 miles. Our cattle had done well while camped at New River as there was more pasture for them there than at any place on the trail since we left the Empire Ranch. The country was open so we loose herded them. Strange to say the only steers we lost on the desert were drowned in the charco at New River. The reader may remember we turned our cattle loose the night we arrived there. The two steers were young and very weak and probably got their feet fast in the mud in the middle of the pool. We drove frequently at night as the days were warm on the desert. We hung a lantern on the tall board of our wagon and our lead steers would follow it like soldiers. Before we reached Yuma only one man was necessary on guard so we changed every three hours which gave the men more sleep, but it was rather a lonesome job for the fellow that had to watch the cattle.

Photo caption/credit: Mount Signal, Imperial Valley, California. Courtesy of Artarchives

08/28/2026

Let's make history! Applications are now open for the Arizona Heritage Preservation Youth Council. The Council is open to all Arizona 8th-12th graders who have a passion for history and their local community. Come help us plan the future for our past and make a lasting impact on Arizona's historic places and cultural heritage! Applications are due September 7. Visit https://azstateparks.com/AZHPYC to apply.

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Sonoita, AZ
85637

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