The Archeology of Faraway Ranch, Arizona: Prehistoric, Historic, and 20th Century

Summary

From its tenuous beginning as an 1880s pioneer homestead in the

Chiricahua Mountains, to its development into a thriving 20th century

Arizona ranch, Faraway Ranch exemplifies the changing history of rural

life on the western frontier. This report chronicles a part of that

history through its material remains, as revealed by the first complete

archeological survey of the now-abandoned ranch property.

Intended primarily as an inventory and management tool for the

National Park Service (Chiricahua National Monument) which purchased

the ranch property in 1978, the report integrates the preliminary

description of surface archeological features with known and

hypothesized activities occurring at the ranch between 1888 and 1978.

The report also illustrates a long history of ancillary use of the area.

Included is evidence of substantial prehistoric aboriginal occupation,

homesteading by another pioneer family, and the remains of an 1885-1886

military camp established by the 10th Cavalry "Buffalo Soldiers" during

the Geronimo Campaign.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Chiricahua National Park, Arizona   •
• WACC documents 1980-1989   •
• Arizona

Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 0 to 1978

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contributor(s): Richard V. N. Ahlstrom; Lisa G. Eppley

File Information