Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: The Archaeology of Ranching in Arizona

Summary

One of the "Five Cs" on the Arizona State Seal, cattle ranching has contributed greatly to Arizona’s growth and prosperity since Father Francisco Kino first introduced cattle in the 17th century. Ranching continues to influence the economic and cultural heritage of Arizona today, with nearly 4,000 ranches spread across the state’s 15 counties. This session will briefly summarize the archaeology of Ranching in Arizona, with emphasis on the San Rafael Ranch. Formally established as a the San Rafael de la Zanja Land Grant in 1821, the claim languished for decades under Mexican and then American jurisdiction. Through the early decades of the twentieth century, the ranch would expand from a 17,000 -acre land grant to more than 600,000 acres, covering lands in southern Arizona and Mexico. Today, a small portion of this ranch has been preserved as one of Arizona’s State Parks. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Archaeology of the American Dream: Topics in Historical Archaeology West of the Mississippi   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 679