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San Rafael Ranch

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The ranch sits in the middle of San Rafael valley, bordered by the Patagonia Mountains to the west, the Huachucas to the east, and the Canelo Hills to the north.  Within its walls lies a rich history of ranching in the San Rafael Valley.
 

When Arizona was still a territory this area of rolling grasslands was part of a land grant known as San Rafael de la Zanja, issued after Mexico's independence from Spain.  The headwaters of the Santa Cruz River begin in this valley.

 

Before the arrival of the Spaniards in the late 17th century, the Sobaipuri Pima, Janos, Jocomes, Sumas and Apache Indians were known to have traveled through the Valley.  Mexicans, miners, ranchers, and adventurers of every stripe followed beginning in the18th century.

In 1999 the Arizona State Parks purchased 3,557 acres of the property including the ranch house.  In 2008 the ranch headquarters was designated a National Historic District.  It is currently closed to the public.

 

The ranch has served as the backdrop for several movies and was the setting for the 1955 Hollywood version of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma.