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Tour at the Acadia Ranch Museum. John Hernandez | Crier
American Flag Ranch.
Tack Room at the Acadia. John Hernandez | Crier
Stained glass window at the Oracle Union Church.
Nancy Patten talking to tour group at the Oracle Union Church. John Hernandez | Crier
PZ Ranch.
Oracle Towne Crier
Around 19 amateur historians and docents of the Arizona Historical Society visited Oracle and the San Pedro Valley recently. The historical tour was organized by Oracle resident Evaline Auerbach and the Arizona Historical Society Docent Council. The tour started at El Rancho Robles where everyone checked in that were spending the night at the historic guest ranch.
The group toured Oracle on the 24th traveling in an air conditioned bus. They stopped at the Acadia Ranch Museum, St. Helen’s Catholic Church, old Mountain View Hotel (now the Baptist Church), and the Oracle Union Church where Nancy Patten spoke to the group about the history of the Rock Church. They then stopped for lunch at the Patio Café.
The afternoon tour included stops at the entrance of the Cherry Valley Ranch, the Kannally Ranch House in Oracle State Park, American Flag Ranch and Hi Jinks Ranch. At the American Flag Ranch, owned and managed by the Oracle Historical Society, they were one of the first groups allowed to visit inside and see the new renovations at the ranch house building. The group made their way back in the air conditioned bus along Cody Loop Road making stops for photographs.
Back at El Rancho Robles they were given a tour of the ranch including their new “Speak Easy” by the General Manager Zach Nichols. As guests of the ranch they enjoyed a BYOB social hour followed by a buffet dinner and entertainment provided by guitar player Diane Davis. El Rancho Robles was named “one of the best things about living in the west” in the May issue of Sunset Magazine’s “Guide to Living in the West”.
After a good night’s sleep and a buffet breakfast at the ranch, the tour headed down into the San Pedro Valley. Stops were made at the Miner’s Memorial in Mammoth, the Pusch/Zellweger Ranch (PZ Ranch) and a viewpoint overlooking the Camp Grant Massacre site. The Camp Grant Massacre has been called Arizona’s bloodiest day. On April 30, 1871 six Americans, 48 Mexicans and 92 Tohono O’Odham killed 144 Aravaipa and Pinal Apaches, all but eight women and children.
The historical tour went well and was enjoyed not only by the tourists but by the people of Oracle that hosted them. It bodes well for those people wanting to attract more people to the area either through ecotourism, recreational opportunities or historical tours. Oracle and the Copper Corridor have a lot of all three to offer.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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