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The Smallhouse family welcomed everyone to the ranch to celebrate the anniversary. John Hernandez | Miner
The Smallhouse family provided many activities for families including ring toss games, a hay ride and good old fashioned fun. John Hernandez | Miner
Kids competed in the “Hats and Boots” competition, but all were declared winners!
John Hernandez | Miner
San Manuel Miner
The lower San Pedro Valley has a history of ranching going back to the 1870s. The ranch owners had to overcome many obstacles including Apache raiders, bandits, cattle rustlers, floods and droughts as they struggled to make a living and raise their families. Many ranchers failed and sold their land or gave up altogether. The Carlink Ranch has managed to survive for many years. It is the oldest ranch in the area that has been continuously owned by the same family.
On Saturday, Oct. 25 the Smallhouse family celebrated the 130th anniversary of the Carlink Ranch. The celebration included light refreshments, kids’ activities including games, prizes and the Kids’ Hat and Boots contest. Cocktails and appetizers were served and a barbecue dinner and dance closed the festivities.
The Carlink Ranch was established in 1884 as the Bayless-Berkalew ranch in Redington. At that time Redington was well established. It had a general store, post office, boarding barn and a school house. Some of these buildings are still standing and being used. The Smallhouse families are descendants of William H. Bayless.
Andy and Stefanie Smallhouse, owners and operators of the Carlink Ranch have been innovative in devising ways for the ranch to become more cost effective. They have diversified and now specialize in English Cross Beef Cattle, heifer development, mesquite lumber milling, cactus sales fall/seasonal produce and guest rentals.
At the celebration Andy and Stefanie welcomed all the guests. Andy talked about the ranch surviving a 13-year drought. He talked about and thanked the Valdezs, Ronquillos, and the Binghams. He called Francisco “Paco” Rodriguez, the cowboy foreman for the past 35 years, the “best cowboy you could get”. Andy mentioned Raymundo, Levy, Andrew Cox, Chris Fletcher, Dondi, Nina, Manny, Rose, Tano Ronquillo, Danny Tellez, and numerous others that have all been influential or worked to keep the Carlink Ranch going. Andy thanked his mother and choked up when he talked about his dad.
Congratulations to the Smallhouse family for 130 years of raising cattle, crops and families!
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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