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Willcox Cowbelles ' ranch history display at Wings Over Willcox
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| The Chiricahua Cattle Company Roundup Crew and Chuckwagon on the Star Ranch 1912 From left, Ed Boyer, Harry Jewell, Buster Maden, Jack Busenbark, Sam Roberts, D. Edwards and Gus Moore. (PHOTO COURTESY/Cochise County Historical Society) |
Visit the Willcox Cowbelles booth at the Wings Over Willcox Trade Fair and Expo in the Willcox Community Center January 15-17 to learn about ranching history in the Sulphur Springs Valley.
During the days of open range, large herds of cattle were driven to Willcox for shipping. The fall roundup usually started in September and sometimes lasted until Christmas. Cattle were driven as far as 60 miles - one gathering from the Mexican border northward shipped 25,000 head from Willcox. Frequently two roundup crews, starting near Douglas, worked the valley, one worked from the west side and the other from the east side. The roundup crew consisted of riders from all of the valley ranches and was led by one of the larger ranches that provided the foreman, the wagons and the very important cook. As the crew moved north through the valley, they rounded up, branded and released calves and gathered beef, usually yearlings, for market. When the crew reached Gleason, the Chiricahua Cattle Company with Jack Busenbark as foreman took over the lead and the Douglas area wagons returned home leaving only enough riders to take care of their interests. Further north they were joined by the Riggs Ranch crew that had worked the Dos Cabezas area and the herd was driven to Willcox for shipment on the Southern Pacific.
So many cattle were driven to Willcox that railroad stockyard pens quickly filled and many herds were held in the vicinity waiting for railroad cars. Riders camped out with the herds - sometimes for several weeks - and campfire lights twinkled like stars all around the town. Willcox was known as the "Cattle Capital of the Nation". In 1897, 37,292 head of cattle were shipped from Willcox, 49,985 in 1899 and 40,000 head in 1937. In 1954 Willcox Livestock Auction began and the stockyards were sold to a rancher who dismantled the pens and moved them to his ranch.
During the days of open range, large herds of cattle were driven to Willcox for shipping. The fall roundup usually started in September and sometimes lasted until Christmas. Cattle were driven as far as 60 miles - one gathering from the Mexican border northward shipped 25,000 head from Willcox. Frequently two roundup crews, starting near Douglas, worked the valley, one worked from the west side and the other from the east side. The roundup crew consisted of riders from all of the valley ranches and was led by one of the larger ranches that provided the foreman, the wagons and the very important cook. As the crew moved north through the valley, they rounded up, branded and released calves and gathered beef, usually yearlings, for market. When the crew reached Gleason, the Chiricahua Cattle Company with Jack Busenbark as foreman took over the lead and the Douglas area wagons returned home leaving only enough riders to take care of their interests. Further north they were joined by the Riggs Ranch crew that had worked the Dos Cabezas area and the herd was driven to Willcox for shipment on the Southern Pacific.
So many cattle were driven to Willcox that railroad stockyard pens quickly filled and many herds were held in the vicinity waiting for railroad cars. Riders camped out with the herds - sometimes for several weeks - and campfire lights twinkled like stars all around the town. Willcox was known as the "Cattle Capital of the Nation". In 1897, 37,292 head of cattle were shipped from Willcox, 49,985 in 1899 and 40,000 head in 1937. In 1954 Willcox Livestock Auction began and the stockyards were sold to a rancher who dismantled the pens and moved them to his ranch.
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| What's Happening | Kristy Hom, Willcox League of Art's artist of the month, is a Sierra Vista resident who makes photographic images from paint cans, oatmeal boxes, pumpkins, and other containers. |
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