Vail in Pima County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Home for Ranch Families

Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, June 7, 2015

1. Home for Ranch Families Marker

Inscription. The "New Ranch House" was built in the 1950s by the Boice family for Frank Boice's oldest son Frank (Pancho). It was here that Pancho and his wife Sherry raised their four children: Steve, Kitty, Sherry, and Carol.

Mac and Billy Donaldson and their three children, Alexa, Sam, and Renee also lived here. Mac's father John Donaldson ranched the Empire from 1975-2009, in partnership with Mac and his grandson Sam.

When the Bureau of Land Management acquired the Empire Ranch in 1988, the New Ranch House served intermittently as a field station for BLM staff working at the ranch. In the future, this building will be rehabilitated for use as part of the BLM's administrative programs at Empire Ranch.

Captions:
Frank Stephen (Pancho Boice)
Sherry Bailey Boice
Kitty, Steve and Sherry Boice with Burt Lancaster, ca. 1955, New Ranch House under construction in rear.
Mac and Billie Donaldson
Mac, Sam, Colton and John Donaldson

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1988.

Location. 31° 47.255′ N, 110° 38.549′ W. Marker is in Vail, Arizona, in Pima County. This marker is on the Heritage Discovery Trail at Empire Ranch. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Vail AZ 85641, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least

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5 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Hired Man’s House – Who Lived Here?/Historic Preservation of the Hired Man’s House (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Historic Empire Ranch (about 700 feet away); Sonoita Quarter Horse Show and Races (approx. 7.7 miles away); San Ignacia del Babocomari (approx. 8.4 miles away); Camp Crittenden (approx. 9½ miles away).

Wide view of Home for Ranch Families Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, June 7, 2015

2. Wide view of Home for Ranch Families Marker

The New Ranch House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, June 7, 2015

3. The New Ranch House

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 10, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. This page has been viewed 455 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 10, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.