Tanque Verde Ranch older than state of Az

Joe Valdez has been with Tanque Verde Ranch since 1976, doing everything from training horses to leather saddle repair to helping tourists experience the style of living he grew up with in a family of southern Arizona ranchers. “(Cowboys) haven’t completely vanished yet. They’re still very much alive,” he said. As Arizona’s centennial approaches, Tanque Verde, which opened in 1868, is a family-owned business that has been in operation since before this was a state. Other ranches have come and gone around the property over the years, and it has switched ownership, adapted to different times and found ways to survive in a changing industry. “If your customers are not happy they’re not going to come back again, so our main objective is to try to find activities, interests, patterns, that will stimulate, encourage and excite our guests to come back again,” said Bob Cote, the ranch’s current owner. Cote attributes much of Tanque Verde’s longevity to its protected location in the eastern reaches of the metropolitan area. Bordering Saguaro National Park and the Coronado National Forest, Tanque Verde isn’t as vulnerable to development...more