“Many people are very grateful to Pima County for their efforts and for creating this beautiful space for their community,” she said.

At more than 4,800 acres, the Raul M. Grijalva Kanoa Ranch Conservation Park is nationally recognized for its natural, historic and multicultural heritage. But while firmly rooted in Southern Arizona’s history, this facility just east of Green Valley also has big plans for the future.

The area, now known as the Raul M. Grijalva Canoa Ranch Conservation Park, was first formally surveyed in 1821 as part of the San Ignacio de la Canoa Land Grant, which spans over 17,000 acres.

From the mid-1800s to the early 20th century, the land was occupied by various settlers and bought and sold by several different businessmen who expanded their landholdings and ranching operations over the years.

Tucson businessman and rancher Levi Manning eventually bought the present-day 30,000-acre Kanoa Ranch around 1912 and turned it into one of the most progressive ranches in the Southwest. In addition to several breeds of cattle, the Mannings began raising the prized Arabian and Clydesdale horses.

When Levi Manning died in 1935, his son Howell Manning continued to expand his land holdings. By the early 1950s, Kanoa Ranch covered more than 340,000 acres (between those owned and leased from others), had thousands of cattle, and had dozens of people. It employs cowboys, some of whom came to the United States from Mexico via Bracero. program.

Ranch headquarters came to include several adobe buildings for the Mannings, their employees, and their families, as well as stables, a tack room, a blacksmith shop, a school, a recreational lake, and even a baseball field. there was.

Over the years, Kanoa Ranch has also been the social hub of the Santa Cruz Valley. The Mannings hosted gatherings that attracted composers such as Irving Berlin, politicians, governors and movie stars to the shoot.

Howell Manning Sr.’s son, Howell Manning Jr., was destined to inherit the Kanoa Ranch until his death in a car accident in 1951. Howell Manning Sr. and his family continued to live and work on the ranch. However, as the ranch business fell into economic decline, they began to sell part of their fortune.

After Howell Manning Sr. died in 1966, his wife, Evelyn Manning, sold the remainder of the original land permit, including water rights, to Duval Sierita Mining Corporation. Operations at Kanoa Ranch.

When Evelyn Manning died in 1970, the life left on their ranch began to decline. Vegetation suffered from water shortages, lakes dried up, and adobe buildings fell into disrepair due to lack of maintenance.

A series of companies owned the remaining land in Kanoa Ranch for the next few decades, but Fairfield Homes (one of the largest developers in the Green Valley area) purchased the remaining 6,000 acres in 1995. , made plans to convert the land into residential and retail space. .

In the 1980s, the ranch’s historical and cultural significance was reaffirmed by several community initiatives aimed at preserving its story.

In 1989, the Tubac Historical Society passed a resolution preserving the remaining structures on the historic ranch, which were subsequently listed on the Green Valley Community Plan.

Then, in 1995, public concern over Fairfield Homes’ plans to develop Kanoa Ranch prompted the Pima County Board of Supervisors to take action.

US Congressman Raul M. Grijalva, then a member of the Oversight Board, was one of the supporters for Preserving the Ranch. Grijalva lived with his parents on a ranch until he was five years old after his father came to the United States from Mexico to work as a cowboy as part of his Bracero program in the 1940s.

In 1997, Pima County voters approved a $2 million bond to purchase 4,800 acres of the original 17,000-acre San Ignacio de la Canoa land grant from Fairfield Homes. In honor of Grijalva’s efforts, the facility was officially renamed Raul M. Grijalva Noranchi Nature Conservation Park in 2007.

That same year, the ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Kanoa Ranch Rural Historic District, and Pima County completed the master plan for the park.

Since then, Pima County has worked with a team of professional contractors and volunteers to restore the ranch property to its 1950s appearance as best as possible.

Using traditional methods and materials, the crew rejuvenated several adobe buildings and rebuilt the ranch’s extensive enclosure system using mesquite logs and original hardware.

From 2017 to 2020, the county reintroduced a 2.5-acre lake, Cienega (Wetlands or Wet Meadows) on site, and added several historic and native plantings to the surrounding area. Best bird watching spot.

Supported by Friends of the Canoa Parks, a volunteer management group of the Green Valley Council Foundation, the ranch hosts numerous outdoor concerts, talks and other community events throughout the year, all of which raise funds. . Restoration and preservation efforts at the site.

Also, the latest project, the Manning Senior House restoration and transformation into a cafe and social hub, is scheduled for completion in 2023.

In reimagining the Manning Senior House, Matt Smoger, Parks Management Officer for the Pima County Department of Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation, said his team was committed to all of the historic, recreational, and natural resources the ranch offers. He said he wanted to put it in the spotlight and make it more accessible to everyone. .

Whether people come to the ranch to hike the historic Anza Trail, stroll around the lake, or tour the grounds with a guide, every visitor wants to “sit back and enjoy their experience.” You need a place to ‘immerse yourself in it,’ says Smoger.

Rebuilding the home into a community gathering place and social connection is also rooted in the history of the ranch.

“The Manning family was known to host many social events here. what was used for and the general public may use it in the future,” he said.

“We are looking into offering outside parties and private parties where the Manning Senior House can be rented for weddings, vacations, etc., just like the family used it.”

Smoger said the family theme was consistent throughout the planning stages, something he hopes every visitor will feel when they walk out on the ranch.

“This site has historically been about family, and that’s something we always keep in mind. How can we all get together? , I think it’s a great experience that we can offer through our parks more than ever.”