The history of Double Circle Ranch is full of characters and famous people. Tim Cox, world renowned western artist , lived and painted here. His earlier paintings are exact representations of the country and cowboys here on Eagle Creek. Tim had to leave when his kids were past 8th grade – the one room school house only goes through 8th grade. Tom Blasingame worked on the Double Circle for a while. He wanted to cowboy on a rough, big ranch. The huge Texas ranches weren’t wild enough for him. J.Frank Dobie, author of many books including my favorite The Longhorns, worked a season on the Circles to make sure his writings were authentic. Ben Lilly, famous lion and wolf hunter, camped and hunted on this ranch. He was quite a character – ending up believing he was a hound and kept a hound tied to him at all times.
Stella Hughes, contributor to Western Horseman and author of several books including Beans and Bacon and The Hashknife Cowboy about Mac her husband, lived on Eagle Creek where Mac was the stockman for the San Carlos
Double Circle Ranch Cowboys
Apache tribe. Edie Fitch, who delivers our mail on Wednesdays and cooks for guests here, is another neighbor who is a published author. She collaborated with Stella Hughes and wrote The Heart and Hub of Eagle Creek, a fascinating history of this ranch and the whole Eagle Creek area.
We had some famous Apaches and outlaws here too. Geronimo was born on Eagle Creek. In his last years as a prisoner of war, he asked to be allowed to return to Eagle Creek to die. The request was denied and he died in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The Apache Kid roamed and plundered this area. Jeff Milton, an Arizona Ranger, tracked bank and train robbers to the Double Circle Ranch. Some are buried in the ranch cemetery. Apparently Milton wasn’t known for bringing in people alive. Ike Clanton of the OK Corral fight in Tombstone was shot here while living in a cabin on Eagle Creek. There are more. What an interesting history there is in this little corner of Arizona! We want to do a week long history tour here – there is plenty to see!
Geronimo actually died in Ft. Sill Oklahoma. He was a prisoner of war there and spent many, many nights in jail for being drunk in public. He fell off his horse one cold night after drinking one too many. He laid in the cold all night and caught pneumonia, which eventually killed him. I’ve visited his burial site. Many of his ancestors are buried there as well. It was very interesting.
Michelle,
You are absolutely correct. Thanks for setting me straight. I wasn’t remembering the Oklahoma time in Geronimo’s life. I was thinking of the transport to Florida. Either way, Geronimo never did get home which is too bad.
Sounds like you are a history buff. Come out to the Double Circle Ranch sometime. It is a piece of Old West history for sure!
Thanks again,
Wilma