My favorite place for strolling around in the desert is along the Salt River near the junction with the Verde River in the Tonto National Forest. The area was much busier in the early 20th century when it was still open range and before Tonto National Forest was created. Old maps show locations of abandoned mines and ranches that are no longer visible on modern maps. One such site called Monroy's Ranch is shown on a 1904 U.S. Geological Survey map. The ranch is shown west of Blue Point on the south side of the Salt River. The Tonto National Forest Foxtail Administrative Site (located just east of the Usery Rd./Bush Hwy. intersection) is presently at the approximate Monroy Ranch location. Some initial research identified the ranch with Francisco "Pancho" Monroy.

Portion of 1904 USGS Map Showing Monroy Ranch Location

Francisco "Pancho" Monroy is mentioned in Dana Coolidge's book (reference 1), "Arizona Cowboys" as an uncle of Johnny Jones who was the son of Dr. W.W. Jones (an Arizona pioneer and one-time business associate of the Goldwater brothers). He is described in the book as an old-time Mexican cowman originally from Caborca, Sonora. Coolidge had visited the ranch with Johnny Jones prior to publishing his book. Coolidge maintained that visitors were always welcome at Monroy's home.

According to Coolidge, Monroy had been at the ranch for 30 years and had fought off Apaches and lived through droughts and disasters. However at the time of the author’s visit in 1904, his pastures had been decimated by sheep due to his close proximity to the main sheep crossing on the Salt River. It’s reported that ninety thousand sheep crossed the Salt River near Blue Point and Monroy's Ranch twice a year during the early 1900's. By 1904, the only stock remaining on the ranch consisted of a few goats.

The book contains a couple of photos of Monroy. One of which shows him looking upriver from a high bluff along the Salt River. If you climb the bluff to the west of the ranch site, the view still looks much the same (see below).

Looking East through Salt River Valley (Monroy Ranch area below bluff)

Reference 1: Arizona Cowboys, Dane Coolidge, University of Arizona Press, Tucson Arizona, 1984.

There is also a photo of Pancho Monroy sitting at his ranch stored in the Arizona State Archive photo collection.

A search for Monroy Ranch in the Chronicling America newspaper search site brings up several Arizona Republican articles mentioning the site over the years 1910 to 1918 (search Monroy Ranch or Francisco Monroy). Some of these articles relate to local folks camping at the ranch on fishing and hunting trips and others refer to the ranch as a geographical reference point. However, another Arizona Republican article in the August 11, 1918 edition page 10 describes Francisco as being tortured and robbed by heavily armed bandits at his ranch near Blue Point. The article describes five heavily armed men riding up to the ranch and requesting water. When Francisco attempted to get the water they jumped him and tied him up. The bandits suspected that he had hidden money and tortured him with knives trying to get him to tell them the location. Finally, Francisco's wife gave the locations to the bandits and they got off with around $1,500 worth of gold hidden in the house.
Reference link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

According to the book, “Mexicans in Tempe”, Francisco was born in the mid 1880’s and worked as a vaquero on Dr. W.W. Jones’s Blue Point Ranch. It's evident that Dr. Jones ranched in the area considering the location of "Jone's Ford" of the Salt River located just downstream from Monroy's Ranch (see 1904 map).

Monroy is also mentioned in the book "Images of America, Apache Junction and the Superstition Mountains". There is also a photo of him included in the book. Monroy is mentioned in this book and in Lost Dutchman discussion forums as having been a host to Jacob Waltz (Lost Dutchman) as Jacob traveled along the Salt River on prospecting trips. Monroy Ranch is also mentioned as being near the Government Trail river ford that is mentioned in some Lost Dutchman discussions.

Things must have been very interesting during those times.

This summer, when its too hot to for outdoor exploring, I'll explore the library for more material and update this blog.

Adios

Photos of landscape at location of Monroy Ranch.