The over 150 year history of Wickenburg Arizona has been one of transition. We will explore Wickenburg Arizona and its transition from Gold Mines to Dude Ranches to Rehab Center.
From first impressions Wickenburg is a laid back but touristy southwestern destination that glorifies its roots of gold and silver mining prospectors and the cowboys and cattle ranchers of eras gone by.
Today, Wickenburg is known for its clean air, wide-open space, team roping capital of the world, dude ranches, tourism, and its rehab treatment centers. These centers draws patients (domestic and international) including many celebrities.
I would like to thank the Desert Caballeros Western Museum and the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce as resources.
Located near the center of town, the Jail Tree is a 200-year-old mesquite tree where prisoners, drunks and criminals were shackled in Wickenburg between 1863 to 1890. Since there was no jail in the town, the prisoners would then be left out under the elements. Eventually a lawman would come from Phoenix to transport to the territorial jail so 54 miles away.
The town was name for a German immigrant named Henry Wickenburg who was one of the first prospectors in the area. He is said to have discovered the most prosperous mine just out of town called the Vulture Mine. To my understand, there are tours available to check out the remains of the mine for yourself.
There is another famous tree near the Vulture mine and Wickenburg’s homestead called the “Hanging Tree”. The warning sign, nailed to the tree, reads “Wickenburg’s House and Hanging Tree. From this ironwood tree, 18 men were hung for high grading or stealing gold ore. Please watch your step”. Needless to say, things were handled a little bit different in the wild west of Arizona in those days.
As the prospecting gave away to unscrupulous land and mine sales, the prosperity of Wickenburg was ensured with the coming of the railroad in 1895. In those years, the town had even once been viewed as a possible candidate for territorial capital. The historic train depot today houses the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center.
Along the town’s main historic district, early businesses built many structures that still form Wickenburg’s downtown area. Tourism led to the development of guest ranches, with as many as 14 operating in the 1950s and 1960s, when Wickenburg billed itself as the “Dude Ranch Capital of the World”. Today there are two main guest ranches operating – the “Flying E Ranch” and “Kay El Bar” guest ranches
Today Wickenburg is know as the “Team Roping Capital of the World” with the development and expansion of Rancho Rio by Ty Yost and Yost Events.
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