Wrapping up Willcox

Willcox/Cochise KOA

Willcox, AZ

October 12, 2024

The high desert climate of Cochise County is a good place to produce pistachios.  We see lots of these orchards as we drive the roads around the area. We stopped for a photo because I have never seen a pistachio on the tree. 

We first visited The Cattle Capital of the West...best known as Willcox, AZ in March 2023.  We returned for another stay this fall to continue exploring the area around Willcox which we really did enjoy.  There isn't much hustle and bustle in Willcox and on some corners it appears to be a bit rundown, but we did enjoy some history, a few stores, and lunch.

Willcox was founded in 1880 as a whistlestop for the Southern Pacific Railroad.  Some would say its very existence is due to the fact that this area is about half way between El Paso and Phoenix and seemed like a good spot to add the train depot.  

Sights along our walk...

We enjoyed lunch at The Dining Car...a decent pulled pork bar-b-q sandwich, slaw, and onion rings.  

On one of our drives, we stopped at Rattlesnake Ranch in Dragoon, AZ.  

I did read that Dragoon has officially become a ghost town.

Rattlesnake Ranch had its beginnings as John and Sandy's Rattlesnake Crafts and Rock shop...a souvenir shop that attracted motorists with its life size metal statues of Indians, snakes, and dinosaurs.  John made wallets, belts, and other useful items out of rattlesnake skins and sold them out of an old trailer.  He was also a collector of junk...tons of Old West artifacts he lovingly hoarded and had on display...signs, boots, tools, etc.  In later years when John and Sandy retired, the store was unattended and payment for anything that had a price was on the honor system.  We parked very close to the road so we have no idea if the artifacts are still there and sold on the honor system, but we did walk the path to take in the dinosaurs that we saw.  

Apple Annie's was also on our list this year.  We made three different stops. First stop was at the Country Store just down the street from the KOA.  

   

Yummy Apple Bread toasted with butter for breakfast...

Our next stop was the Fruit Orchard.  We had planned on picking apples, but the apple trees that were close by were all picked and we didn't make the trek to the end of the long rows of trees.  The Fruit Orchard has more that 15,000 trees which includes a variety of apples along with peaches, cherries, pears and apricots.  Granny, Snap, and Pink Lady apples are the "you-pick" selection for October.  

We did a short walk down the row and not one apple did we see...8 different varieties of apples are picked in September.

There is a bakery on site and we did not leave empty handed. 

The fruit stand had lots of choices for fruit...

Our last stop for the day was my favorite !  Apple Annie's Produce and Pumpkins.  The farm is open for "you-pick" mid September thru October.   There is no fee to enter the fruit orchard or the produce farm, you only pay for what you pick or choose to buy at the store.

The farm provides wheelbarrows, snippers, bags and a map.  This place is huge! 

Produce good for picking included squash, zucchini, okra, black-eye peas, green beans, eggplant, a large variety of peppers, chillies, and tomatoes. 

It's way cool to walk the rows, but we...ummm I...was mainly there to pick pumpkins and a bouquet of sunflowers.  

I love sunflowers, and was I ever surprised to learn the farm sells 11 different varieties.  

On the way home, we drove by a cotton field.  

Back at the KOA,  Sally discovers a new obstacle she can master,  a very pleasant day has come to an end, and it's off to bed early for an early start home on Sunday.  

HAPPY TRAILS...heading home !

It has been a busy week back at the oasis.  We are happy to be home ! More on that next time...

The Cattle Capital of the West...Willcox, AZ

Willcox/Cochise KOA 

Willcox, AZ

March 11, 2023

Willcox was founded in 1880 as a whistlestop for the Southern Pacific Railroad.  Some would say its very existence is due to the fact that this area is about halfway between El Paso and Phoenix and seemed like a good place to add a train depot.  The historic Southern Pacific Railroad Depot was completed in December 1880 and the rest is history.  

Joe loves trains and we had plans to tour the museum housed in the old depot, but it is temporarily closed.  The marker located by the beautiful double door with glass panes states that :  

Pretty impressive !

Today the restored historic depot serves as a museum and City Hall for Willcox.

Across the street is the Historic Railroad Park complete with a life-size bronze statue of Rex Allen.

But more striking is the remains of a Siberian Elm that had to be cut down in 2020.  It was planted in 1928 and had been ailing for some time due to rotting roots.  Rather than haul it off it, it now has another purpose.  

By the 1930s, Willcox had become the largest range cattle rail shipping point in the United States...earning the town the title "Cattle Capital of the West".  And today, it's not uncommon to see/hear cow-haulers parked along the streets.  Many of the old buildings are still intact...some in disarray, some restored,  and some listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  

The yellow brick building above is 107 years old. The second floor was and still is the home of the Masonic Lodge.  

The first floor has been home to the county agricultural agent, a drug store, a hobby shop and today is a thrift shop.  And if you are in the market for baby billy goats, this is the place to be.

 

While some buildings haven't faired so well...

...others seem to have a renewed purpose.

Today, Willcox's economy is based largely on agriculture.  Award winning wineries are attracting attention from across the state with the vineyards here producing around 75% of the grapes used in the flourishing Arizona wine industry.  The area is also the second largest producer of pistachios globally with other speciality crops including  apples, peaches, pecans, cotton and small grains. 

There was no hustle and bustle in this tiny western town today.

But that might change during the West Fest Rodeo and Chuck Wagon Cook-Off, Wine Tasting Festival, Rex Allen Days complete with a parade and rodeo, Mountain Bike Fun Ride, and other such events and festivals.   

Speaking of Rex Allen, we enjoyed perusing The Rex Alan Museum and the Willcox Cowboy Hall of Fame. 

Rex Allen (1920-1999) is known as "the Arizona Cowboy".  He grew up on a homestead about 40 miles north of Willcox.  He was a film and television actor, singer and songwriter and was also a narrator in many Disney nature and western productions.  As a boy, Rex played the guitar and sang.   Back in the day when Roy Rodgers and Gene Autry were much in vogue, he was given a movie contract and from 1950-1954, he played in over 30 movies with 19 of these staring as himself. Joe watched some of these as a youngster.  

 

The Willcox Cowboy Hall of Fame was instituted in 1983 to honor one of the important resources of the Willcox area...it's cowboys.  The wall represents...not just big-time ranchers, but rather a celebration of all the ordinary people who have made this country great. 

SOME of the requirements to qualify to be listed in the book and have a picture mounted on the wall include:

   A wide-brimmed hat and a pair of tight pants.

   Two dogs to ride in the back of the pick-up.

   A forty dollar horse and a three hundred dollar saddle.

   A spool of barb wire, three fence posts, and a bale of hay to haul around.

   A pair of silver spurs to wear when you dress up. 

   A goose-neck horse trailer small enough to park in front of the cafe.

   A wife that believes your lies and has a good job.

We enjoyed lunch (thank you Janna for the recommendation) ) at Isabel's South of the Border just around the corner from the museum.  The chicken tostados were good and the serving was huge.  The staff is friendly and the restaurant is colorful, roomy and not crowded.  We enjoyed it so much we decided to visit again with Janna and Mike.  The fried mahi fish tacos were quite yummy, but the beef fajita burro was on the tough side.  

FYI... If you plan to stay awhile in Wilcox, there is a full service laundry

complete with directions for anywhere in southern Arizona.

But if you require adult beverages, you might want to bring your own.

And if you have a sweet tooth, Bakester's Pastries has some yummy choices...Voodoo Bars and Brown Sugar Pecan Pie Bars were at the top of our list !

Back at the KOA, our mornings were spent watching the sunrise and the cranes fly over.

Our afternoons were spent playing at the doggie park and enjoying the warm sunshine.  So many new smells.

And lots of ball play...so focused !

And evenings were spent enjoying the sunset.  Tuesdays sunset was the most vivid.  From this...

to this !

But Friday nights was my favorite. 

So, that's a wrap on our winter get away.  We were sorry it didn't work out for the Bisbee part of the trip, but now we just have that trip to look forward to all over again...just not in the winter.  And, Willcox is definitely on the radar for another visit as I'm thinking Chiricahua NM needs another visit and there are places we missed this time.  

Until next time,  

HAPPY TRAILS !