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The rural ranch never had electricity, telephone or running water, even though 15 children from two generations were raised here. Fortunately, the Railroad provided transportation to and from town, at 25 cents a ride.

The last family residents of the Alvarez Ranch left in 1993. In 1995 the ranch became part of the Chino Valley Ranger District Prescott National Forest.

On July 5, 1899, Marion Alexander Perkins purchased an open-range of native grama grass with a year-round stream called the Verde Ranch.

Marion, his wife Annie, their three sons (Rob, Ben, and Nick), their three small daughters (Annie, Valeria, and Fannie), and several neighbors, set out for Arizona from Mississippi. Ranch wagons were filled with their household goods. After more than a year on a cross-country odyssey they finally arrived on November 1, 1900.

"We just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time we had on our Verde Canyon Railroad weekend and thank you for all you did to make it such a special weekend!" 

—Marv and Miriam Aardahl, California

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