Legends of the West: Exploring the Tom Mix Memorial and 96 Ranch in Florence, Arizona

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Күн бұрын

Discover the rich history of the Wild West with a visit to the Tom Mix Memorial and 96 Ranch near Florence, Arizona. Delve into the legacy of cowboy culture amidst the rugged landscapes of the American Southwest.
Nestled amidst the scenic landscapes near Florence, Arizona, the Tom Mix Memorial and 96 Ranch stand as enduring testaments to the Wild West's rugged legacy. The Tom Mix Memorial commemorates the life and adventures of one of America's most iconic cowboys, Tom Mix, whose daring exploits on horseback captured the imagination of audiences in the early 20th century. The memorial site features a bronze statue of Mix atop his trusted steed, paying homage to his contributions to Western cinema and cowboy lore.
Adjacent to the memorial lies the historic 96 Ranch, a sprawling expanse of land steeped in frontier history. Originally established in the late 19th century, the 96 Ranch embodies the spirit of the Old West, with its sprawling pastures, rustic homesteads, and tales of cattle drives and ranching pioneers. Today, visitors to the area can explore the ranch's scenic trails, learn about its storied past, and immerse themselves in the timeless allure of cowboy culture against the backdrop of Arizona's rugged desert landscape.
VIDEO FILMED: 04/03/2024
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 Tom Mix Tragedy
08:55 Old 96 Ranch
▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬
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Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking, day trips, and campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!

Пікірлер: 81

@gstiles7 2 ай бұрын

I can't tell you how many times I drove past there on my way to and from school and had no clue about its history. Thanks for the continued education of the Southwest!

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

How funny! Granted as kids, we tend not to really grasp things like actors from other eras. I know when I was young, I probably wouldn't have cared as much as I do now. 😅

@susanasalinas4273 Ай бұрын

Thank you Glenn n Amy. My mom's brothers would talk about going to the movies to see Mr. Mix n all the other cowboys. Great story.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

There's very few left it seems. Would be interesting to have been able to experience one in the theater at the time. 👍

@jairustheadventurer3935 Күн бұрын

Fyi, I drove 96 ranch road to the house in my 2006 Nissan Maxima without scraping. Go slow and you'll be good! The barn and other out buildings used to be cool but were recently demoslished. Love it!

@TrzCharlie 2 ай бұрын

Great video and assessment of the Tom Mix memorial and the 96 ranch. Very cool. You inspire me to get in our jeep and get out there to explore. I wish there was more respect for old structures and places that are historic. It is shameful what happens to them.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

That is awesome! I hope you have some awesome times exploring. And I know what you mean about structures. One of the reasons why we only shoot them with our cameras. Who knows how much longer they will last.

@daynavillanueva1732 Ай бұрын

I love 96 Ranch. I'm from Florence and It is beautiful out there. It's sad how people have vandalized it.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

No kidding. Abandoned shouldn't mean target practice. 😢

@buckwheatsofia 2 ай бұрын

So sad about Tom Mix. What a beautiful piece of land. Interesting house. Thanks for this great video

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. 😄

@kevinp2820 Ай бұрын

Fascinating story. There’s a restaurant called Los Dos Molinos in Phoenix on South Central Street that was also a Tom Mix home. Very unique place check it out.

@theinstructor2687 2 ай бұрын

When I was young, it was legal to drink and drive in many states. Not legal to drive drunk, but to have a drink, often referred to as a 'traveler' you could sip on while driving. Tom Mix was indeed the King of the Cowboys. Thanks for another fun and informative video. Oh yeah, and say hi to Slim for me.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Different times than now for sure. 😅 Slim honks his hellos back at'cha. 😂

@Rfk1966 2 ай бұрын

Crazy enough, people referred to light beer as “driving beer” … growing up in the Midwest

@Denkiiy 2 ай бұрын

The roof wooden beams are called "Vigas". Seen a lot in New Mexico style houses.

@WillySmith-sd4em 2 ай бұрын

The gate is interesting. It looks like a K and the P would have been known as a lazy P. Pueblo revival architecture was popular in the 30's. Vigas are wooden beams used in ceilings. The ones on the outside of this house were for decoration. Popular in NM on houses from the 30's to the 50's. Cool old place. Thanks for taking us along. Oh, and a really cool root celler.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Very cool. Thanks for the information about those details. Much appreciated! 😄

@WillySmith-sd4em 2 ай бұрын

@@CactusAtlas you and Slim keep on truckin! I enjoy your videos.

@garyandjessbullock 2 ай бұрын

Hey Glen, could you and Slim please give us a tour of 17 mile road neer Wikiup and perhaps see if the two of you can find an all dirt road way into the north east shores of Alamo Lake? We own Slims two wheel drive Chevy Colorado counterpart and hope to way find a safe passage, but could use your and Slims 4x4 help to scout it first.

@joywyse6996 2 ай бұрын

Glenn and Amy, enjoyed this video very much. I am really getting a good Arizona education from your videos. I'm soon to be an Arizona resident again. Love it!! Thanks.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Our pleasure! Arizona can't wait to have you back. 😊

@RobertGlazier 2 күн бұрын

The room in that house with the windows is called an Arizona room, most of the time built in the north or south side of the house so as to be cooler in the summer. The tile looks like the thin sitio tile. Great video. I live in Sierra Vista.

@CactusAtlas Күн бұрын

Thank you!

@wallacerobertsconsulting2894 Ай бұрын

We camped at 96 Ranch about 16 years ago, & that bare concrete foundation was part of a barn that has fallen down or was demolished & removed.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

I saw that on a different video! I think it was only a couple of years ago that the barn was still there. 😟

@ENJIMEEREBAY 2 ай бұрын

Glen and Amy, this is an impressive production. Keep up the great work.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Thanks, will do! 😄

@jairustheadventurer3935 Күн бұрын

The stories I have of this place.... I once went out there at night and a quilt was nailed over the door to the cellar. I pulled back a small opening and saw a mf hospital bed and an extinguished lantern and said "NOPE" Btw, bats sometimes occupy the cellar in large numbers so don't go running in there. I once was out there and a blackhawk helicopter flew over about a thousand feet above us. The door was open and a guy was kind of hanging out so I gave him a wave and he waved back. Then, they flipped around and flew over us and the 96 ranch house within probably less than 50ft of altitude. It kicked up a MASSIVE cloud of dust. It was EPIC!! Some army air crew was out there messin around and made friends with us. 😂 I've also seen a plethora of wild animals from gila monsters to javelina!

@CactusAtlas Күн бұрын

!!! Those are some wild stories! But more than anything... just a little jealous that you've seen a gila monster! One of the two area wildlife that we've not seen when out and about.

@bradfordbarrettluckotheIrish 2 ай бұрын

Go pro roof mounted is a nice feature. I suppose inclement weather might require it to get tucked away. Great video Glenn.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Probably. They are waterproof (we dunked one in the Colorado River) but raindrops on the lens wouldn't make for the best filming. 😂

@01Lenda Ай бұрын

The tub is cast iron with enamel, my guess. Great video! 🌿💙

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Yes! Thank you! 😄

@kevinfranck6520 Ай бұрын

The Palm is a California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera), but they are native in several wild places in Arizona.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Appreciate the info! 👍

@user-kn5iy5tv8g 2 ай бұрын

I've seen that style of cast iron bathtub in homes built in the 1920s. Treasure!

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Very cool! I wonder if this one dated that far back? 🤔

@senchirai 2 ай бұрын

The roof footage is instantly noticeable and lovely. I commented on it to Spouse immediately. Yes please and hi from Old Pueblo

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Fantastic! We'll have to see how it works out when the temperatures rise but we're hoping a nice little breeze will help out with the overheating issue. 😅

@kathietee291 2 ай бұрын

Nice video! Love the historical info and views of the beautiful saguaros on the hills! The camera appears to do great on the top of truck. I enjoy your videos and historical stories, and, by the way, you DO NOT talk too much! How weird would it be to have a walk/drive through in silence, with no explanation of what we are seeing. Keep doing it your way, please!

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Thank you! 🤣 It would be weird. I just edit Glenn how he is. Not trying to make him into anything other than who he is. 😊

@michaelwalker6121 2 ай бұрын

I'd love to have been able to see that ranch in it's hey-day.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Us too. Heck, I would have loved to see the ranch a couple years back. From videos we've seen, there were a number of buildings which aren't there anymore. 😞

@CJ-fz2fm 2 ай бұрын

Tom Mix was a friend of the old west legend Wyatt Earp! That‘s a pretty cool story.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Indeed. I read somewhere online that Wyatt would come down to the set and watch production sometimes.

@SwiftyTravels 2 ай бұрын

I like the GoPro set up. I always have a dirty windshield. I should try something like that. Glad to know it doesn’t fly off when you speed up or if it’s windy outside 😂 You presented some interesting history that I was not aware of! Thanks for sharing!!!

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Oh yeah. The new set up really will help out with having to keep a clean windshield. Though I guess now we just have to keep an eye out for a clean lens on the GoPro. 🤣

@richardbeee 2 ай бұрын

Well now, that was an easy explore. Old goat an I went out there years ago. The way we understood it, is there was a bigger ranch that wanted it. That building without a door was the pump house. The big rancher that wanted that place did all that he could do to run the owners out; including sabotage to the water. Once the water rights were bought up by the big rancher, the owners had to leave. It was a literal game of cat and mouse. Always looking behind you. Where the grill was up top was where the ranch foreman and his wife and kids lived. They were the first to leave. Kids. Back then the cowboys road for their brand. Was very important to them. That big tank by the windmill was a stock tank and a swimming hole. Heard it was a very beautiful place many years ago. Some say that there were actual gunfights there after the trouble started. Some of those bullet wounds could be from that. If you look at your video of that concrete building you'll see a dim outline of a door that they filled in. The idea was to throughly cut off their water supply till they left. One last thing, they still build with Adobe. Helped build one not to long ado in N.M. Tell Slim we said howdy and y'all be blessed by the Best!😊

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Ooooooooh. INTERESTING. It's funny... when we were there, I just didn't notice anything about that pump house (kinda figured that was what it must be) but when I was editing I noticed what looked like a door sized area that looked different (would be facing the road). I know from other videos I watched that across from that was the barn. Amazing how quickly all that lumber disappeared. I can believe that some of the damage to the buildings could have been original but considering the INTENSE amount of casings (probably saw upwards of close to 100 just in front of the adobe house alone)... I can't help but think the vast majority is recent. Which sucks a lot.

@richardbeee 2 ай бұрын

@CactusAtlas so is the place for sale now? The last time we were there it was still owned but left by new owners. We may be interested. If we could get water.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

I don't believe it is for sale now, no. The listing we saw online appeared to have been from some time back by Headquarters West.

@richardbeee 2 ай бұрын

@@CactusAtlas ok 👍

@upallnightgolf 9 күн бұрын

You found the filming location for a Disney movie. "Charlie Crowfoot and the Coati Mundi"

@CactusAtlas 9 күн бұрын

Whaaa? How have I not heard of this? 100% going to have to watch this little film. Just watched a short bit and it looks quite cute!

@markely7587 2 ай бұрын

I have done that run before, but I didn’t step on the property. Pretty cool run. I’ll have to do it again and walk around more.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

The signs are faded but used to welcome people to explore so long as one doesn't vandalize. Given there are no updated signs stating no trespassing, we're under the assumption the rule still stands.

@WillySmith-sd4em 2 ай бұрын

The "suitcase" was a heavy Haliburton metal case. It flew from the back seat upon impact and hit him.

@Radd_AZ 2 ай бұрын

So I've been trying to decipher the brand on the gate and it's got me flumoxed. The figure on the right is either a Lazy P or, most likely, a Lazy 9. But I can't tell if the figure on the left was meant as a "K" or a West-pointing arrow. So, if I had to give my best guess, I'd say the "West 9" or "9 West" ranch or gate? Just guessing though. I appreciate the videos of our beautiful state. Keep up the great work!

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

We don't have a lot of experience deciphering brands so always appreciate others info. Thanks for sharing. Maybe I'll dig up some info on it someday. I want to say I came across a listing of brands at one point when I was working on another video. You never know...! Could be on there. 😅

@rogerharris8081 2 ай бұрын

Maybe a property search in Florence could reveal a historical ownership that could help in dating the renovations to the original ranch house. I hunted in that area in the early 80’s, but didn’t explore the buildings. Nice video of a little known road.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Thank you. Not a bad idea. We're definitely curious about that house and dating some of it. Just gotta find the time to dig a bit more. 😅

@dallaswright7591 2 ай бұрын

That traffic noise is people going to Cadillac Chaparral for steak dinner👍

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Interesting! Never been there before. 👍

@Feribrat99 2 ай бұрын

Camera on roof better than the dash by far

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Fantastic! We've got more footage using the same mount coming in the next week. So far it seems to be holding on and a completely workable solution. Thanks for the feedback. 😄👍

@richardmorrison2686 2 ай бұрын

The plaster is cheap ,quick way of doing a mock Adobe structure The 3 prong electric is from the 60-70,s , the original electrical wires use copper wire wrapped in a type of string , when you connected a fixture to it you just removed enough string cover , then twisted your new copper wire around the existing , trunk electric ,mounted on the white glass insulators, the original trunk wires were always run in the attic , as one could get shocked , by touching the bare wire or the string wire insulation . Many times the trunk electrical had no cover on the copper wires

@BUD100ify 2 ай бұрын

I had a house in Tampa built in 1954 with an identical bath tub and fixtures.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Our best guess is that the original structure was added to over different periods of time. 😄

@user-ds4dp1qk2v 2 ай бұрын

That electric is called ' nob n tube"..

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Interesting! Will have to look that up and/or inquire with family. Half the time when we're inquiring about electrical stuff in videos, we're also asking them. 🤣

@user-ds4dp1qk2v 2 ай бұрын

@CactusAtlas it has a porcelain round piece / nail in center . Copper wire wraps around porcelain . They usually run positive next to negative. At one time it was bare copper wire , then switched to isolated w/ cotten .

@mariebrundridge2679 2 ай бұрын

Reminds me of the James Dean car accident in California on Hyway 46 on the way to Paso Robles.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

It does. There's a number of famous crash sites out there sadly.

@jefflilyea4669 2 ай бұрын

Tom Mix birthplace home on rt.318 near rt.14 upstate New York

@adampolselli597 2 ай бұрын

Interestingly enough, the stretch between Saguaro National Park and Phoenix on the AZ State Route 79 is America's fastest road (according to Forbes in 2010). They claim that the fastest drivers routinely hit speeds between 87-90 MPH. Tom Mix isn't the only one to speed on this length of highway.

@CactusAtlas 2 ай бұрын

Interesting information! Thanks for sharing it with it. 😄👍

@robertlyman9789 Ай бұрын

Creosote smell in railroad ties

@willies330 2 ай бұрын

👍🫡

@29VK05 2 ай бұрын

I like watching your videos and appreciate the information you provide. However, you just talk too much!! A picture speaks more than a thousand words. Let your pictures do the talking and just add information where appropriate.