Wickenburg, Arizona, offers Hispanic heritage, Western history, and a helluva good time at Rancho de los Caballeros.
Indigenous Roots of Wickenburg
Before Hispanic pioneers arrived in what would become the Dude Ranch Capital of the World, Wickenburg, Arizona, was home to the western Yavapai. Their name for the place was Haseyamo, “following the water as far as it goes.” And while the tribe’s land was claimed by the Spanish Empire or Mexican Republic, it was not under their authority. The culture of the area derived instead from the agrarian tribe, who settled along the banks of the Hassayampa, from which they irrigated their corn, beans, squash, and tobacco.
The construction of Highway 60, connecting Phoenix to California, brought people and resources to Wickenburg, Arizona, shown here in a 1960 photo. (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce).
Hunters and Trappers Move West
That began changing in the early 1820s, when hunters and trappers in search of beavers — whose pelts they would sell to hatmakers in the East and in Europe — began exploring the river. Following the Mexican American War, the Wickenburg area became part of the United States in 1848. Interest in the American West was already heightened, but when gold was discovered on the Colorado River in 1862 near what is now Yuma, Arizona, mineral-hungry prospectors and miners from Mexico and California streamed into central Arizona — and with them, Hispanic influence and culture.
Desert Caballeros Riders in Box Canyon (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce).
Hispanic Heritage and the Founding of Wickenburg
Many settlers came from Sonora, Mexico. They, along with miners and Henry Wickenburg, who established the lucrative Vulture Mine, founded his namesake community in 1863. High in the Sonoran Desert just below the mountains on the flood plain of the Hassayampa River, Wickenburg remains known for its extensive history of early Hispanic pioneers.
Escaping the social inequities that would lead to the Mexican Revolution, the Hispanic settlers had traveled from their homes to the northern reaches of the Hispanic ranching frontier. Like much of Arizona, Wickenburg — the oldest town north of Tucson and the fifth oldest in the state — was settled by these pioneering homesteaders, who established cattle ranches, worked the area mines, and opened businesses to accommodate the growing community.
Early vaqueros — (left to right) Jesus Olea, Francisco Macias, Juan Grijalva, Clemente Macias (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Julia Macias Brooks).
The Growth of Wickenburg and the Dude Ranch Culture
The fledgling town would face Indian wars, mine closures, outlaws, drought, and a flood in 1890 that burst a dam and killed almost 70 people. But the town grew and thrived, and the coming of the railroad in 1895 only furthered its prosperity. With the railroad came the possibility of travelers, and soon enough guest ranches were offering a Western experience.
The Bar FX Ranch was the first in 1923, followed by the Remuda, Kay El Bar, Rancho de los Caballeros, and Flying E, among others. When Highway 60 connected Phoenix and California, tourist travel became even more accessible, and Wickenburg transformed into the Dude Ranch Capital of the World.
The historic Flying E Guest Ranch, still in operating and hosting guests today (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce).
Rancho de los Caballeros
During the 1930s, Dallas Gant managed one of the area’s ranches. After marrying in 1941, he returned with his wife, Edie, and partnered with a pair of former guests to form Rancho de los Caballeros, or “The Gentlemen on Horseback’s Ranch.” The name is a nod to Wickenburg’s rich Spanish/Hispanic history and captures the charm of Spanish caballero culture and the Hispanic pioneer families of the area.
The second-generation of the Gant family sold to new owners three years ago. The 20,000-acre ranch continues to honor the spirit of the early settlers who made new lives in the desert while providing modern amenities and comforts.
Rancho de los Caballeros is still in operation today, hosting hundreds of horse-loving tourists each year (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce).
Wickenburg’s Fiesta de Septiembre
The Wickenburg area also honors its Hispanic heritage. For the last 35 years, the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce has been a proud producer of the annual Fiesta de Septiembre, which recognizes and celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15). In the early conception of this festival, the Gant family played a critical role in producing the event year after year. This year’s kicked off September 7. Daily activities included a photography exhibit by local Hispanic families; live entertainment by Mariachi Azteca del Oro, Barrio Latino, and Ballet Folklorico de Santa Maria; salsa- and guacamole-eating contests; margarita-drinking contest; a mercado full of arts and crafts booths, diverse merchandise, and delicious food; and an on-site margarita and cerveza cantina.
[Left] Fiesta de Septiembre Folklorico dancers. [Right] Thanks for the Rain by Joe Beeler sculpture in downtown Wickenburg (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce).
In the spirit of Fiesta de Septiembre, we asked the kitchen caballeros at Rancho de los Caballeros for a couple of recipes to have a fiesta at home till we can get back to the Dude Ranch Capital of the World ourselves.
Qué lo disfrutes!
Prickly Pear Margarita
Ingredients
- 1 ounce tequila
- 1 ounce prickly pear tequila
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- ¾ ounce agave
- ¼ ounce triple sec
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a shaker
- Shake until combined
- Serve in a salt-rimmed glass
To make prickly pear tequila yourself
- Fill a gallon jar with prickly pear (with the spines burnt off).
- Then fill the jar with 1½ bottles of reposado tequila.
- Marinate for at least 1 month.
- Blend contents of the jar — it’s ready for use.
Smoked Chicken Enchiladas
Smoked Chicken
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 ounces pink peppercorn
- 1 bunch thyme
- 2 oranges, sliced
- 2 lemons, sliced
- 2 limes, sliced
- 10 bay leaves
- 1 gallon ice
- Chicken, whole, around 3 pounds
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except for ice and chicken and bring to a boil.
- Add ice and chill.
- Add chicken and brine for 24 hours.
- Once brined, lather chicken generously with chicken marinade, for at least an hour.
- Smoke chicken at 225 degrees for 4 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Chicken Marinade (Mojo Rojo)
- 24 garlic cloves
- 6 Morita chiles
- 1½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 3 cups olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Instructions
- Place Morita chiles in hot water for 20 minutes to soften. Strain.
- Combine all ingredients, except oil, in blender and puree until smooth.
- Emulsify oil into puree.
Chipotle Salsa
- 1 pound tomatoes, diced
- 2 Morita chiles, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- Salt to taste
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup cilantro, diced
Instructions
- Place Morita chiles in hot water for 20 minutes to soften. Strain.
- Roast tomatoes, garlic, and onion, at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes or until charred.
- Combine all ingredients.
Black Bean Purée
- 1 10-ounce can black beans
- Chipotle salsa
Instructions
- Combine ingredients with chipotle salsa and purée.
Cilantro Crema
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 tablespoons garlic, minced
- ½ cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and purée.
Plating
- Fill and roll each tortilla with 2 ounces of chicken and ½ ounce of melty cheese (we use Oaxacan, but mozzarella or jack will work).
- In a small pan, add 2 ounces of chipotle salsa and place enchiladas in pan. Top with rest of salsa. Bake in oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Place bean purée in middle of plate. With a spoon, spread beans in a circular motion.
- Place rice in middle of the bean purée.
- Top rice with the enchiladas and add the cilantro crema over the top.
RECIPE IMAGES: Courtesy of Rancho de los Caballeros
