2016 – Casa Grande and the Duke

Shortly after mid January 2016, we stopped in for a visit with friends from here at home in Canada, who own a winter home on an acreage in Maricopa County, AZ.

Our friends treated us to a day trip with them to the 26 Bar Ranch at Casa Grande. This was, at one time, 14,000 acres of John Wayne’s total 50,000 acre cattle ranching operation in Arizona. The Casa Grande location was the headquarters for 26 Bar, and was where the Duke operated his feedlot. His feedlot was, at one time (at 85,000 head), the largest privately owned feedlot in the USA.

When we visited, it was still an operational commercial feed lot with thousands of head of cattle, so between the sights, the sounds, and the smells, it wasn’t a stretch to imagine what it was like when the Duke owned it.

Comments

13 responses to “2016 – Casa Grande and the Duke”

  1. Praveen Yadav Avatar

    Oh my God…so many cattle together.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Terry Avatar

      This is typical of feedlots.

      Like

      1. Praveen Yadav Avatar

        But it is very wonderful.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. annemariedemyen Avatar

    I’m sorry about your friend, Terry. 💞

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Terry Avatar

      Thank you, Anne 💕

      Liked by 2 people

  3. Phil Strawn Avatar

    We have a lot of those in West Texas around Amarillo and Lubbock. The smell is terrible.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Terry Avatar

      Feedlots, Oil Wells, Paper Mills, Fertilizer Plants, Hog Operations… for all of those and more, hubs refers to the related odours as “the smell of money”, Phil. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your evening!

      Liked by 2 people

  4. Lana Avatar

    After seeing your post Terry, this was my next post underneath …. about an actress playing John Wayne’s niece …. .https://wordpress.com/reader/feeds/89234306/posts/5753227094

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Lana Avatar

    I had to look up “feedlot”!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Terry Avatar

      Those are common here in North America, Lana – and even more so in the USA. Have a great day!

      Liked by 2 people

  6. Betty Avatar

    I never knew of this! My mom loved John Wayne. What a great memory with friends!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Terry Avatar

      He was apparently well-loved in the area, Betty – not as an actor but as a friendly neighbor. This is indeed a special memory – because my friend passed suddenly and unexpectedly (after cardiac stent insertion) in 2021 before her 60th birthday. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Betty Avatar

        I’m sorry about your friend. So glad you have the memory. And nice to know John Wayne was a good neighbor!

        Liked by 2 people

Thanks for stopping by to read and comment!