Walter Vail: Arizona and California Rancher is the story of Walter Vail, who established the Empire Ranch in 1876 and later extended his ranching empire to Southern California. Published by the Empire Ranch Foundation and...
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Preserving the Empire Ranch for Future Generations
Photo by Alan Nyiri
Who We Are
The Empire Ranch Foundation (ERF) is a non-profit 501c3 volunteer organization that was established in 1997. Acting in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the purpose of the Foundation is to protect, restore and sustain the Empire Ranch historical buildings and landscape as an outstanding western heritage and education center.
Historic Empire Ranch
News & Announcements
Christmas at the Empire Ranch
Don’t miss Christmas at the Empire Ranch on Saturday, December 13th from 10am to 2pm. Join us for a bit of holiday cheer and some fun shopping. Click on Read More to view the preliminary...
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Cowboy Festival
About 1,500 excited visitors enjoyed a beautiful day at the Empire Ranch Cowboy Festival on November 1st. Click on READ MORE to view photos of the day.
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Volunteer Days
Dedicated volunteers have been key to preserving the historic Empire Ranch House and Headquarters. Please join us on Saturday, December 6, 2025. To volunteer, please submit a Volunteer Opportunities Form, and we will contact you...
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