Does Curly Horse Ranch Rd., located on the east side of Highway 83, three miles north of the Sonoita Crossroads, get its name from a ranch where the American Bashkir Curly or North American Curly Horse was bred?
Curly Horse Ranch did exist, but as a guest ranch established by Marie “Mimi” Agatin Abbott. In 1937 Mimi purchased the Black Ranch, established in 1912 by Edward and Annie Black. [Tucson Citizen, 8/12/1958]. Mimi and her new husband, Samuel B. Hough, announced the establishment of Curly Horse Guest Ranch and their plans to build guest cottages for eight guests. [Arizona Daily Star, 6/3/1937].
Mimi was a divorcee from Minnesota, the daughter of a prominent Duluth attorney. Around 1936, she moved to Tucson where she worked as the southwestern representative for Marshall Field and Company, specializing in interior decoration. Sam had lived in Tucson since the early 1930s, working as a mining engineer and salesman. He quickly became involved in Sonoita activities and in 1938 organized a horse show and fair at Curly Horse Ranch. Over 500 attended the event and more than 100 horses were shown. [Arizona Daily Star, 4/6/1938].
Although Mimi and Sam’s marriage was short-lived, she carried on operating and expanding her guest ranch. In 1940 a private landing field was installed, and guest capacity was expanded to 12. [Arizona Daily Star, 2/23/1940]. “The unusual combination of classical music and good horses, 11 mountain ranges and orange chiffon pie, a flock of sheep and a private landing field [are] the novel offerings of the Curly Horse guest ranch.” Mimi played the “excellent” piano music. [Arizona Daily Star, 2/21/1941].
In 1943 Mimi married Leonard “Doc” Klene, owner of the Starr King Hereford Ranch in Rain Valley. [Nogales International, 12/31/1943].
Curly Horse Ranch was purchased by Olander “Ollie” Hammond in 1945. “Ollie Hammond, amiable Los Angeles steakhouse maestro and antique button collector, claims to feature in his trio of eateries the world’s largest breakfast…and is as follows: ‘A half dozen eggs, ham steak, a half loaf of bread toasted, potatoes, coffee till the pot runs dry.’” [Tucson Daily Citizen, 9/30/1949].
Ollie discontinued the guest ranch, focusing instead on raising Hereford cattle. He and his wife Eddie managed the ranch from California until the early 1970s when they moved to Sonoita. In 1956 the original ranch house building, constructed of railroad ties, burned. [Arizona Republic, 1/19/1956]. Ollie had been using that building as a guest house and museum. In his later years Ollie sold portions of the 360 acres that comprised the Curly Horse Ranch.
When Ollie died in 1992 the remaining 80 acres were offered for sale. [Tucson Citizen, 7/14/1992]. The land was eventually sold in smaller parcels and Curly Horse Ranch exists today only as a named Santa Cruz County road.
And Curly horses were never bred at Curly Horse Ranch.
Alison Bunting can be contacted at alisbunting@gmail.com