A History Lesson: Steam Pump Ranch

 The last Saturday during our stay the 5 of us checked out the farmer's market at the Steam Pump Ranch.  We were looking mainly for fresh veggies and this market was not focused on that type of thing.  All we bought were cups of coffee to keep us warm.  It was cloudy, windy and by the end it was raining.

However, it was not a bust.  The historic house at Steam Pump Ranch was open and tours were free.  Free is my favorite 4 letter word.  Besides that, it was much warmer inside the house than outside.  Doris ended up taking all these pictures and shared them with me.  After all, who brings a Nikon camera to a farmer's market?  

A German immigrant by the name George Pusch came to this area (now Oro Valley) and established the Steam Pump Ranch in 1874. The ranch was one of the biggest in the Arizona Territory.  At that time, water was abundant and he built a steam pump to bring the water to the surface.  Later on, cattle from various ranches were brought to the ranch on their trip to the market.  George got 15 cents a head for each cow that was watered. 

In 1933, Jack Proctor who operated the Pioneer Hotel in Tucson acquired the ranch.  After his death, it was taken over by his grandsons, Henry and John Leiber.  It stayed in their family until the town of Oro Valley took it over through eminent domain.

Below is a picture of the site of the steam pump and water tank.

Inside the house was a crib from the late 1800's, around the time George and Matilda Pusch were married.  They had 9 children but two died within weeks of their birth.
After looking at the information boards about the process used for doing laundry and ironing, I was thankful I wasn't born in that era.  Good grief, each process took a whole day.  Makes me wonder how mothers with large families handled that along with tending gardens, cooking and other chores.

As I researched the history of Steam Pump Ranch I found out that Hank Leiber, a major league baseball player, lived in the house built by his grandfather George Pusch until his death. He died in 1993 at age 82.

The exhibits change monthly at this historic house, so if you are in the area, this is a must-see exhibit.