We’re thrilled to return for another phase of preservation work at the Crescent Moon Ranch! Crescent Moon Ranch was established in the late 1800s by cattleman John Lee, who’d come over from Prescott. The land was historically inhabited by Apache, Western Apache, Hopitutskwa, Pueblos, and Hohokam Nations. According to NPR member station KNAU, “The ranch sits at the base of Cathedral Rocks south of Sedona. It was first homesteaded by Prescott cattleman John Lee in 1880 and was originally called the OK Ranch. Lee put in an irrigation ditch, garden, and orchard, but he soon left. Since then, the ranch has changed hands and been repurposed several times.

It became the home of the Schuerman and Dumas families who raised children and built a school there. The orchard was turned into a thriving part of Oak Creek’s renowned produce-growing community, supplying apples and peaches to Jerome and Flagstaff. With the main Jerome-to-Sedona road passing right through, the then Dumas Ranch became a social hub of dancing and dining. Verde Valley entrepreneur Andrew Baldwin bought the property in 1936 and rechristened it Palo Bonito. The Baldwins built a unique ranch house and 12-foot-diameter water wheel to pump water and provide electricity. Their famous peaches won prizes at the county fair. But by the late 1970s, tourism had replaced agriculture as Sedona’s cash crop – and the ranch was for sale again. The U.S. Forest Service and Trust for Public Lands acquired it in 1980. Crescent Moon Ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places in April this year—the first such designation by the Coconino National Forest in more than 20 years. Now visitors can swim, hike and picnic there—or rent the old ranch house for a night—in this newest of Crescent Moon’s many phases.

Our United States Forest Service partners share this history: “The OK Ranch Historic District is located adjacent to Red Rock Crossing near the City of Sedona in northeastern Yavapai County, Arizona. The ranch buildings, structures, and agricultural fields of the district represent decades of agrarian use extending from the 1880s through the end of the historic period (i.e., 50 years before the present). Thirty cultural resources are included in the 45.19 acres comprising the district. The eighteen resources that contribute to the historic character of the district include eight buildings, six structures, and four sites (four agricultural fields). The twelve noncontributing resources include six buildings, two structures, three sites, and one object. Development of the property for public recreational use has resulted in the conversion of one field to a parking and picnicking area and the demolition of the ranch foreman’s house. Despite those impacts, the ranch still retains a significant concentration and linkage of historic resources with sufficient integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, setting, and association to merit listing on the National Register.”

Given multiple resources regarding the site’s history, it is clear this location is highly significant. Moreover, Sedona, AZ is a celebrated tourist destination not only for the beauty of the surrounding landscape and associated recreational opportunities, but also for its New Age and Spiritual “vibes.” The Guardian published an interesting article on the latter aspects of the city in 2017. Consider taking some time to experience the purported “energy vortex” near Crescent Moon Ranch, and exploring others in the area, while volunteering here!

HistoriCorps’ first phase of work at Crescent Moon Ranch was in 2016, when volunteers from the general public worked alongside youth from Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC). Now, ten years later, we are thrilled to return and work on the barn roof. Register soon, spots are sure to go fast!