Our Founder

A Message from Our Founder

In the Spring of 1985, I returned from California to my roots in Arizona and a special place I had known as a child called Sonoita. The open spaces, rolling hills surrounded by mountains had been beckoning me back ever since the 1970''s. Seeing night skies filled with stars again was a sight to behold. The old one room Empire school had been torn down but many old buildings remained as well as large ranches such as the Empire Ranch which is now a historical place to visit. Grape vineyards are the attention of the day in Elgin and continue to grow. The famous Babocomari land grant still exists. The higher elevation give the Sonoita area one of the best climates in the US and at 5000 ft and this has been a well kept secret since Arizona to most is a place of dry desert and lots of cactus. This area is considered to be high desert where there are assorted trees, yuccas, and when the summer monsoons come in early July the grasses tum green and grow high. A beautiful sight to behold along the Scenic Highway #83. 

 We are an ideal retirement area with new younger families moving in and commuting to Tucson just so they can live in a clean air environment and send their children to an excellent school. The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds holds many events put on by the local volunteers who are very involved in community events and programs. Most of us consider ourselves family here in this great community. 

 In 1991 my husband a long time rancher and I started our own business in real estate and many years later it has grown as has the community and today holds approximately 2000 residents. Land is still maintained with open spaces and some of the old ranches are breaking up but those who live here work hard to keep it from being congested with large subdivisions and wall to wall homes. The antelope can still be seen, coyotes howl and long horn steers graze along the highway. Dirt roads are common as are jack rabbits running across them. 

Barbara Barkley