[Print Block of Sulphur Springs Valley]

A print block map of Arizona’s first permanent cattle ranch.

This fascinating letterpress map, possibly originally used for a book illustration, shows the area in southeastern Arizona known as Sulphur Springs Valley. An image encompassing about 2,000 square miles shows an interesting variety of historical and geographic features, including Fort Grant, Safford, several mountain ranges, and Col. Henry C. Hooker’s Sierra Bonita Ranch. Founded in 1872 (the first in Arizona Territory), Hooker’s cattle farm grew to encompass 800 sq. miles and was an important hub for commerce and social life on the frontier. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and continues to operate as a cattle ranch today (albeit at a reduced scale).