Visual icons of the Southwest, windmills were common in the plains and high desert from the 1800's.   Metal windmills like this model became popular after 1890 because their curved blades allowed them to capture more wind and they needed less maintenance than the older wooden models. 

Windmills were instrumental in developing range land in the arid West, as ranchers could maintain large herds of cattle in remote locations.  Cattle could graze up to 5 miles and then return to water in the evening.  Depending on wind speed and blade size, a large windmill could pump water from a depth of 150 feet at a rate of up to 100 gallons per hour, thus ensuring that a stock tank would always have water.

Thanks to the vision of Ann and Dave Hartman and support from the City of Winslow and local organizations, businesses, and individuals, this windmill was erected in 2014 to remind us of Winslow's connection with ranching.  Local ranchers participated in the dedication ceremony by burning their unique brands into the windmill's wooden scaffolding. author: Linda Chambers)

Visit the Old Trails Museum to discover more history of ranching in the Winslow area at www.oldtrailsmuseum.org  

CLEAR CREEK CATTLE CO. #262
South of Winslow East and West Sunset Mt.
Clemens Brothers/Gene Autry late 1940's to 1969
Tom Chauncey/Gene Autry, Kool TV 1969 to 1997
Hopi Three Canyon Ranch 1997
First records show the brand used by ------ AT Mormon Lake in 1912

It is assumed that Bixby Cattle Company acquired the brand when they purchased a large ranch, south of Winslow, in late 1929/1930 and used the Marley ranch name Clear Creek Cattle Co.  (see large map in the Old Trails Museum)

Information was provided by David Hartman and is based on knowledge he obtained by working on the Clear Creek Cattle Company Ranch for 35 years starting in 1970.

CROSS U # 07140
The Brand was originally Brand # 00084, belonging to the Denny Ranch at Hackberry, AZ. The number 00084 indicates that it was one of the earliest brands recorded by The Arizona Brand Board.

The Denny family sold the ranch to Arizona Colorado Land and Cattle Company in the mid to late 1960s. The Brand went with the ranch. Carolyn Allen, Mrs. Jack Allen of Winslow, was a daughter of Denny's.

Arizona Colorado Land Co. moved the Brand to the ranch south of Winslow, West Sunset Ranch, in the late 1960s. The ranch and the Brand were sold in the 1980s to Winslow Ranch Partnership, land developers from California. When the ranch was sold to a Texas Oil man, the Brand did not transfer with the sale. In Arizona, owners of a brand must keep the Brand active by registering every five years; Winslow Ranch Partnership failed to do this, and therefore the Brand became inactive.

When I learned the Brand was inactive, I contacted the Brand board to see if it could be reactivated. The Brand board's policy was once a brand went inactive, it could not be reactivated. Seeing the low registration number, I knew it was a brand with historical importance and should not be allowed to die. I contacted the head of the Brand Board, Emmitt Jones. Emmitt was a descendant of an old Arizona ranch family and appreciated the importance of preserving history and agreed to reissue the Brand to me.

We have used the Brand on horses. Ann and I named our Corporation Cross U Management Co. using the Brand as our logo.
David Hartman

CLEAR CREEK CATTLE CO. #262
South of Winslow East and West Sunset Mt.
Wetzler & Hart 1914 to 1930
Bixby & Thornburg 1930 to late 1940's
Clemens Brothers/Gene Autry late 1940's to 1969
Tom Chauncey/Gene Autry, Kool TV 1969 to 1997
Hopi Three Canyon Ranch 1997 to present.

On July 24, 1914, Coconino Sun, a list of local brands, showed the Double O brand owned by Wetzler & Hart. The rangeland was listed as West of Clear Creek, Head of Jack's Canyon, Hay Lake Mesa & Blue Ridge.

On May 6, 1930, Winslow Mail article, Fred Bixby from California and Wayne W Thornburg purchased a large ranch from Pollock Livestock Company south of Winslow. This purchase included land on the range Wetzler & Hart used the brand on. Bixby and Thornburg also purchased the livestock on the range, I assume that the Double O brand was included in this purchase, but I cannot verify this. Bixby & Wetzler used the Marley ranch name Clear Creek Cattle Co. (See large map in the Old Trails Museum)

Information was provided by David Hartman and is based on knowledge he obtained by working on the Clear Creek Cattle Company Ranch for 35 years starting in 1970.

Hashknife #3440
The famous Hashknife Brand of Northern Arizona originated in Van Horn, Texas, and was brought to Arizona by the Aztec Land and Cattle Co. The Aztec Land and Cattle Company (Aztec) was a corporation organized in New York City in 1884. The Aztec purchased 1,000,000 acres of Railroad grant land from the AT&SF, starting at Carrizo station 15 miles east of Holbrook and stretching to Mormon Lake on the West and south to the Mogollon Rim.

To stock this new ranch in 1885, they purchased 31,800 head of cattle and the Hashknife brand from Continental Land and Cattle Company at Van Horn, Texas. Starting in 1885 and ending in 1886, the cattle were moved to their new range mainly by large trail drives and some by rail. This move prompted the long history of the Hashknife brand in Arizona.

Due to drought and low cattle prices, the Aztecs started liquidating or moving cattle in 1899. Most of the cattle were sold or moved by 1902.

The Brand and the remnants of the cattle were sold to Babbitt Ranch and partner Barnett Stiles, a former Hashknife cowboy. In 1909 Stiles sold his shares to Charlie Wyrick and he became General Manager. Charley hired his son Bill Jim Wyrick to be wagon boss. Bill Jim acquired the Arizona State Grazing Lease north and east of Winslow in the late 1920's. Babbitt ranch had obtained a piece of the Aztec land between Chevelon and Clear Creek canyons, south of the tracks. This ranch was known as the Big Tank Ranch. Charlie was the managing partner of the Babbitt's Hashknife. Babbitt's bought out Charlie Wyrick's share in 1930.  Fred Aja purchased the Big Tank Ranch.

Babbitts still have the Brand, one of the brands they use on their ranch north of Flagstaff.

Sources used for this brief history;
Brothers Five the Babbitts of Arizona, Dean Smith Author.
The Hashknife, Robert H. Carlock, Author.
Hashknife Cowboy, Stella Hughes.

McCauley #4271 
John D & Dixie McCauley
Bar O Quarter Circle

Molly McCauley McLean
Drew/Rafe/Maggie McLean