The Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation is excited to present our 2021 Virtual Spring Home Tour: The Epic Ranches Northwest of Tucson. We had hoped that we could return to in-person programming, but 1000+ guests through private homes was just not possible at this time. This tour link will be active from May 15, 2021, through June 15, 2021, and you can take as much time as necessary to explore these unique properties.

The Ranches and Ranch Houses on this tour are located northwest of Tucson in the town of Oracle. The tour features iconic properties that typify both the evolution of Ranch architecture from Sonoran vernacular traditions to the American Building forms in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These ranches also exemplify the transformation from working cattle ranches to “Dude Ranches” accommodating guests and staff. The virtual tour is self-directed with interactive media. 

Development of this tour took a number of months and was made possible through the incredible generosity and dedication of the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation Board, owners of these unique properties, individuals, and businesses including: Triangle L Ranch, Oracle State Park, and Xppose Media. We are incredibly grateful for these individuals who made this virtual tour possible.

In an effort to present the vernacular ranching complex which has a variety of building types and features we have included numerous interior spaces. As you make your way through the interactive environment look for and click on the RED DOTS. These dots will allow you to move into the interior of the building and out again. Both Rancho Linda Vista and the Triangle L Ranch each have 6-8 buildings that can be explored. These range from private homes to art studios and galleries. We have also used the RED DOTS to help with directional signage as you move through the virtual environment. 

HOW TO USE THE TOUR

GRAY CIRCLE – click these using your mouse or trackpad to advance and move from circle to circle

BLUE OR GREEN DOTS – click or hover over these circles to listen, watch, and read about the history of each property as you explore the interior and exterior.  Be sure to scroll down on the written information to read the complete entry.   

RED DOTS – click these dots to enter and exit the interior of the buildings.

If you have Virtual Reality goggles you can use them to experience the three-dimensional space of each property.

We have also included as a bonus two historic churches in Oracle that we hope you will explore. 

Again, thank you for supporting the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation.