Editing Oro Valley, Arizona (section)

===Territorial period===
Beginning in the 19th century after the [[Mexican–American War]] and subsequent [[Gadsden Purchase]], Americans increasingly settled in the [[Arizona Territory]]. Following the Civil War and several Army efforts to pacify the Apaches, settlers ventured north from Tucson to settle Oro Valley. In 1869, Francisco Romero, who was from a Hispanic family tracing its Tucson roots to the early nineteenth century, established a ranch in the present-day [[Catalina State Park]]. He constructed ranch buildings on the foundations of Hohokam ruins in the park. Romero lived there intermittently from 1869 to his death in 1905. Members of the Romero family occupied land in that same area until 1930.<ref>Francisco Romero Biofile, Arizona Historical Society</ref><ref name="Williams, James 2018">Williams, James. Claiming the Desert, 2018.</ref>

In 1874, George Pusch, a [[German people|German]] immigrant, established a cattle ranch in Oro Valley that was unique for utilizing a steam pump to provide water, eventually popularizing Pusch's property as the Steam Pump Ranch. The steam pump was one of only two in the Arizona Territory. Pusch and his family visited frequently and employed caretakers to manage the property but never lived there. George Pusch and later the Pusch Land and Cattle Company owned Steam Pump Ranch until 1925. Pusch's ranch provided respite for settlers and travelers entering and leaving the Tucson area. Pusch Ridge is named in honor of George Pusch.<ref name="Williams, James 2018"/>

Ranching continued to flourish in the area as greater numbers of Americans settled in Arizona during its days as a territory and following statehood. Federal homesteads became available after 1903 when land surveys were completed. Homesteads were claimed by individuals from 1903 until the 1940s. Hispanic homesteaders included Francisco Romero, Jesus Elias, Francisco Marin, Francisco Aragon and others. Female homesteaders included Ina Gittings, Mabel Burke Johnson, Margaret Moodie and others.  Other prominent homesteaders included William Sutherland, James Reidy and David Morgan.<ref>https://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ {{full citation needed|date=August 2024}}</ref>

Starting in the 1930s up until the 1960s, large ranching families came to Oro Valley with many coming from the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]] and the [[Eastern United States|East]]. After vacationing in Tucson, they became interested in living in the desert and purchased many of the homesteads occupied by early settlers. These wealthy ranchers obtained properties of 1,000 to 7,000 acres. They usually lived on the ranches in the winter months and employed caretakers to manage the property and cattle.  These wealthy ranchers included Walter McDonald, John Procter, Lawrence Rooney, Joseph McAdams and Lloyd and Betty Golder.<ref name="Williams, James 2018"/>

[[Gold prospecting|Gold prospectors]] in the [[American West]] were attracted to Southern Arizona where gold was said to be in abundance in and around the Santa Catalina Mountains to the north of Tucson. Fueled by the legend of the lost Iron Door Gold Mine in the mountains, those in search of gold trekked through the Oro Valley area, focusing their attention along the Cañada del Oro. No significant amounts of gold were found locally.