The grand opening and dedication of the Phippen Museum in October 1984 was an historic event with a barbeque, art auction, and a special branding ceremony attended by many local ranch families. As part of the Museum's determination to get "back to our roots," Shawn and Dean Cameron and Terry Schultz, brand inspector, recently spent hours examining brand books and identifying these brands. In the end, they were able to identify all but a few of the brands, re-paint them, and record them on a permanent list at the Museum. "We felt we should do this because we remember these ranchers and the original event," Shawn says. "We didn't want this history to be lost."
The Museum hopes to re-create that memorable event on Saturday, September 10, 2005, when ranchers and their families will be honored at the 1st Annual Fall Gathering: Barbeque and Branding at the Phippen Museum, 4701 Highway 89 North, Prescott, Arizona. This event is made possible by the generous sponsorship of The Preserve at the Ranch.
The evening will begin at 5 pm with Mountain Oyster hors d'oeuvres and a no-host bar with entertainment by Old Time Cowboy Fiddlers. There will be a ranch style barbeque followed by branding of the historic American Ranch Stage Stop beam donated to the Museum by Rex Hinshaw. (For a $50 donation to the Museum, ranchers may burn their brands into the over 100-year-old beam.) Attendees will also have the opportunity to view Ranching and Rodeos: The Historical Connection Exhibit on display through September 25, 2005.
The evening's events will also include the drawing for a bronze sculpture by Cynthia Rigden. Cynthia, a local rancher and renowned western artist, has graciously donated a bronze of a long horn steer entitled "R and R" (Rest & Recuperation). Raffle tickets for the Rigden Bronze are $10.00 per ticket, $15.00 for two tickets.
Tickets for the Fall Gathering are $16.00 per person. Seating is limited; reservations are required. Make reservations online now or call the Museum at 928.778.1385.
End of a Long Day Branding, oil, by Ray Swanson
