arizonas cowtown

years ago  in the early 60 s almost all the commercial feedlots in arizona were concentrated in the salt river valley.  most were along 48 th street in pheonix starting  at washington and extending one after another south into the dry salt river bed. well with one wet winter, a hundred year flood and the housing boom it wiped them out. some to never reopen, most to relocate to other areas of the state.
    the farmers in my home town realized they could sell land to the feeders for new feedlots then sell feed staples they grew for the fatting of the cattle.  but the feeders who were intrested in relocating to the area  wanted some sort of gaurantee that some where down the line in time that people moving in close to the feedlots wouldnt be able to file lawsuits to move them out.  the farmers in conjunction with the feeders went to the state legislature  and requested a special zoneing of a township for feedlots and packing houses. it was granted and construction began on the first feedlot , it was T&C cattle co. a extenstion of the tovera family .
   soon smith and kelly followed, then producers. south at the far end of the township john wayne and lewis johnson built the famed red river feed lot. cudahy bought land to build a new packing house between  smith and kelly and t&c. things were moving along well . until the farmers got greedy.  they ran the prices on the ground in the township out of sight so that other cattle feeders turned their backs and bought land in other parts of the state. mcelhany built theirs in wellton, hughes and ganz in queen creek, spur feeding was built on a indianlease at santan olen dryer built in laveen and goodyear.
    when the cotton growers woke up to the fact they werent going sell any more dirt they went screaming to the capital to have the zoning on the cowtown township changed!! i was working at t&c when the state legislature bus came through the feed yards on tour. after visiting with everyone at every feedlot, and getting the feel for the situation they adjurned to their hallowed halls to consider the situation.  those cotton farmers were rubbing their greedy hands in anticipation of the ruling. land developers had never lost a decisition  where feedlots were concerned.
      after a couple weeks the committe handling the matter handed down the ruling.  the cowtown township would remain as it was set up for 100 years!! when the farmers and land developers complained they were told that this was what you wanted in the first place so live with it!! they could still sell their land for homes but the buyers had to sighn a agreement that they understood about the disposition of the feed lots.  and so it remains today.  yes there are houses in the area but to my knowledge there has been no movement to push the cattle feeders out.