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Historic Triangle T Guest Ranch celebrates 100th anniversary

Posted: 2:14 PM, Jul 25, 2022
Updated: 2022-07-25 19:49:41-04
The Rock Saloon & Grill

TEXAS CANYON, Ariz. (KGUN) — "It's a spectacular place that's really kind of the best kept secret."

As the owner for the past 17-years, Linda Kelly knows all about the secrets of the Triangle T Ranch.

The biggest secret is about the guest ranch itself.

"It's not all that well known," said Kelly.

The Triangle T Ranch is nestled in the giant rocks of Texas Canyon, just off I-10 near Dragoon.

Triangle T Ranch near Dragoon

More than 200 years ago, Chiricahua Apaches used the area as their winter camp.

In 1874, Texan David Adams settled in the area and established a large cattle ranch.

He gave Texas Canyon its name.

In 1922, needing a warm, dry haven for his daughter who suffered from tuberculosis, Metta Tutt bought part of the Adams Ranch.

Tutt named it the Triangle T and began hosting guests seeking a respite from their busy lives.

100 years later, Linda Kelly says guests come to the Triangle T for the same reason.

Triangle T Ranch Bunkhouse

"It just has a charm about it and a feel when you come here that people relax and enjoy. I think they feel better," said Kelly.

Kelly says they welcome not only guests who want to hike, horseback ride or mountain bike through the amazing rock formations -- but also individuals and groups on health and wellness retreats.

"It's just a place that when people come, they're like 'wow'," Kelly said.

Others come to the Triangle T for its history, a history that includes Hollywood actors staying at the ranch and eating in the historic century-old dining room.

Pat: "Do you ever stop and think, 'wow John Wayne was here'?"
Kelly: "Yes I do, I tell people that. I say you might be sitting in the seat John Wayne or Steve McQueen sat in, because they all ate in here. So did the Japanese prisoners."

After the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, where Japanese warplanes sank the USS Arizona, the Japanese Consul General and his staff were detained in Honolulu.

By February of 1942, they were moved to the remote Triangle T Ranch.

"They were treated like they were guests," Kelly told KGUN 9. "They went horseback riding, they played tennis, whatever they wanted. They just couldn't go through the fence that was around and that was guarded."

Among the consulate staff was diplomat Tadashi Morimura.

Takeo Yoshikawa

He was actually a Japanese spy named Takeo Yoshikawa, who supplied key intelligence about Pearl Harbor before the attack.

In his memoir, he described his stay at the Triangle T.

"The air was fresh and the sun shone nicely, so it was the sort of place that was good for your health," wrote Yoshikawa.

He was interrogated by the FBI, but they never discovered he was a spy.

After 4-and-a-half months at the Triangle T, Border Patrol guards escorted the group to Tucson, for a train to New York City.

They were then part of a large-scale prisoner exchange with Japan.

The ranch is also filled with history after World War II.

The Rock Saloon & Grill

Pat: "Linda where are you taking me?"
Kelly: "Into the saloon."
Pat: "It has a special name."
Kelly: "It does. We had a contest when I first opened this after remodeling it. The Rock Saloon stuck. Obviously, a giant bolder right in the middle. Yeah, I don't think there's too many saloons with that in the middle of the bar."

The Rock inside The Rock Saloon & Grill

That feature is very unique. So is the giant mural on the saloon wall Linda purchased from the old Hidden Valley Inn near Sabino Canyon.

It depicts many famous actors including John Wayne, who did film on the ranch.

Triangle T mural

So did Glenn Ford, who starred in the original 3:10 to Yuma.

You'll still find one of the buildings used in the 1957 movie, which Hollywood re-purposed.

"This was built by the military when the Japanese were brought here," Kelly said. "This is where the guards stayed."

Now it's just another part of the memorable experience of visiting the Triangle T Ranch.

Triangle T Ranch

Kelly hopes to preserve that history by getting the Triangle T listed on The National Register of Historic Places.

"You do want people to come and appreciate it and enjoy it and take whatever they take from it."

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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.