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Early photo of Acadia Ranch.
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WHAT IS THE ACADIA RANCH?
One of the oldest and historically most significant structures in Oracle, the Acadia Ranch was built in 1882 by Edwin S. and Lillian Dodge. Started as a sheep ranch, the Acadia soon began serving as a pioneer guest health resort cum sanetorium for sufferers of 'consumption' as tuberculosis and other lung ailments were then known. These guests, called “lungers”, were referred to Oracle for its clean, fresh air and pleasant climate by the medical establishment back east and abroad. Today the Acadia Ranch serves as a museum devoted to the Oracle area's rich history, as well as the headquarters of the Oracle Historical Society.
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DISCOVER AND LEARN
The Acadia Ranch Museum houses a range of artifacts from the days of Oracle’s first multi-ethnic pioneers – including displays that touch on our extensive health resort, cattle ranch and mining histories.
Oracle’s role in the rise of the tuberculosis and other lung ailment sanetoriums is explored in a recently opened exhibit, HEALTH SEEKERS IN ORACLE: Tuberculosis and Treatment, 1890s-1940s (click here to learn more).
There is also an extensive collection of prehistoric artifacts that tell the story of the region’s earliest settlers, the Hohokam, that was collected by renowned amateur archaeologist and local resident Alice Carpenter. This collection is intended for eventual interpretation and display.
As Oracle inspired the writings of several noteworthy authors – including Eulalia 'Sister' Bourne, Elizabeth Lambert Wood, Harold Bell Wright and Edward Abbey – the Museum also houses signed editions, letters, photos and other memorabilia.
The Museum’s photo archive, created from over 250 negatives dating back to the early 1900s, offers an unusual glimpse into Oracle’s past. Many of these photographs can be viewed as part of our exhibits or by special appointment in the Lisa Armstrong Memorial Reading Room. The Reading Room also contains numerous books and archival files related to regional history.
The Acadia Ranch Museum regularly hosts lectures, concerts and other special events, many of which are free to the public. Please visit our Public Events page to learn about upcoming activities.
To find out more about taking a docent-led tour or volunteering as a Museum docent, call us at (520) 896-9609 or email
oraclehistoricalsociety @ gmail•com.
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