History of Cross Creek Ranch In early 1941 Jack and Helen Frye began to purchase and trade land parcels that eventually comprised about 800 acres in Sedona, Arizona. Jack Frye, one of the original founders of TWA, wanted to convert his Sedona ranch property into a working ranch. Helen named the first 120 property acre parcel "Deerlick Ranch"; the other parcel was called "Smoke Trail Ranch".
During their stay they built the "House of Apache Fires" named for the fires burned by the Hopi and Apache Indians along the creek. Although they never lived in this house, they frequently entertained many celebrity guests. The House of Apache Fires is still in Red Rock State Park today.
By the 1970s portion of the ranch had been sold off. Traces of the Frye Ranch still exist in the private 60-acre residential Smoke Trail Ranch. Another portion of the land has become the beautiful Red Rock State Park.
The private residential community of Cross Creek Ranch just west of Red Rock State Park was offered for sale in 2003. This ranch was originally part of the 320-acre 1896 homestead of Juan Armijo and his son. In 1906 Juan and his son purchased a ditch associated with the property to irrigate their fields and crops. This Armijo ditch is still used today by Cross Creek Ranch to irrigate several fields.
Also a very informative and excellent book recently published on the regional history of rural life and the Red Rock Landscape called, "Red Rock Country: Along the Loop Road". This book can be order at Amazon.com