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| Photo by Lisa E White |
I used to love walking to Sweetwater and 96th Street to see the buffalo ranch. Now, new houses fill the corner. American Bison are a symbol of the West, where millions used to migrate over the plains. Fifty million were killed by hunters and settlers in the 19th century, making bison nearly extinct with only a few hundred remaining. Through preservation efforts, over 200,000 exist today, making available an industry of buffalo meat and leather, such as is available at the Buffalo Leather Company on 5th Avenue, the only place I see buffalo in Scottsdale now. The leather is tougher, yet buttery soft, and longer-lasting than cow hide. The Buffalo store offers a great selection of Western style furniture. Two fun bison facts: the shaggy coat of the buffalo is so well-insulated that snow will not melt on its back. Also, Ted Turner is the largest private owner of American Bison with herds of over 50,000 on his multiple properties.
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I used to enjoy that buffalo ranch on 96th Street too. It was an oddity in the neighborhood, it always felt a bit like a roadside stand advertising the world's largest squirrel. And the roadside attraction theme continued with the torrid stories of the owners of the ranch - a much older woman who married a young rodeo man who was then accused of murdering her on a camping trip. He was found innocent but it was common belief that he did it.
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