Evelyn Fite: A Biography

"That’s Dean. I remember that shirt, and he has Kaiser by him. He caught those coyotes. It was about 1942. Before the war, you could sell those skins for a little bit of money. I hated that. I hated him killin’ the coyotes. We had a place, you know where that spaceport is going? Well that’s where it was. We were on that ranch where they’re building the spaceport. And that’s a good place to build that spaceport, because it isn’t worth a damn for anything else."

Introduction

By Brenda Wilkinson

U.S. Bureau of Land Management

SOCORRO – As the 150^th anniversary of the 1862 Homestead Act approaches, the Socorro Bureau of Land Management’s Cultural Resource Program is increasing emphasis on oral history collection, particularly as it relates to homesteading.

This interview with Socorro resident Evelyn Fite is a part of that effort. After years of struggle, a homestead claim eventually resulted in the development of a large ranch for Dean and Evelyn Fite. A 640-acre homestead claim under the Enlarged Stock Raising Homestead Act enabled the Fites to develop a large ranch by establishing a basewater, and to gain leasing preference on adjacent public lands after the passage of the Taylor Grazing Act.

They did without a lot in the early years, saving up to buy more private land as it became available. Early on, Evelyn wanted to build a house, but Dean told her, “You can’t make any money with a house.” So they bought more cattle and eventually more land.

Collected and transcribed by Brenda Wilkinson, Archaeologist, BLM, Socorro Field Office, 2009

Presented by the

Introduction

Blog Archive

Search This Blog

About Me