Heading northwest off Ajo Highway is a road named for a big-time cattleman and supporter of the creation of Tucson Mountain Park.
Jack C. Kinney was born in 1872 to Bartholomew and Mary (Berry) Kinney, both of whom were from Ireland. He was born in Dixon, Ill., but moved to Texas with his family as a child.
At 11 years old, Kinney left home and worked on a ranch in Texas. By age 15, he was earning top cowhand money of $40 per month. He was one of the few old-time trail drivers who drove cattle northward to Montana.
In 1890, he found work on a ranch in Wibaux, Mont., but after a short time he left to attend Iowa State University, where he studied cattle breeding for two years before returning to Wibaux.
After an accident made riding difficult, he bought a barbershop. It prospered, and as a result he was able to buy a small ranch in Wibaux. His next move was to buy a small grocery store in town, which he stocked with beef from his own herd. He also established a small livery stable and feed business.
In 1899, Kinney married Alice Brophy in Montana and they had three children: B. Harris Kinney, J. Lester Kinney and Kathryn (Kinney) Barkley.
In 1903, he founded the First National Bank in Wibaux, and in 1912 he roped another one in when he bought a majority share in the First State Bank of Lemon, S.D. During this time, he also served in the Montana Senate.
In 1913, he moved to Arizona. He bought La Osa Ranch south of Tucson in 1915, along with several other ranches, and created La Osa Cattle Co. He lived at the ranch until 1928, when he sold it and moved to Red Rock, where he bought the old Aguirre ranch and lived there until his death.
Together with Leighton Kramer, the namesake of Kramer Avenue, he helped organize the first Tucson rodeo and the Tucson Rodeo Parade in 1925. He served many times as grand marshal of the parade and as head of the Tucson Rodeo Committee in the 1930s.
He served on the Pima County Board of Supervisors from 1928 to 1932, the last two years as chairman. In 1932, he also ran for governor of Arizona but lost.
During his time as a county supervisor, Kinney worked with Cornelius B. Brown (aka C.B. Brown), the namesake of Brown Mountain in Tucson Mountain Park), and Sen. Carl Hayden to establish Tucson Mountain Park west of Tucson in April 1929.
Kinney died in 1949 and is buried at Holy Hope Cemetery.
A letter dated Nov. 27, 1961, from the Pima County Parks and Recreation Department to Tucson Newspapers Inc., the joint operation between the Tucson Citizen and the Arizona Daily Star, says the main road in Tucson Mountain Park is named in honor of Jack Kinney.
McCain Loop, near Kinney Road, is named for J.C. McCain, the first ranger of Tucson Mountain Park.
