Historic Morrison Ranch Headquarters, a place to remember…

“As Gilbert’s population has grown, so has our concern about how piecemeal development will affect our town’s sense of community. Thus, we’re creating Morrison Ranch…a 2,000 acre, fully integrated, master-planned community developed on family land, designed to encourage orderly growth and preserve Gilbert’s proud agricultural heritage.”

The Morrison Family
Creating “A Community with Character”

Who is the Morrison Family?
For more than 60 years, the Morrison Family has been deeply rooted in the Town of Gilbert, growing cotton, corn, and alfalfa on its 3,000-acre farm. Today, three generations of the Morrison family are actively associated with transitioning this land into Morrison Ranch — a unique, master planned “community with character”.

Dating back to the 1920s
Young Howard and Leatha Morrison trekked a thousand miles west from Oklahoma in the early 1920s, only to find that times were just as tough for dirt farmers in Arizona. Even so, they dug their roots deep into the small farming town of Gilbert. They humbly cleared land for others before finally acquiring a parcel for themselves — and their new sons, Marvin and Kenneth, and daughter Betty. The rest is history.

Over the decades, the second generation of Morrisons transformed the family’s small landholdings into one of the East Valley’s biggest farming operations, including several square miles of cropland and one of the world’s largest dairy farms, as well as one of Arizona’s largest ranching businesses (grazing cattle on over 400 square miles of state and leased land stretching from Flagstaff to the Verde River). Although Kenneth has passed away, the Morrison family legacy remains. His wife, Lela, along with Marvin and his wife, June, remain partners as owners of the ranch and dairy. Now in his eighties, Marvin continues to go to the dairy six days a week. Kenneth's son Glen, and grandsons Dustin and Denton, continue to actively manage the family's farming and cattle operations.

Over the years, the Morrison family has earned a reputation, not only for superior products and honest business practices, but for honoring the land as well. All three of these qualities remain integral to the development of the Morrison Ranch master-planned community.

Today, third generation cousins Dawnie Stewart (Kenneth’s daughter), Scott Morrison, and Howard Morrison (Marvin’s sons) actively manage the planning and implementation of the Morrison Ranch master plan, carefully preserving the family’s past while thoughtfully directing its future.