Description

Virginia (Finnie) Lowdermilk Webb (b. 1901 – d. 1981) was born July 15, 1901 in Yavapai County, Arizona. She was the daughter of Robert Finnie (1851 – 1931) and Flora May Weatherford (1867 – 1951). She was married twice: first to Romaine Householder Lowdermilk from whom she was divorced and then to Paul Miller Webb. She died June 8, 1981.

In 1883, Robert Finnie bought the “Squatter’s Rights” to Soda Springs in an area known as Beaver Creek and in 1896 married Flora May Weatherford in Flagstaff, Arizona. On November 1, 1897 a son, David Robert Finnie, was born at Soda Springs and Virginia Finnie was born July 15, 1901 at Soda Springs. The Finnies established a cattle operation.

On April 11, 1927 David Robert Finnie died at Soda Springs of influenza. As the homestead had been set aside for David to continue the cattle operation, a void was created that ultimately led to the development of Soda Springs as a guest ranch in January 1928. Rimrock Dude Ranch opened with discriminating guests being flown into the newly built Rimrock airport. The ranch was a partnership between noted aviator Russell Boardman, Romaine Lowdermilk and Virginia Finnie. Virginia designed the main building with the help of noted Texas architect Hubert H. Greene.

On February 11, 1928 Virginia married Romaine Lowdermilk in Rimrock, Arizona. Romaine was famous as a cowboy singer who entertained on an early Phoenix radio station. Romaine was generally known as the father of dude ranching in Arizona having established the first Arizona dude ranch in Wickenburg, followed by several other dude ranches. On August 30th, 1930, Robert and Flora Finnie sold 61.8 acres along with all improvements to Romaine and Virginia Lowdermilk. That was the beginning of Soda Springs Ranch which attracted guests nationwide.

In 1941, Virginia and Romaine divorced and Virginia continued to run Soda Springs Ranch. She married Paul Webb in 1951, and they continued to run the dude ranch until 1967 when they returned the ranch to running cattle. Virginia died June 8, 1981 and was buried with her parents in the Middle Verde Cemetery, Camp Verde, Arizona. Upon her death, Paul inherited a Life Estate for the ranch; following his death on January 8, 1996 (and burial next to Virginia), the ranch was purchased in 2004 and restoration began.

The title of this photograph is  "Flower of the Frontier." (Alternate spelling of Finnie is Finney.)

Source: http://www.ultimatedestinyuniversity.org/SSR/sodaspringsbookletNEW.pdf.