PHOENIX — In 1936, Jack and Joe Kennedy, teenagers from Boston, came to the J-6 Ranch near Benson, Arizona for some hard work and dry air.
"He wasn't anybody when he came here. He was 17. He turned 18 here. Nobody knew who he was," said Arizona historian Jim Turner.
About 20 years ago, Turner was shown a newly discovered photograph of John Kennedy sitting on a fence at the J-6 Ranch which led Turner on a road to discovery. JFK's brief transformation from a prep school kid from Boston to becoming an Arizona ranch hand. "It wasn't a rich kid coming in for summer camp. Anything like that. He did the work," he said.
Turner says Kennedy stayed four months on the J-6 Ranch, which is now the Red-Hawk Community.
Pictures and video from the Kennedy Presidential Library show him building a house as well as other ranch chores. Turner says his research showed Kennedy became part of the community, from going to a ranch hand's home for dinner to attending Sunday mass.
"This fellow, whose uncle worked on the ranch said Jack would come into Benson and go to the Catholic church on Sundays. One time he put a $20 bill in the collection plate. that would be more like $200 today," said Turner.
Kennedy would later return to Arizona as a wounded World War II veteran. He recuperated at the hot springs near Wickenburg and later stayed at the Camelback Inn.
"We are very happy to come in here tonight under your protection Senator."
Kennedy made his last visit to Arizona as president in November 1961. It was for a dinner in honor of Arizona Senator Carl Hayden at the Westward Ho.
The then-president's comment about protection may have had something to do with Arizona's other U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater. Goldwater had eyes on the White House. He would be the Republican nominee for President in 1964.
