Walter La Fayette Fite moved from Texas to the Territory of New Mexico in 1887. He and his wife Edna started the Fite Ranch with a small 640 acre homestead at the base of the small extinct volcano Sand Mountain. After the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, the era of open range ended, establishing the initial boundaries of the ranch.

In 1937, Walter and Edna’s son Dean, married Evelyn Galenzovsky…who then became the unforgettable Evelyn Fite. The two moved to the original homestead, and over time as other homesteads sold and the coal mines of Tokay and Carthage were mined out, the two expanded the ranch boundaries and established vital base waters for livestock and wildlife.

The White Sands Proving Grounds was established in 1942 taking part of the ranch. The first atomic bomb was then tested on July 16, 1945 at Trinity Site within view of the original homestead. Despite numerous challenges including drought and politics, Evelyn and Dean continued their hard work and improvements to the land they called home.