The family moved to the Sierra Alto Ranch in Hudspeth and El Paso Counties. The ranch was located 38 miles east of El Paso and 7-1/2 miles north of U.S. Highway 62, (the highway to Carlsbad, New Mexico. The main house and headquarters of the ranch was built in 1929 on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Alto Mountain. The rock house still stands today and is in excellent conditon. The Butterfield Trail, route for the stage coach, ran through the ranch. "John Helms is one of the few remaining Cattle Barons of the West" was written in an El Paso newspaper dated 5 July 1922. When the ranch was at its larges, it was 27 miles by 65 miles or aroud 1,123,200 acres. He ran thousands of head of cattle all wearing the A Bar brand.
Picture donated by Jamie Evans Buckner Photo from the late Doris Pelton, El Paso, TX.  Great-granddaughter of Julia Westerman Helms and John Helms.