QUEEN CREEK, AZ — A piece of history in the town of Queen Creek that was once at risk of being torn down will now be saved, thanks to the family that leases it.
For seven years, the Ballentyne family has leased the Big Tin Cotton Gin on the corner of Ocotillo and Meridian roads, serving as a backdrop for weddings and special events. But the building’s history stretches back much further — nearly 70 years — to a time when it helped build the town itself.
“It was an economic engine. It created life here. It sustained life here. With finances, with jobs,” James Ballentyne said…