Tumacacori
July 22, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
The village of Tumacacori began in 1691 with Father Kino, a Spanish missionary. Father Kino was sent to the area to teach the Indians about religion and farming. After Father Kino, many other missionaries came to Tumacacori to continue his work.
It wasn’t until the 1800’s when the present chapel was build. Franciscan Father Narciso Gutierrez [...]
Bill Williams Mountain Men
July 21, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
The Bill Williams Mountain Men were organized by a group of local Williams’s residents in 1953. The mountain men group began with only 14 members and has grown since. At first, the group the just wanted
to get away from it all by embarking on a simple horseback outing. But as time passed, so did their [...]
Williams History
July 21, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
In 1878, Charles T. Rodgers homesteaded the area that is now called Williams. Rodgers was a cattleman, who had the III brand. Then in 1881, he was appointed postmaster. The town continued to grow with the arrival of lumber industry and the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad.
The town and the mountain rising above are both [...]
Bisbee History
June 19, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
The town of Bisbee is one of the richest mineral sites in the world. It is interesting to know, that it beganvery simply with Hugh Jones in 1875, who came through looking for silver. Hugh decided to move onafter only finding copper stains. Then in 1877, a government scout named Jack Dunn came across anoutcropping [...]
Benson History
June 19, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
The area surrounding Benson has been inhabited for centuries. In 1697, a Spanish officer wrote in his logthat the houses along the San Pedro River were on fertile land and except for the frequent Indian attacks; itwas pleasant place to live. Then in 1860, near the place of Benson the Butterfield stagecoaches crossed theSan Pedro [...]
Avondale History
June 19, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
It began in the 1900s with a freight station created by a cowboy named Billy Moore. The area that is now known as the city of Avondale was first called Coldwater. The name referred to how the nearby Agua Fria River flowed sporadically on and off.
Later, the town became an agricultural community. Crops such as [...]
Ash Fork Arizona History
June 19, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
In 1882, the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, later known as the Santa Fe, rolled into the area now known as Ash Fork. Ash Fork was chosen as a siding stop. Many of the freighters from Jerome wanted a location along the line, that would be easier for them to get to and Ash fork became [...]
Tombstone
April 26, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
Tombstone, in Cochise County, is probably the most famous and most glamorized mining town in America. Prospector Ed Schieffelin was told he would only find his tombstone in the “Apache-infested” San Pedro Valley. Thus he named his first silver claim Tombstone, and it became the name of the town. Tombstone is situated on a mesa [...]
Cottonwood Arizona History
December 30, 2007 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
The first homes in Cottonwood were established in 1879 and incorporated in 1960. In 1874, soldiers from Camp Verde were stationed at an adobe house where Cottonwood stands today. Settlers began moving in, developing a community that took its name from a circle of 16 cottonwood trees near the Verde River.
Colorado City
December 30, 2007 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona History
Arizona has two Colorado City’s. The first of Yuma. or the name had Yuma had when it was under Spanish rule from that time until 1854. The Gadsen Purchase caused Yuma to become a part of the United States. Fort Yuma was built during the Gold Rush, in 1849. The fort insured a safe southern travel [...]
