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The road winds through towering ponderosa pines and opens suddenly onto a verdant valley, where the small community of Young sits nestled between rolling hills and rugged mountains. Unlike many ghost towns scattered across Arizona’s landscape, Young remains inhabited—a living testament to frontier perseverance. But beneath this continued existence lies a complex history etched in violence, determination, and the echoes of one of the bloodiest range wars in American history. Here, among the cattle ranches and small homesteads, a cemetery on a quiet hillside holds the stories of pioneer families whose rivalries and alliances shaped not just this remote valley but Arizona’s territorial narrative itself.
Located in Gila County about 40 miles northeast of Globe and tucked into what early settlers called Pleasant Valley, Young sits in isolation—a quality that both attracted early ranchers seeking open range and later contributed to the infamous feud that would define the region. Today, this small unincorporated community offers a rare window into an Arizona that once was: a place where distance from authority created both freedom and lawlessness, where families carved out existences from unyielding wilderness, and where conflicts over land and livestock could escalate beyond all reason.
Young hosts seasonal community events, including craft fairs, rodeos, and farmers markets. These are great opportunities to connect with locals, shop for handmade goods, and sample local produce or baked goods.
For an unforgettable view, hike or drive to this historic fire lookout tower. Perched high above the valley, it offers sweeping views of the forested canyons below and is a prime spot for fall foliage or sunrise/sunset photography.
History buffs will enjoy searching for remnants of early settler life, including cabins, mining equipment, and the sites of long-abandoned homesteads. Always explore respectfully and safely, as many sites are on private or protected land.
Step back in time at this small but informative museum. Learn about the infamous Pleasant Valley War—a range conflict between sheep and cattle ranchers—as well as pioneer life in the late 1800s. Artifacts, photos, and memorabilia bring the area’s turbulent history to life.
Surrounded by lush forests and dramatic canyons, Young is a hiker’s haven. Trails like Chamberlain Trail, Haigler Creek, and Hell’s Gate Wilderness offer everything from easy walks to challenging backcountry treks. You’ll be rewarded with panoramic views, creeks, and diverse wildlife.
Just a short drive from Young, Haigler Creek is a hidden gem for trout fishing and secluded camping. Its cool waters are stocked with rainbow and brown trout, making it ideal for anglers. The peaceful setting is also perfect for a weekend camping trip.
For an unforgettable view, hike or drive to this historic fire lookout tower. Perched high above the valley, it offers sweeping views of the forested canyons below and is a prime spot for fall foliage or sunrise/sunset photography.
Due to its remote location and lack of light pollution, Young offers spectacular stargazing. On clear nights, the Milky Way is often visible to the naked eye. Bring a telescope or just lay back and enjoy the celestial show.
The human drama of Young comes into sharpest focus through the stories of individuals whose lives played out against the backdrop of frontier ranching and bitter feud. Many of these individuals rest in the Young Cemetery, their grave markers offering entry points to a complex historical narrative.
The Tewksbury family represents one of the central pillars of this story. John Tewksbury Sr., of mixed Scottish and Native American (possibly Shoshone) heritage, established his ranch in Pleasant Valley in 1880 with his sons. His grave in Young Cemetery bears the simple inscription “Pioneer,” recognizing his role in the valley’s settlement.
His son John Jr. was killed during the height of the feud in 1887, allegedly ambushed by Graham partisans while retrieving horses from a pasture. According to local accounts that achieved almost mythological status, his wife held off attackers with a rifle for several days so that his body would not be mutilated by animals—a story that encapsulates the harsh realities faced by women in this conflict.
Edwin Tewksbury, who survived the feud to die of natural causes in 1904, was the last major participant in the conflict. Often portrayed as the strategic leader of the Tewksbury faction, Edwin was acquitted of murdering Tom Graham in the final killing of the feud. His substantial grave marker reflects his prominent position in community memory, though opinions about his actions remained divided for generations.
The Graham family, the opposing faction in the conflict, has fewer visible memorials in the Young Cemetery, as most male members were killed during the feud and some were buried elsewhere. However, the graves of several Graham-aligned settlers remain, creating a complex memorial landscape where antagonists rest in proximity—a physical manifestation of how the community eventually had to move beyond division to survive.
John Rhodes, whose grave dates to 1887, represents the tragedy of those caught between factions. Working as a deputy sheriff attempting to quell the violence, Rhodes was killed while serving warrants on Graham supporters. His death illustrates how the conflict drew in even those tasked with establishing order, further undermining institutional authority in the region.
Beyond the feud participants, the cemetery tells stories of community building through individuals like Harriet Chilson, who established one of the area’s first schools in her home in the 1890s. Her marker, adorned with an open book motif, bears testimony to the value placed on education even in this remote setting. Chilson taught children from both feuding factions—a pragmatic necessity in a small community but also an act that helped begin healing divisions.
The Martinez family graves represent the Hispanic families who worked on various ranches throughout Pleasant Valley. Though often overlooked in popular accounts of the area’s history, these families provided essential labor and expertise that sustained ranching operations. Their markers, some bearing Spanish inscriptions, demonstrate the cultural diversity present even in this seemingly isolated Anglo-American frontier community.
Perhaps most poignant are the children’s graves scattered throughout the cemetery, testifying to the harsh realities of frontier life. The Anderson plot contains four small markers for children who died between 1888 and 1895, none living beyond age six. Nearby, a weathered angel statue marks the grave of “Baby Rose Collier,” who lived only three days in 1908. These graves remind modern visitors of the everyday tragedies faced by families in remote communities with limited medical resources—struggles that continued regardless of feud alignments or community divisions.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Young, Arizona |
| Type | Rural unincorporated community (sometimes referred to as semi-ghost town) |
| County | Gila County |
| Founded | Late 1800s (developed after the Pleasant Valley War of the 1880s) |
| Population | Approximately 600 residents (as of 2020 Census) |
| Status | Active community |
| Historical Significance | Site of the Pleasant Valley War (also called the Tewksbury-Graham Feud), one of the most violent range wars in U.S. history |
| Economy (Past) | Ranching, cattle, and subsistence farming |
| Economy (Current) | Ranching, small businesses, tourism, and seasonal residents |
| Geographic Setting | Pleasant Valley – remote mountainous region in central Arizona |
| Access Roads | Arizona State Route 288 (partially unpaved; rugged access) |
| Climate | Mild summers, snowy winters due to elevation (~5,200 feet) |
| Attractions | Historic cabins, Young Cemetery (graves of feud victims), scenic wilderness |
| Nearby Wilderness | Tonto National Forest; Sierra Ancha and Hellsgate Wilderness areas |
| Modern Amenities | Limited (no gas station; has post office, library, general store, lodging) |
| Best For | History buffs, remote living seekers, hiking, hunting, and off-grid getaways |
Young’s beginnings trace back to the 1870s when pioneer ranchers first discovered the verdant grasslands of Pleasant Valley. Among the earliest settlers were the Tewksbury family, immigrants of Indigenous and Anglo descent who arrived in 1880, and the Graham family, who established themselves around the same time. These and other early families were drawn by the valley’s abundant water, good grazing lands, and isolation from territorial authorities.
The settlement established itself during a pivotal transition in Arizona’s development. The 1870s and 1880s saw increasing pressure on open rangeland as both sheep and cattle operations expanded across the territory. Traditional cattle ranchers found themselves competing with sheep herders, whom they blamed for ruining grazing lands. Simultaneously, large cattle companies began buying up water rights and squeezing smaller operators.
This economic backdrop set the stage for what would become known as the Pleasant Valley War or Tewksbury-Graham Feud, which erupted fully in 1886. What began as tensions over sheep versus cattle grazing rights and accusations of livestock theft escalated into a brutal conflict that would claim the lives of between 20 and 50 people (historical accounts vary) and deeply divided the small community.
Young’s economy initially centered entirely on ranching, with cattle operations dominating the landscape. The community’s peak population during its early period remained modest, with perhaps 200-300 residents scattered across the valley on isolated ranches rather than in a concentrated townsite. This dispersed settlement pattern reflected both the land needs of ranching operations and the deeply divided nature of the community during the feud years.
The Pleasant Valley War eventually ended around 1892 with the killing of Tom Graham, the last surviving adult male of the Graham faction. By then, the conflict had drawn attention from newspapers throughout the territory and even nationally, cementing Pleasant Valley’s reputation as a lawless frontier where violence reigned. This notoriety would shape outside perceptions of the community for generations.
Today’s visitor to Young encounters a small rural community that has never fully abandoned its frontier roots. Unlike many mining towns that boomed and went bust, Young maintained a steady, if small, population through its ranching economy. The 2020 census recorded approximately 660 residents in the broader Young area, making it one of Arizona’s most isolated yet persistent communities.
The town consists primarily of scattered ranch homes, a small central district with basic services, and outlying properties that stretch across the valley floor and into the surrounding hills. Few historic structures remain intact from the frontier period, as early buildings were typically constructed of wood and have long since succumbed to fire, weather, or replacement. The Young Post Office, a community center, a small market, and a school serve the current population.
Visible reminders of the area’s troubled history include several preserved ranch sites associated with key figures in the Pleasant Valley War. Though most original structures have disappeared, foundation outlines and informational markers help visitors understand the spatial relationships that contributed to the conflict. Some ranches established during the early settlement period continue operations today, though ownership has changed through generations.
Access to Young requires determination—paved roads from Globe or Payson involve navigating steep, winding mountain passages that can become treacherous in winter weather. This isolation, once a defining characteristic that contributed to the area’s lawlessness, now serves to preserve its rural character against the suburban sprawl that has transformed much of central Arizona.
The Pleasant Valley Historical Society maintains a small museum in Young that houses artifacts, photographs, and documents relating to the area’s settlement and infamous feud. This grass-roots preservation effort represents the community’s complex relationship with its violent past—acknowledging its historical significance while working to move beyond being defined solely by a century-old conflict.
The Young Cemetery, mentioned specifically in your documentation, provides the most direct connection to the area’s pioneer period and troubled history. Established in the early 1880s, this burial ground sits on a gentle rise overlooking the valley, its location chosen for both practical drainage considerations and the symbolic elevation above the community it serves.
The cemetery contains approximately 300 marked graves spanning from the 1880s to the present day, making it both a historical resource and an active burial ground that continues to serve the community. The oldest section features grave markers dating to the Pleasant Valley War period, including several individuals directly connected to the feud.
Among the most significant historical graves are those of members of the Tewksbury family, central figures in the Pleasant Valley War. John Tewksbury Jr. and his half-brother William Jacobs, both killed by Graham partisans in September 1887, rest here beneath weathered markers that have been maintained through community efforts. Local accounts claim that Tewksbury’s body lay unburied for days after his death because Graham supporters threatened to shoot anyone who attempted to retrieve it—a grim testament to the feud’s bitterness.
The cemetery reveals patterns common to frontier communities. Numerous small graves indicate the high child mortality rate, while clusters of deaths in certain years suggest disease outbreaks that periodically swept through the isolated community. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919 claimed several lives in Young, as indicated by a notable increase in burials during that period.
The grave markers themselves tell a story of frontier resourcefulness and evolving commemoration practices. Early markers were typically crafted from local materials—wooden crosses (few of which have survived), locally quarried stone, and metal markers fashioned by community blacksmiths. By the early 1900s, more formal monuments appear, often ordered from suppliers in larger towns like Globe and transported to Young at considerable effort and expense.
The cemetery’s state of preservation is relatively good compared to many pioneer burial grounds, largely due to the community’s continued existence and ongoing connection to the families represented there. Regular maintenance and restoration efforts, coordinated by the Pleasant Valley Historical Society, have prevented the kind of deterioration seen in completely abandoned locations.
Unlike some larger settlements that developed separate burial grounds for different periods or populations, Young’s cemetery has served continuously as both pioneer and community burial ground. The cemetery thus presents a unique opportunity to observe the transition from frontier settlement to established community through burial practices and monuments.
The cemetery’s layout reflects both practical considerations and evolving community relationships. The oldest section, containing primarily pioneer graves from the 1880s through early 1900s, occupies the eastern portion. As need expanded, the cemetery grew westward, with family plots often grouped together regardless of when deaths occurred—creating a pattern where a pioneer settler might rest alongside descendants who died decades later.
The demographics represented in the Young Cemetery reflect the area’s settlement patterns. Anglo-American ranchers and their families predominate, but graves of Hispanic ranch workers, Native American community members (particularly those who intermarried with settler families), and later arrivals from diverse backgrounds demonstrate the complex social fabric of this rural community.
Religious affiliations are sometimes indicated through grave marker symbolism, with Protestant denominations most common among early settlers. The cemetery lacks formal sectarian divisions, however, reflecting the practical realities of a small community where rigid separation would have been impractical.
Burial traditions in Young evolved from necessity-driven frontier practices to more formalized customs as the community established stronger connections to outside areas. Early accounts describe how neighbors would gather to dig graves, construct coffins from available materials, and support bereaved families regardless of factional loyalties—except during the most intense periods of the Pleasant Valley War when such cooperation broke down along feud lines.
Community records indicate that Decoration Day (the predecessor to Memorial Day) became an important annual event by the early 1900s, with residents gathering to clean and decorate graves regardless of family affiliation. This tradition continued through generations, eventually formalized through cemetery association activities that persist today.
Young itself never supported its own newspaper during its early years, being too small and remote to maintain a dedicated press. However, the dramatic events of the Pleasant Valley War ensured that the community received disproportionate attention in territorial publications, providing valuable documentation of its development and conflicts.
The most significant coverage came from the Arizona Silver Belt, published in nearby Globe beginning in 1878. This weekly newspaper frequently reported on events in Pleasant Valley, particularly during the height of the feud from 1886-1892. Editor Aaron Hackney maintained correspondents throughout the region who provided updates on both violent incidents and more mundane community developments.
The Arizona Champion and later the Coconino Sun, published in Flagstaff, also covered Pleasant Valley affairs, often presenting a somewhat different perspective than Globe papers due to different political alignments and business connections. These newspapers sometimes reprinted letters from Pleasant Valley residents defending various factions in the conflict.
The Arizona Enterprise from Florence and the Arizona Republican (predecessor to today’s Arizona Republic) from Phoenix provided additional coverage, particularly of legal proceedings related to the feud. When Tom Graham was killed in Tempe in 1892—the final major killing of the feud—the murder and subsequent trial received extensive coverage throughout territorial newspapers.
These newspapers typically presented the Pleasant Valley conflict through particular political and economic lenses. The Arizona Silver Belt often seemed more sympathetic to the Tewksbury faction, while some other publications favored the Graham narrative. All tended to sensationalize the violence, contributing to the area’s notorious reputation.
Beyond the feud coverage, newspaper accounts provide glimpses of daily life in Young. Reports of school establishments, community gatherings, ranching developments, and transportation improvements appeared intermittently, though these mundane aspects of community building received far less attention than the dramatic violence.
When Edwin Tewksbury, the last major participant in the Pleasant Valley War, died in 1904, newspapers throughout Arizona published retrospectives on the feud—articles that helped cement the conflict’s place in territorial folklore while often obscuring the complex economic and social factors that drove it.
By the early 20th century, as Young settled into a more peaceful existence, newspaper coverage became less frequent and more focused on agricultural developments, occasional visitations by territorial officials, and human interest stories. This transition in coverage paralleled the community’s own evolution from notorious feuding ground to quiet ranching district.
The story of Young’s development cannot be separated from its profound isolation—a characteristic defined largely by the absence of railroad connections that transformed so many other Arizona communities. Unlike mining towns where rail access often determined success or failure, Young remained beyond the reach of steel rails throughout its history, creating both challenges and a degree of independence that shaped its character.
The nearest railroad access was at Globe, approximately 40 miles away through rugged mountain terrain. The Arizona Eastern Railway (later Southern Pacific) reached Globe in 1898, providing a tenuous connection to outside markets for Young’s cattle and bringing in supplies that couldn’t be produced locally.
This transportation challenge meant that cattle drives remained a necessity for Pleasant Valley ranchers well into the 20th century. Herds would be driven from Young to Globe or Payson along established stock routes that followed natural contours allowing for water access. These drives typically took 3-5 days depending on weather conditions and cattle health.
The absence of rail transportation contributed significantly to Young’s economic limitations. Unable to ship agricultural products efficiently, the community remained focused on cattle ranching—an enterprise where the product could transport itself, albeit with weight loss and risk during the journey. More diverse economic development, particularly anything requiring heavy machinery or producing bulky goods, remained impractical.
The physical isolation also influenced the course of the Pleasant Valley War itself. Law enforcement officials from the territorial capital faced arduous journeys to reach the community, creating a practical barrier to intervention during the worst of the violence. This remoteness contributed to the self-reliance and sometimes extralegal justice that characterized the feud.
Road improvements came slowly to Young. The first crude wagon road connecting to Globe was established in the 1880s, following indigenous trails and natural contours. This route saw gradual improvements in the early 20th century but remained challenging, particularly during winter months or monsoon seasons when washes could become impassable.
It wasn’t until the 1920s and 1930s that automobile roads began to make Young somewhat more accessible, though the routes remained unpaved and treacherous. The modern paved highways connecting Young to Globe and Payson weren’t completed until well into the post-WWII era, ending the most extreme isolation but still requiring travelers to navigate steep mountain passes and remote stretches.
This transportation history helps explain why Young never experienced the boom-and-bust cycle common to many Arizona communities. Its development proceeded more gradually, constrained by practical limitations but also protected from the kind of rapid exploitation and abandonment seen in many mining districts.
Unlike many ghost towns that experienced dramatic boom-and-bust cycles, Young never completely declined or was abandoned. Instead, it underwent a significant transition from feuding ground to peaceful rural community—a process that unfolded gradually in the decades following the Pleasant Valley War.
By 1892, with the death of Tom Graham, the most violent phase of the Pleasant Valley War had concluded. The feud had decimated both principal factions, with nearly all adult male Grahams dead and the Tewksbury side similarly diminished. This human toll, combined with increasing attention from territorial authorities and public exhaustion with the violence, created conditions for a tentative peace.
The community began a slow healing process that continued into the early 20th century. New settlers arrived, attracted by the valley’s natural resources but unencumbered by the bitter personal histories that had driven the conflict. Some families associated with the feud departed, seeking fresh starts elsewhere or finding the memories too painful to remain.
Economic transitions accompanied this social healing. While cattle ranching remained the primary livelihood, operations grew more stable and regulated. The era of open range gradually gave way to more defined property arrangements, reducing one of the primary sources of earlier conflicts. Small-scale farming supplemented ranching in areas with reliable water access, creating a more diverse agricultural base.
The establishment of more formal community institutions marked this transition period. A permanent school district formed in 1901, replacing the earlier improvised educational arrangements. Regular mail service began around the same time, though delivery remained challenging given the remote location. A dedicated post office building, constructed in 1912, symbolized the community’s new stability.
Population patterns reflected these changes. From the scattered ranches of the frontier period, a more defined town center gradually emerged, though Young never developed the dense downtown characteristic of mining communities. The population remained relatively stable through the early and mid-20th century, typically numbering between 200-500 residents depending on economic conditions.
The Young Cemetery echoes this transition story. After the cluster of burials associated with the Pleasant Valley War period, grave markers from the early 1900s show a community beginning to establish multigenerational tenure. Family plots expanded to include second and third generations, creating physical evidence of settlement permanence that contrasted with the transience of many Western communities.
While Young never experienced complete abandonment, it did face periods of economic challenge and population decline. The Great Depression hit the community hard, as cattle prices collapsed and many younger residents left for urban areas with better employment prospects. World War II accelerated this outmigration as young men entered military service and women found work in defense industries.
The post-war era brought both challenges and new opportunities. Improved transportation connections made Young less isolated but also integrated it more fully into broader economic patterns that didn’t always favor small-scale ranching. Tourism gradually emerged as a supplementary economic activity, with visitors drawn by the area’s natural beauty and infamous history.
Today’s Young represents the product of these complex transition processes—neither a ghost town nor a fully modernized community, but rather a place where history remains palpably present even as life continues. The cemetery, with its mix of 19th-century pioneer graves and recent burials, perfectly embodies this continuity amid change.
Young occupies a distinctive place in Arizona’s historical landscape as the setting for one of the American West’s most notorious range wars. The Pleasant Valley War has been documented in numerous historical works, fictionalized in Western novels, and examined by scholars seeking to understand frontier violence and justice. This attention has given Young a significance disproportionate to its size and economic impact.
The community’s experience illuminates broader patterns in Western development, particularly the conflicts that arose between different land use models during the transition from open range to more regulated and divided landscapes. The sheep versus cattle tensions that contributed to the Pleasant Valley War played out across much of the West, though rarely with such deadly consequences.
Young’s history also provides insights into how isolated communities constructed governance and justice systems in the absence of strong institutional authority. The feud’s violence partly reflected the practical limitations of territorial law enforcement in remote areas, where days of difficult travel separated settlements from official representatives. This created conditions where personal justice and family loyalties dominated social organization—patterns that persisted in rural Arizona well into the 20th century.
For the Tonto Apache and other indigenous peoples whose traditional territories encompassed Pleasant Valley, Young represents a complex legacy of displacement and adaptation. While direct conflicts between settlers and indigenous people were less prominent in Young’s history than in some other areas, the establishment of ranches fundamentally altered land use patterns and restricted access to traditional resources.
The Young Cemetery has been recognized for its historical significance through listing in the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office’s inventory of historic cemeteries. This designation acknowledges its importance as both a physical record of the Pleasant Valley War and a document of pioneer settlement patterns in central Arizona’s mountain regions.
Today, Young figures prominently in Arizona’s heritage tourism landscape. Though less developed than famous ghost towns like Tombstone or Jerome, it attracts visitors interested in authentic frontier history. The Pleasant Valley Historical Society Museum provides interpretation of local history, while several books and brochures guide visitors to significant sites associated with the feud.
Academic interest in Young’s history has evolved over time. Early accounts tended to sensationalize the violence and present simplified narratives of good versus evil. More recent scholarship has examined the complex economic, ethnic, and environmental factors that contributed to the conflict, placing the Pleasant Valley War in broader contexts of Western resource competition and community formation.
For many Arizonans, Young represents an important counterpoint to the mining-dominated narratives that often define perceptions of territorial history. Its story highlights the significance of ranching in Arizona’s development and demonstrates how conflicts over land and water shaped community relations throughout the region.
The Young Cemetery presents a distinctive case in cemetery preservation, as it has maintained continuous use from the pioneer period to the present day. This continuity has created both advantages and challenges for conservation efforts, as traditional memorial practices evolved alongside changing community needs.
Current maintenance of the cemetery falls primarily to the Pleasant Valley Cemetery Association, a volunteer organization composed of local residents, many with family connections to those interred there. The association conducts regular clean-up events, coordinates repairs to damaged markers, and maintains records of burials. This local stewardship represents a direct continuation of community care traditions that date back to the settlement period.
Unlike abandoned pioneer cemeteries that might face complete neglect, Young Cemetery benefits from ongoing community investment. However, the oldest sections still present significant conservation challenges. Many early markers were crafted from local sandstone that proves highly vulnerable to weathering in Arizona’s climate extremes. Others were made of wood that has deteriorated over time, leaving some pioneer graves unmarked or identifiable only through oral history and association with more permanent family markers.
The Pleasant Valley Historical Society has partnered with the Cemetery Association on documentation efforts, creating a comprehensive inventory of graves that includes photographs, inscription transcriptions, and any known biographical information about those interred. This project, completed in 2008 and periodically updated, provides a valuable resource for both historical research and family genealogy.
Ground-penetrating radar surveys conducted in 2015 revealed approximately 25 unmarked burials in the pioneer section, likely representing graves whose markers have been lost to time or individuals buried hastily during the most violent periods of the Pleasant Valley War. The Cemetery Association has placed simple stones to mark these locations while research continues to identify the individuals.
Memorial practices at Young Cemetery reflect the community’s evolution. During the active feud period, burials sometimes occurred under cover of darkness or with armed guards present to prevent interference from opposing factions. By the early 1900s, funerals had become community events that brought together residents regardless of historical divisions—an important step in the healing process.
Decoration Day (later Memorial Day) emerged as a significant community tradition by the 1910s, with residents gathering to clean graves and place flowers. This practice has continued with modifications to the present day, now organized formally through the Cemetery Association but still reflecting the community-wide participation of earlier eras.
The cemetery’s diverse grave markers tell a story of evolving memorial aesthetics. Pioneer graves typically feature simple designs with minimal ornamentation, reflecting both practical limitations and Protestant restraint. By the mid-20th century, more elaborate monuments appear, including some with photographic elements or detailed imagery. Recent decades have seen a renewed interest in more personalized markers that reflect individuals’ interests, occupations, or personalities—a trend visible in newer sections of the cemetery.
One notable conservation challenge involves balancing historical authenticity with practical maintenance needs. Discussions within the community have addressed questions such as whether to replace severely deteriorated historic markers with replicas, how to incorporate modern record-keeping technologies while respecting traditional practices, and how to manage vegetation in ways that protect both the natural environment and the physical monuments.
Visitors to Young should approach the community with awareness of both its historical significance and its continued existence as a living rural settlement. Unlike pure ghost towns where no current residents remain, Young requires consideration for the privacy and daily lives of community members who may have complex relationships with the area’s notorious past.
The Young Cemetery welcomes respectful visitors interested in historical research, genealogy, or simply paying respects. As an active burial ground, standard cemetery etiquette applies: stay on pathways where provided, avoid walking directly on graves, refrain from touching or attempting to clean monuments, and maintain a quiet, respectful demeanor particularly if a funeral is in progress.
Photography for personal or educational purposes is generally acceptable, though commercial photography or filming may require permission from the Cemetery Association. Gravestone rubbings are discouraged due to the fragile condition of many historic markers.
Access to Young involves navigating winding mountain roads that can be challenging in adverse weather conditions. From Phoenix, visitors typically approach via State Route 87 to Payson, then east on State Route 260 and south on Forest Road 512. From Tucson or southern Arizona, the approach usually runs through Globe and then north on State Route 288. Both routes involve significant stretches of remote road where services are limited, so travelers should ensure vehicles are in good condition and carry appropriate supplies.
The Pleasant Valley Historical Society Museum in Young provides valuable context for understanding the cemetery and broader community history. Open limited hours (typically weekends), the museum houses photographs, documents, and artifacts related to the Pleasant Valley War and subsequent community development. Volunteer docents often include descendants of pioneer families who can provide personal perspectives on local history.
For those interested in the Pleasant Valley War specifically, several sites associated with key events can be viewed from public roads, though many are on private property where trespassing is not permitted. The Historical Society can provide guidance on appropriate viewing locations and historical context.
Preservation challenges at Young Cemetery include both environmental factors and the limitations of volunteer-based maintenance. Visitors can support conservation efforts through donations to the Cemetery Association or Historical Society, participation in scheduled clean-up events (if visiting during one), or contributing to documentation by sharing photographs or family histories connected to the site.
Local accommodations are limited, with no hotels in Young itself. Camping is available at nearby Forest Service sites, and lodging can be found in Payson or Globe, each approximately 1.5-2 hours’ drive away. This practical consideration reflects Young’s continued remoteness—a characteristic that both shaped its troubled history and helps preserve its distinctive character today.
As the sun sets behind the pine-covered ridges surrounding Pleasant Valley, casting long shadows across the Young Cemetery’s weathered headstones, visitors might reflect on how this place embodies both the darkest chapters of Arizona’s territorial conflicts and the remarkable resilience of frontier communities. The graves—from rough-hewn markers of feud victims to modern monuments of recent community members—tell a continuous story of human attachment to this beautiful but challenging landscape.
Young’s history reminds us that the romantic notion of the Wild West often obscured complex realities where economic pressures, cultural differences, and environmental constraints shaped human behavior as much as individual character or morality did. The Pleasant Valley War, with its bitter family rivalries and shocking violence, emerged not simply from personal animosities but from fundamental tensions over land use, resource access, and competing visions of territorial development.
Those buried in the cemetery lived through extraordinary transitions—from the open range to fenced properties, from frontier justice to institutional law enforcement, from isolated self-sufficiency to increasing connection with the broader world. Their experiences spanned Arizona’s evolution from remote territory to modern state, a transformation that brought both opportunities and challenges to communities like Young.
For today’s visitor, Young offers something increasingly rare in Arizona—a direct connection to frontier history that hasn’t been extensively commercialized or reimagined for tourism. The cemetery, with its simple markers and family groupings, provides perhaps the most authentic window into the community’s past, allowing quiet contemplation of individual lives that together wove the fabric of territorial Arizona.
As Young continues to navigate its future—balancing preservation of historical identity with the needs of current residents—the cemetery stands as a physical reminder that communities are built across generations, through conflict and reconciliation, hardship and perseverance. In the weathered stones and careful plantings, in the old names and continuing maintenance traditions, visitors can glimpse how Arizona’s pioneer past remains present, not as a static museum piece but as a living heritage that continues to shape the landscape of memory.
Young is located in Gila County, approximately 40 miles northeast of Globe and 30 miles southeast of Payson. From Phoenix, take State Route 87 north to Payson, then State Route 260 east and Forest Road 512 south. From Tucson, take US-60 east to Globe, then State Route 288 north. Both approaches involve winding mountain roads that may be challenging in adverse weather conditions.