God's Calling

Ok, this is the Levi Stewart Memorial in Kanab, Utah. History in the area began with Jacob Hamblin, who negotiated with local Indians about Mormon settlements. On Aug 4, 1857, LDS President Brigham Young appointed Hamblin president of the Santa Clara Indian Mission, which he used to conduct negotiations with the Paiute, Moquis, and Navajo. He also assisted Major Powell's exbedition of the area in 1869-72. Two attempts at settling the area failed prior to 1870 when Levi Stewart led a group of pioneers from Pipe Spring, AZ. Fort Kanab, a local word for a willow basket used to carry an infant, had been established a year before by Hamblin. The town of Kanab was organized on Sep 11, 1870. But on dec 14, the fort caught fire, killing Levi's wife Margery and five sons. The pioneers did not give up, though, and the settlement continued. As early as 1922, Hollywood directors found the areas scenery perfect for Western movies, and before long, the town became a hub for tourists visiting nearby, Zion, Bryce, and Grand Canyons.

Indian Paintbrush, a Southwestern native flower. An Indian legend (turned childrens book) tells a story of a young artist who wanted to paint a sunset, but did not have the right colors. The Indian spirits heard him and gave him brushes with the right colors and he painted the sunset. When he finished, he placed the brushes in the ground, and they became the flower known as Indian Paintbrush.

Petrified wood, another common local resource


The beautiful surounding landscape

A not so golden arch

Ok, this is the Tonto Natural Bridge, near Payson. It is the largest Travertine Bridge in the world and is spectacular! The bridge's oddity is that it is belived to have formed by water carrying minerals building the bridge, rather than eroding it, like most natural bridges. It is 183 feet high, 150 feet wide, and the tunnel it forms is 400 feet long. It was discovered in 1877 by a Scotsman named David Gowan, who was running from Apache Indians, and hid in one of the several small caves of the bridge. In 1898 he convinced his nephew to bring his family to the bridge to settle, and their cabin can still be seen today. This is an amazing place to photgraph, and the strange angles and varied backgrounds allow for the use of several different photo tricks. So, my wife took "our" (her) new camera and went to town with it. "My" poor little point and shoot just couldn't keep up. So with the exception of the above photo, all the rest are hers. These are my favorites.

The mineral rich water running off the edge of the bridge, continuing to slowly build it.
The water rains down on the rocks below

Look closely and you can see a hole that goes through the bridge to the top.

the colors....
A passing jetliner contrasts with the shimmering reflection of the falling water.
And finally, we see the ever intrepid Budd family boldly going on another "arduous" adventure.

Trotting

Ok, so after seeing Tucson, we headed up to Payson, AZ, and passed through the old mining town of Globe. It was founded around 1875 and saw the wild side of the west a few times. An excellent site to read about it can be seen here. I'm not going to copy/paste the whole thing here.
Mine trails

Flag flown over the AZ capitol on September 11, 2001
This plaque was originally on the Old Dominion Library, which burned down on March 12, 1981. The plaque was the only thing to survive the fire, and is now located at the Chamber of Commerce. It reads "This tablet is erected by Old Dominion Copper Mining and Smelting Company to commemorate the bravery and self sacrifice of John James, Joseph Karpinsky, John C. Moffet who lost their lives in the fire at the Interloper Shaft February 20, 1906."

Doing a driveby

Ok, here is Picacho Peak, between Phoenix and Tucson. We sisn't stop, but I thought it was worth a mention. From the State Park website: "Picacho Peak was often used as a landmark by early explorers. During the 17th century, dedicated Jesuit priest Father Kino mentioned Picacho Peak in records of his journeys into Arizona, and in 1775, the DeAnza Expeditions passed by the Peak. In 1846, the Mormon Battalion, on their way to California to fight in the war with Mexico, constructed a wagon road through Picacho Pass. The forty-niners traveled the same road on their way to California, and in 1858, mail and passengers traveled this route via the Butterfield Overland Stage. This route is now used by the Transcontinental Railroad.The most significant Civil War battle in Arizona took place near Picacho Peak on April 15, 1862, when an advance detachment of Union forces from California attacked a Confederate scouting party. The battle lasted for 1-1/2 hours, and three Union soldiers were killed. Every March, "The Civil War in the Southwest" comes alive again as over two hundred re-enactors converge on Picacho Peak on foot and horseback. Visitors enjoy viewing exciting mock battles that took place in Arizona and New Mexico during the Civil War. Also on display at the March reenactment are recreated military camps and living history demonstrations."

Hang 'em high

Ok, this is McFarland State Historic Park in Florence, a town that prides itself in its "Old West" feel, and architecture, unchanged since the days that miners and cowboys roamed the streets. While Esteban Ramirez laid the first claim in the area in 1866, the town got its real begining in 1873 when the land office was established. The town's central location made it the ideal location for the seat of the newly formed Pinal County in 1875, the same year a major silver mine was discovered in the nearby mountains. In 1909 the Arizona Territorial Prison was moved from Yuma to Florence, and still exists today. The town thrived on a system of irrigation, like the Hohokam Indians who lived in the area before.

The State Park is located in the old Courthouse, built in 1878, now the oldest standing courthouse in the state. Pay attention East Coasters: This is a historic site and museum where you can take PICTURES. This is how things should be. "The local "Vigilance Committee" stormed the sheriff's office in this building in 1888, dragged two men from their cells and hanged them in the corridor of the jail. Those two had been charged with holding up a stage and killing Johnny Collins, the guard. A coroner's jury later found that the two prisoners had met their deaths "at the hands of parties unknown." A short time later, the same "vigilance" group attempted to lynch four other prisoners under the same circumstances but were thwarted in their efforts when Michael Rice, the jailer, armed the prisoners, took them upstairs and faced down the mob from the windows above the street." From the State Park website.

When a new courthouse was built in 1891, the old courthouse was converted into a county hospital, recreated by this portion of the building.

Medical supplies
A vacuum pressure pump

Some pieces from historic buildings around Florence
In 1943 a POW camp was established just north of Florence for German and Italian prisoners. The site is now a retirement community. Seen here are an Italian bottle and German helmet.
Artifacts from the Italian camp
Piece of wood with pencil drawings found in the camp.

The courtyard of the courthouse, where the original, small jail was located. Damage due to weathering can be seen on the right side. A combination of moisture and the concrete porches (added during the building's days as a hospital) has been cracking the building's adobe walls. In 1938, the building became a welfare and public health center, and later, in 1963, the Pinal County Historical Society acquired and maintained the building as a museum until 1970.

Ernest McFarland was born october 9, 1894 in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, and graduated the University of Oklahoma in 1917. In WW1 he was in the US Navy, until he suffered from a bronchial infection, when he moved to Phoenix, AZ. After saving enough money, he attended Stanford University, graduating in 1921, when he began law practice in Casa Grande (near Florence.) He became assistant attorney general of AZ from 1923 to 1924, Pinal county attorney from 1925 to 1930, and superior court judge from 1934 to 1940, when he was elected to the US Senate. He is probably best known as the "Father of the GI Bill", working diligently to get the bill passed in 1944.In 1952 he was defeated in the Senate, and in 1954 became Arizona State Governor. Leaving the office in 1958, he returned to his law practice until being elected associate justice of the Arizona Supreme Court in 1964, and serving as Chief Justice from 1968 to 1970. In 1974, former governor Ernest W. McFarland purchased the building and donated it to the Arizona State Parks Board for a historic park. He died in Phoenix on June 8, 1984, the only Arizonan to have served in all three branches of government.
Various artifacts from his personal collection, above and below.

His pet Gila Monster, Mussolini

Front outside of the courthouse
The Silver King Motel, opened in 1876 and named for the Silver King mine. The current building was built in 1893 after the original burned down.
A mostly deteriorated adobe structure behind the Motel, possibly an old addition.
Main street Florence, Arizona