National Day of the Cowboy Celebration in Payson, AZ July 23, 2022, by the Northern Gila County Historical Society
National Day of the Cowboy Celebration
The Territorial Years – Part 3
Rim Country Influence in the Territorial Years Samuel A. Haught II, Duett Ellison Hunt, George W.P. Hunt Samuel A. Haught II – First Gila County Territorial Legislator Sam and his wife, Dagmar, lived on the H-Bar ranch in Rye. Ten thousand head of cattle grazed on their ranch land from Rye to Sunflower. Tragedy…
The Territorial Years – Part 2
The Move Toward Statehood In 1910 Congress passed legislation enabling a constitutional convention for Arizona. The constitution created by the 41 Democratic and 11 Republican delegates called for: legislators of both houses to be elected every 2 years to serve a 2-year term low pay for the Governor popular elections of judges all officials,…
The Territorial Years – Part 1
Formation of the Territory of Arizona Arizona – New Mexico Territory Territory of Arizona is Made In 1856 the first meeting to discuss the New Mexico Territory being split into the Territory of Arizona and Territory of New Mexico was held. February 24, 1863, President Lincoln signed into law a bill providing for the Territory of…
Rim Country – A Brief History
How It All Began The Mogollon Rim is approximately 200 miles long. Starting in northern Yavapai County it runs eastward ending near the border with New Mexico. It is the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau and the reason our area is called Rim Country. This place called the Rim Country embraces a 50 mile…
Owens Sawmill Comes to Payson
In the late 1880’s, August Pieper staked claims on the land from south McLane Road east beyond what would eventually become State Highway 87. More than half a century later, the sons of Frank Owens eyed it as a perfect place for their sawmill. In 1951 the Owens family located their sawmill in the old…
A Little Log Cabin with a Big History
Henry and Sarah Haught come to Rim Country In the summer of 1897 Henry and Sarah arrived in the Arizona Territory. They brought with them 5 children and Henry’s widowed mother, Mary Ann (“Gaggy”). The family was living in Oklahoma when Henry received word from his cousin Fred Haught that the country in Arizona was…
Ranger Station Exhibit
One of Arizona’s oldest standing ranger stations is now open to the public. The ranger station dates back to the early 1900s. We believe it to be the oldest Forest Ranger Station in existence in the Southwest. In the early years the property’s buildings comprised the ranger station, the ranger’s residence (used as the Museum…
Deming Pioneer Park Re-Opening
The Northern Gila County Historical Society, Inc. (NGCHS) and Payson Parks & Recreation would like to announce the grand “reopening” of Deming Pioneer Park, located at the corner of Main St. and McLane (the Boardman’s façade). The small park was originally dedicated in 2004 to honor Rim Country pioneers. There are 22 display windows in…
A Zane Grey Q & A with Lita Nicholson
When was Zane Grey born? He was born on January 31, 1872, in Zanesville, Ohio. His name was originally Pearl Zane Gray. He changed it to Zane Grey after he wrote his first western novel. Was he married? Yes. He married Lina Roth in 1905. He always called her Dolly and she called him Doc. …
