LETTERS & E-MAIL

Marker Denotes Camp Crittendon

The Arizona Department of Transportation historic marker on State Route 82 between Sonoita and Patagonia at Milepost 294 notes the site of Camp Crittenden.

Established in 1867 to protect settlers and miners from Apache raids, the post went up on an ideal location.

“...We can look for miles across a level plane,” wrote one soldier. He also mentioned the person they sorely wished to see riding across that land: “We have 8 months pay due us and over, and there is no sign of the Paymaster.” The U.S. Army abandoned Camp Crittenden in 1873. Now surrounded by private land, little remains of the adobe outpost that once stood as a promise of protection.

Arizona: Home of the World's Largest

Arizona claims a number of attractions that are among the largest if not the largest of their kind in the world. Some of them aren't exactly your typical sightseeing stop, but their rarity make them worth your while. Here are a few:

World's Largest Kachina Doll, Carefree

This Kachina doll stands 39 feet tall in the residential area of Tonto Hills in the middle of a square rock garden. There's not much around it besides Carefree's other “world's largest” that's located just a few miles away.

One of the World's Largest Inflatable Dams, Tempe

This spectacle can be seen while heading eastbound on State Route 202. The lake that contains the dam was man-made as a gravel pit filled with water. The inflatable dam works by simply holding the water in for Tempe citizens to enjoy. If necessary, the dam can be deflated if enough rain falls to cause the Salt River to flow through Tempe.

Among the World's Largest Sundials, Carefree

Located in downtown Carefree, this site is surrounded by shops and buildings. The sundial stretches 72 feet in the direction of the North Star. It was constructed in 1959, and the town added copper cladding in 1990.

World's Tallest Continuously Running Fountain, Fountain Hills

The fountain spouts on the hour for 15 minutes, from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. It can be seen for miles, especially when spouting at a record 560 feet high. It is in the middle of a 60-acre park, which makes the fountain a great place to visit and picnic.

World's Largest Rosebush, Tombstone

A pretty sight to see and a pleasant one to smell, the bush explodes into millions of tiny white rose blossoms every spring. It covers more than 8,000 square feet.

Luminarias del Pueblo

Artists have captured the southern Arizona sunshine and used it to light up the night in Tucson. Traditional Southwestern luminarias consist of candles in brown bags that line sidewalks and rooftops during winter holidays, but the Tucson Pima Arts Council challenged artists to create large new-style luminarias.

The outdoor art stretching at least 6 feet in one dimension must light up the night and most provide a glow from a solar-powered light source. The artistic luminarias decorate outdoor spaces from the Arizona Inn to the Tucson Convention Center until the end of March. Then individuals and businesses will bid on the art, with most of the price going to charity.

The prototypes submitted by the artists included a lighthouseshaped beacon, an ocotillo lookalike and a waterfall of light. Pick up a map at the Arts Council, 10 E. Broadway, or check the Web site www.luminariasdelpueblo.org for Tucson's Luminarias del Pueblo. Information: (520) 624-0595.

THIS MONTH IN ARIZONA

In 1883 Flagstaff's sawmill turns out 100,000 board feet of lumber daily, fueling future growth of the new town.

In 1884 The Tucson Opera House is destroyed by fire, the result of a charcoal pot being used by a roof repairman.

Arizona's population increases by 45,000 in four years, and the total taxable property increases by $11 million.

A vein of bituminous coal is discovered between Tucson and Casa Grande.

A Globe cabinetmaker advertises “ready made coffins.” In 1891 A levee breaks on the Gila River and the Colorado River rises 33 feet in 20 minutes. Yuma is practically wiped out. Water as deep as 9 feet destroys 265 buildings and 24 miles of Southern Pacific track. Citizens of Yuma thank the Yuma Indians, who worked diligently to save the city from floodwaters, without taking the time to eat or sleep.