WELCOME TO THE LAND OF THE SUN

One of the blessings of our modern American civilization is that with a little planning we can escape winter. The winter we speak of is the winter of the cold and icy wind, the deep snowdrifts, the gray, unfriendly sky, and icy streets. This is the winter that moves in early and stays late in many parts of this big land of ours.

This is the winter that is a stranger to the sun country of Arizona. True, we have raw, inhospitable days but they are so few that we can say, without sounding like a paid publicist, that we guarantee an Arizona winter vacation will mean escape from the rigors of harsher winters elsewhere. The sun is our good and faithful servant and works overtime at the job.

Our winter season begins in November and extends to May. The largest number of visitors arrive in January and leave in late April, an unfortunate occurrence because they miss the delectable autumn in the desert and hurry away before spring really sets up her shop of cactus blossoms and mild, idyllic weather. The January-April season is crowded and it would be well to arrange for accommodations beforehand, if you come then.

And what kind of accommodations are available, one might ask? One might answer, and usually does, anything a person could possibly want. Our desert resorts are famed throughout the world for luxuriousness and appointment. There are the very excellent hotels in the larger desert cities that offer desert as well as urban life to the visitor. Next are the guest ranches where you can escape the hectic tempo of modern-day living amid surroundings as pleasant and well maintained as those of your own home. There are inns, lodges, small hotels and auto courts or motels designed for the visitor of more moderate means who still demands every degree of comfort and service offered by the larger resorts, amid surroundings just as pleasant. There is really a nice place some place in the desert for any nice person who happens to come along.

Information on all accommodations at all prices can be received by writing to the Chambers of Commerce in the following cities especially prepared for taking care of winter visitors: Cottonwood, Kingman, Phoenix, Wickenburg, Salome, Safford, Florence, Globe, Bisbee, Douglas, Flagstaff, Glendale, Chandler and Scottsdale. Take your pick! The sun is equally generous to them all, and the folks in these towns are equally interested in helping you out. In writing for information one should state the type of accommodations desired and the price one would like to pay. Even the most modest pocketbook can find the exact place to fit its demands.

One might ask, and many people do, what can you do if you spend a winter vacation in the sun country of Arizona? First of all, you can enjoy and take advantage of a generous sun. Heaps of sunshine flood the desert and foothills while other places are shivering in frigid and uncomfortable winter weather. If for no other reason than to escape winter would you benefited by a visit to the sun country. After you have arrived and shaken the travel kinks out of your legs there are all the sports and outdoor recreational activities you could possibly command to occupy all of your daylight hours.

Most popular sport of all is horseback riding. It was a very wise man who once remarked: "There is nothing the matter with your insides that the outside of a horse can't cure!" And if he didn't say it in just those words, the general idea is the same: horseback riding is good for you, and when you mix this sport with lots of fine desert scenery then you have a combination that is conducive to longevity, good health and good spirits.

You can also engage in the most pleasant activity of all loafing. Just plain, honest-to-gosh old-fashioned loafing, whether it be by the side of a pool, in a lawn swing, or under a saguaro! If some philosopher hasn't said it, one should: "Learn to loaf!" In this hydromatic, free-wheeling, synchro-meshed, jet-propelled age of ours we do so much hurrying and scurrying we have forgotten how to loaf. Loafing is an art and achievement which means less jumpy nerves, fewer neuroses, and milder ulcers. The desert, the sunshine and the weather of our sun country combine to make a loafer out of the most energetic fellow. Out here you take it easy and with the least possible effort you are comfortable. What more could a winter vacation mean for anyone? R. C.

VOL. XXV. NO. 10 OCTOBER, 1949 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS LEGEND

"THE ANCIENT VERDE" FRONT COVER MIKE ROBERTS SHOWS TUZIGOOT RUINS WATCHING OVER THE OLD, OLD RIVER. WELCOME TO THE LAND OF THE SUN 1 A REMINDER THAT WINTER WILL SOON BE HERE AND THE DESERT IS WARM.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT AND TALIESEN WEST 4 INTRODUCING A DISTINGUISHED MAN WHO NEEDS LITTLE INTRODUCTION TO MR. WRIGHT GIVES US FRIENDLY ADVICE ABOUT THE ARIZONA DESERT.

LIVING IN THE DESERT 12 THE NOTED ARCHITECT TELLS OF HIS DESERT CAMP ENTERS COMPLAINT.

THE VERDE RIVER 16 BEGINNING THE STORY OF ONE OF OUR HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT WATERWAYS.

INVITATION TO SHINE'S CHRISTMAS PARTY 26 THOSE OLD CLOTHES WILL COME IN HANDY AS GIFTS TO THE NAVAJOS.

ARIZONA'S SHEEP DRIVES 28 A STUDIOUS ACCOUNT OF HOW SHEEP MOVE FROM VALLEYS TO MOUNTAINS.

YOURS SINCERELY 36 A FRIENDLY CORNER OF NEIGHBORLY COMMENT WITH SOME LINES OF VERSE.

"ALONG THE VERDE" BACK COVER RAY J. MANLEY PORTRAYS THE VERDE ON ITS LEISURELY WAY TO THE SEA.

ARIZONA HIGHWAY COMMISSION

Dewey Farr, Chairman. St. Johns Brice Covington, Vice-Chairman Kingman H. Earl Rogge, Member Clifton Louis Escalada, Member Nogales Clarence A Calhoun, Member Mesa J. Melvin Goodson, Exec. Secretary Phoenix W. C. Lefebvre. State H'way Engineer Phoenix R. G. Langmade, Special Counsel Phoenix ARIZONA HIGHWAYS is published monthly by the Arizona Highway Department. Address: ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, Phoenix, Arizona. $3.00 per year in U. S. and possessions; $3.50 elsewhere. 35 cents each. Entered as second-class matter Nov 5, 1941, at Post Office in Phoenix, under Act of March 3, 1879. Copyrighted, 1949, by Arizona Highways Department, Phoenix, Ariz.

Allow five weeks for changes of addresses. Be sure to send in old as well as new address,

"THE WILD BUNCH"

This picture was taken in the Navajo reservation. A bunch of wild Indian ponies were caught in march. This picture by Mr. Wallace first appeared in ARIZONA HIGHWAYS a few years ago. Wild ponies are rare there now.

October

October in Arizona has a split personality. On the desert the weather is warm and mild, as if summer had taken a liking to the place and was very reluctant to leave. In the higher country, however, it is definitely autumn. The leaves are turning and there is a chill in the air both morning and evening.

We are proud to have an old and admired friend with us this issue Frank Lloyd Wright, the distinguished architect. We show some pictures of his place in Paradise Valley-Taliesen West-and we have an article by Mr. Wright giving his views on living in the desert. Mr. Wright is no stranger to Arizona or to ARIZONA HIGHWAYS. He wrote an article for us in May issue of 1940, an issue long since exhausted but for which we still receive many requests. Salient features of that article are reproduced within. Mr. Wright is both alarmed and disturbed about the proposal to build a high power line smack through the heart of Paradise Valley. It is time that all of us consider Mr. Wright's just complaint-needless marring of the desert because the desert is a heritage entrusted to us by a generous Mother Nature and we should protect it. In the decades to come we will learn as Mr. Wright predicts we will that the desert, unspoiled and unaltered, is our richest possession.

Other than the Colorado, we haven't many large rivers to boast of in our state, but what they lack in size they make up for in color, romance and history. Such a river is the Verde. Charles Franklin Parker of Prescott has done an exhaustive study of the Verde, the first part of which appears in ARIZONA HIGHWAYS this month. The story of the Verde will be completed next month. We have had much to say about the cattle industry in Arizona in recent issues of this publication, so it is about time we report on the sheep situation. Sheep raising is a big business in the state. The annual sheep drives from the warm valleys to the high mountain ranges are both spectacular and interesting and to that subject we now devote considerable space. Come with us on a sheep drive!

We briefly mention Shine Smith's Christmas party, which will be held again this year. The party last year, thanks to the generosity of the readers of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, was a great success. You can be assured that gifts of clothing and food sent to Shine did much to help many needy Navajos through the bitter and severe winter that was the winter of 1948-49. The need for help is just as great this year. Old clothing, old shoes, a few cans of food, toys-practically anything is welcome. Shine Smith for more than thirty years has been a helpful friend of the neediest tribe of Indians in America. Because of his goodness, because of the many beneficial things he has done for the Navajos and is doing for them, we are proud to invite our readers to take part again in his annual Christmas Party. R. C.