THE VERDE VALLEY'S FUTURE

Verde Valley Future PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY MANLEY

The Verde Valley is many things. Geographically, it is a mountain-locked area in North Central Arizona ninety miles north of Phoenix and thirty miles south of Flagstaff. Historically, it is the location of two once extremely rich copper mines, the United Verde and the United Verde Extension; and of the ghost town, Jerome, that clings to a mountainside, a monument to the bonanza days of Western copper mining. Currently, to inhabitants and former residents alike, it is a combination of mild climate and scenic beauty without rival. Five to ten years hence, it may be a community that has found how to grow without basically impairing Future growth was virtually made inevitable when construction first began on the Black Canyon Highway that has now brought the lower Valley within about ninety minutes driving time of the Phoenix area. Explosive growth is in the offing when the extension of the Black Canyon Highway is completed to transcontinental U.S. 66 at Flagstaff. Then, the once semi-isolated Valley, reached only by winding mountains roads, will be traversed by a high-speed highway connecting the Phoenix industrial area with the fabulous petroleum and uranium storehouse of the Four Corners country where Arizona joins New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.

Transportation, incidentally, has once before played a key role in the Valley's history. Not until a railroad had been pushed over rugged terrain to Jerome did the United Verde mine prosper. That was in 1894, and yet only six years before, James Douglas, one of the founders of copper mining in Arizona, had turned down an opportunity to participate in the United Verde because he thought that the mine was too inaccessible.

Now that there are no longer any known bonanza mining claims to serve, it may well be asked why a fast new highway should make growth inevitable for the Verde Valley. Many small communities in Arizona and elsewhere are still small despite their location on heavily traveled routes. There are features about the Valley, however, that are bound to bring people for stays of short to permanent duration. For example, Sedona, in the Oak Creek Canyon section, has already attracted vacationhome seekers, artists, and the retired in such numbers that choice building lots have sold for prices comparable to those in the Phoenix area.

If the Valley had only scenic beauty and a mild year-around climate, its future might be entirely that of a residence and resort area. But, combined with an attractive climate it has far greater water resources than are needed to support a population devoted to the pursuits of vacation or retirement, and ample power and fuel supply. Make such an area readily accessible to a fast-growing metropolitan community such as Phoenix and industry seems bound to come.

Favorable climatic conditions for employee living has become an increasingly important factor in the location of industry. But all communities in the Southwest boast about their climate, especially about their sunshine. What then does the Valley offer that industry cannot readily find elsewhere? Besides a high percentage of sunny days, temperatures are relatively mild both winter and summer.

Measured by degree days, heating requirements in Cottonwood, the business center of the Valley, are less than half those of many eastern and Great Lakes cities. Nor is the lower heating load offset by a long cooling season. Home cooling or refrigeration units are a matter of choice rather than of necessity as in desert areas.

In terms of potential development, the water resources of the Valley are its greatest asset. Unlike many areas in the Southwest, the Verde area is favored with both a perennial river and widespread supplies of ground-water. Most of the water for expansion will have to come Famed guest ranch at Soda Springs from wells because the river supply has been pre-empted by prior use.

The Verde River now furnishes irrigation water for farmers in the Valley and is part of the water shed system of the Salt River Valley Water Users' Association, the major supplier of water for both domestic and irrigation in the Phoenix area.

No one really knows the size of the underground water reserves but both the wells that have been drilled and geological history indicate that they are extensive. The Valley was once an enormous lake that has been filled by erosion with a loose formation that in places is still three thousand feet thick. This formation provides storage for vast quantities of water-water in fact that may have been rainfall hundreds of years ago.

Adequate water supply and favorable climate, though sufficient, are by no means all of the natural endowments that may bring industry to the Verde area. Cement rock deposits in the Clarkdale section have attracted the atten-tion of cement manufacturers. Zinc and pyrite ores are available in commercial quantities as well as natural sodium salts.

Wood-working plants would find a supply of lumber. About four million feet is produced annually by mills at Cottonwood, of which about one million feet is shop-andbox grade lumber, suitable for moulding, toys, popularpriced picture frames, and specialties requiring easily worked wood. Most of the lumber is Ponderosa pine that is cut in nearby national forests under a sustained yield program.

Though the combinatin of the Valley's resources and ready accessibility from Phoenix seems certain to attract industry, the kind of development that may occur is largely in the hands of the Valley's citizens. If no action were taken to plan and direct the growth, it could be ugly and sprawling and detract immeasurably from the pleasure of living in the Verde area.

But prospects are good that enough Valley citizens will see that community planning is needed for informed planning to be done. Not long ago the business leaders pushed aside the local differences that had kept communities within the Valley bickering with each other for years and formed a Chamber of Commerce for the whole Valley.

One of the first major steps of the new Chamber was to survey the industrial potential of the Valley. For this purpose it secured the professional services of Western Business Consultants, Inc. of Phoenix, a management and economic consulting organization. Working under the consultants direction members of the Chamber collected economic information on the Valley that has now been published in the brochure What the Verde Valley Offers Industry.

In 1956 the Board of Supervisors of Yavapai County set up a County Planning and Zoning Commission of which three members are from the Verde Valley area. So the machinery exists for guiding the Valley's growth. It is up to the local citizens to see that the machinery is used and particularly to work with the Commission in developing appropriate plans for the Valley's orderly growth.