Notes for Photographers

Graham County, an interesting and colorful land of desert and mountains, green valleys and open spaces, secluded canyons and salubrious climate, sleepy reminders of yesterday and times past in a modern and active today, is a land to attract exploring photographers and enchant the visitor.

OPPOSITE PAGE

"THE WORLD FROM HIGH UP ON THE SWIFT TRAIL" BY ROBERT B. WHITAKER. Taken on the Swift Trail in the Pinaleno Mountains (from Apache word pinal meaning "deer") between Ladybug Peak and Hospital Flat. Point overlooks Fort Grant and Sulphur Springs Valley. Willcox can be seen from here. Elevation about 8,600 feet. Forest made up of pine, fir, spruce. Wildlife includes deer, Abert squirrel and wild turkey. Praktisix II camera; 21/4x21/4" Ektachrome X; f12.5 at 1/125th sec.; Carl Zeiss Jena 86mm f2.8 lens; early September morning after night rains.

4, 1775, is part of the boundary between Gila and Graham Counties. This view was taken about eighteen miles northeast of San Carlos, San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation agency. The scenic spot here, where the road crosses the San Carlos River, is called Warm Springs, because underground springs keep the water temperature in the sixties even during winter months. Bronica-S camera; Ektachrome, f12.5 at 1/125th sec.; Nikkor-P 50mm wide angle f3.5 lens; May.

FOLLOWING PAGES

"EVENING COMES TO RIGGS FLAT LAKE" BY DARWIN VAN CAMPEN. The Swift Trail leads to this inviting recreation area on Mt. Graham. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f.19 at 1/125th sec.; 127mm Ektar lens; August.

"FRY MESA RESERVOIR" BY ROBERT B. WHITAKER. Located on a shelf of the Pinalenos, six miles south of Safford, reservoir is three-acre impoundment which furnishes water for Thatcher. Stocked with rainbow trout, open only to fishing with artificial lures. Praktisix II camera; Ektachrome; f.16 at 1/125th sec.; Flektagon 50mm lens; September.

"VIEW FROM MT. GRAHAM AT FORT GRANT OVERLOOK" BY DARWIN VAN CAMPEN. The Swift Trail offers many spectacular views along its path from desert country to the top of the Pinalenos. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f.32 at 1/25th sec.; 90mm Angulon lens; bright day, early October.

"GREEN FIELDS OF THE GILA VALLEY BELOW MT. GRAHAM" and other photos on this page show some of the rich, productive farmlands in Graham County. Of the county's farmlands, 15,530 acres produce grains; 5,200 acres grow cotton. Total annual agricultural production for Graham County is about $7,500,000, slightly more than livestock production.

"RED OAK, A GLOWING AUTUMN TORCH ON THE SWIFT TRAIL" and other photos on this page by Darwin Van Campen were taken with a 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; various lenses. Weston Meter reading of 400 for the autumn studies and 200 for the road view, which was taken in summer. The Swift Trail drive is delightful in October when autumn colors spill over the Pinalenos.

"SECLUDED BLACK ROCK CREEK GRAHAM COUNTY" and the Bonita Creek photos by Darwin Van Campen show two of the many highly scenic but little visited areas which are to be found in Graham County by the person who enjoys out-of-the-way places and who comes upon them almost with a sense of discovery. Black Rock Creek flows through a small but colorful canyon located about twenty miles west of Ft. Thomas. Bonita Canyon is about twenty-five miles northeast of Safford in the Gila Mountains. Bonita Creek is one of the main sources of water for Safford. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; bright springs days in May.

"SHARP SWITCHBACKS ON A MOUNTAIN TRAIL" BY ROBERT B. WHITAKER. The Swift Trail, named after Theodore Swift, inspired U. S. Forest Service supervisor, is an achievement of the U. S. Forest Service. As you climb the trail, which ascends from 3,000 feet elevation to over 9,000 feet, you can pause at roadside pulloffs and look back at the twisting road. View is from point just below Arcadia campground. Praktisix II camera; 21/4x21/4" Ektachrome; f.11 at 1/25th sec.; Zeiss 50mm f3.5 lens; August."

CENTER PANEL

"AIR VIEW SAFFORD, COUNTY SEAT OF GRAHAM COUNTY" BY BOB MARKOW. Safford, in the rich farming valley of the upper Gila in Eastern Arizona, is truly a jewel in a mountain setting. Among the mountain ranges surrounding the community and the valley is the Pinaleno range, shown here. The highest point in the range, Mt. Graham (elevation 10,713 feet), stands serene in eternal watch over the valley below. Aerial view, taken May 14, 1968, is from the northeast looking towards the southwest. 4x5 Speed Graphic; Ektachrome E.3; f5.6 at 1/500th sec.; 165mm Optar lens; Lunasix meter reading 21; bright day."

"VIEW FROM THE TOP OF MT. GRAHAM" and other photos on this page were taken with a Bronica-S camera or (two bottom page photos) Praktisix II camera, Ektachrome; Nikkor-P f2.8 lens (top four) or Zeiss Jena 80mm f2.8 lens (lower photos). They show places along the Swift Trail that will please the camper and interest the photographer. Photos taken in August and September."

"THE ARAVAIPA INVITES THE WANDERER" BY DEBS METZONG and photographs on adjoining page by Darwin Van Campen are views of one of Arizona's smaller canyon jewels the "THE SAN CARLOS RIVER" BY ROBERT B. WHITAKER. This river, which was named by Fr. Francisco Garcés on November

NOTES FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS . . . Continued from page twelve.

Aravaipa. The word “Aravaipa” (air-i-VIE-pah) is said to be a Pima Indian word given to a band of Apaches formerly living in the canyon in Pinal and Graham Counties, and means “girls,” applied, for some unknown reason, to one of the fiercest and most destructive of Apache groups. Aravaipa Canyon may be reached by going south on Arizona 77 and turning off about eleven miles from Winkelman on the Aravaipa Canyon road, which is a ten-mile gravel road to Wood Bros. ranch, from where the canyon exploration is made by hiking or horseback.

“BLACK RIVER CANYON IN APACHE COUNTRY” BY CHARLES W. HERBERT and photographs on the adjoining page by the same photographer take us deep into the heart of the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, a large part of which is in Graham County. Black River is the boundary line between Gila and Graham Counties. The cattle photos give an inkling of the widespread cattle operations of the Apaches. In the fall of 1967, 7,173 head of Apache cattle (fine Herefords) were shipped out of the railroad shipping point at Calva. This spring 1,776 head of Apache cattle left Calva. The San Carlos Apaches have some of the best grazing range in the state, raise fine cattle and are expert and dedicated cattlemen.

“STATELY SAGUAROS STAND GUARD OVER SAN CARLOS LAKE” BY JOSEF MUENCH. San Carlos Lake, formed by Coolidge Dam, is surrounded by desert terrain. 4x5 Speed Graphic; Kodachrome; f.16 at 1/10th sec.; 51/4" Tessar lens; bright, sunny day in early June.

“COOLIDGE DAM AND SAN CARLOS LAKE” and panoramic view of the lake itself on this page were taken by Darwin Van Campen, who used a 4x5 Linhof camera with Ektachrome film. The dam is in Gila County and the largest part of the lake it forms is backed up into Graham County. Both photos were taken in May. At one time U.S. 70 crossed the Gila over this dam. By subsequent realignment, U.S. 70 now misses Coolidge Dam by crossing the Gila toward the upper end of the lake. What is referred to as “old U.S. 70” is open to travel, however, and the unhurried visitor will find the road interesting and scenic.

OPPOSITE PAGE “SUMMER STORMS OVER GRAHAM COUNTY” BY DARWIN VAN CAMPEN. This photograph was taken about five miles northwest of Safford along the road to Bonita Canyon. Storms moving in from Mexico during late spring and summer months bring welcome moisture to the mountain ranges and valleys of Graham County. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f. 10 at 125th sec.; 360mm Tele-Xenar lens; Weston meter reading, 50; storm backlighted by setting sun.

GRAHAM COUNTY from page 11 GLENBAR

Another lower Gila Valley community and another plural-named one, today's Glenbar consists of one general store and a few folks on nearby farms.

First named Matthews and Matthewsville, the name was changed by postmaster E. Larson to Fairview and later to Glenbar. Certain wags, it is told, wished to call this fledging village "Hogtown" after its widely used nickname.

Today's Glenbar still provides a "Fairview" as during the days of postmaster Larson of green fields, trees outlining the Gila River's contortions, and serene, lofty mountains that change colors quickly like those of a chameleon.

PIMA

Born April 8, 1879, and first called Smithville, Pima is a product of the L.D.S. Church's far-reaching colonization plan.

From a humble beginning of log, adobe and stone structures, a handful of Pima pioneers fashioned a town of wide streets with a town square and one pridefully possessing numerous sturdy brick homes, schools and commercial buildings. The Hyrum Weech store, the WebbMerrill store, the Marshall Hotel, the bank and no few residences were two-story edifices erected around the turn of the century, or the approxi mate time Pima folks were reading the Pima Paragon or Pima Record.

After numerous fruitless attempts to obtain the county seat, Pima failed to progress until recent years, when many of its young energetic residents, imbued with the pioneer spirit possessed by their forefathers, commenced a rebuilding program which has paid rich dividends in new businesses, a large L.D.S. Church, a dandy museum and gracious homes.

Today's Pima, a gem of the lower Gila Valley, prospers from its farming, ranching and cattle-feeding activities.

BONITA

Today's Bonita is but a shell a store and a school of the village that long ago ripped and roared when soldiers from nearby Fort Grant received their pay. "Hog Ranches" or saloons featuring gals and booze were the scenes of gory and ofttimes deadly scraps. In a series of shooting incidents on a hot July 30, 1890, three persons were killed and three wounded; one of the wounded, Frank Nelson, was later hung at Solomonville.

GERONIMO

After the Gila River's devastating floods of 1906 created havoc in the original village of Geronimo located near the river and against the San Carlos Indian Reservation the present-day village was founded.

The first one was born in 1896 as a direct result of Apaches refus ing permission for President Bill Garland of the Gila Valley, Globe & Northern Railway to lay railroad track across the reservation. For a period of three years large numbers of freighters hauled supplies and copper between Globe and the Geronimo railway terminus, or until a gift and/or bribe of $8,000, in addition to permitting the Indians to ride the freight trains on his Bowie-Globe line for a period of thirty years.

Two stores and a few farms constitute today's Geronimo.

Arizona Industrial School Fort Grant EDEN

Only one store remains in this lower Gila Valley village that once counted schools, churches, stores, a gristmill and an amusement hall. First called Curtis after its founders, Moses Curtis and his son Moses Monroe Curtis, the name was changed in 1892 to Eden by postmaster Wm. Oliver. This change was requested by postal authorities. Now an empty church and a decaying school building punctuates the fact that speedy cars and good roads have triumphed over the biblical-named town.

Indian Hot Springs ARTESIA AND CACTUS FLAT COUNTRY

South of Safford lies a vast chaparral-studded area which knew boom days after James T. Hildreth's 1899 discovery of artesian water. Two small and separate communities Cactus Flat and Artesia sprang into existence as a result of this discovery. At various times Artesia has had three school buildings, a post office and a store; through its early years Cactus Flat knew five school buildings, a 1914 cotton gin, several stores and three post office locations. Failing wells in the artesian district created many problems, but in recent years a surge of progress has made this general area a most attractive one; two health centers featuring hot baths, a Federal prison, several businesses and two housing developments are indicative of the fact that more and more persons are discovering this land of sunsets and sweeping vistas.

Geronimo in 1896 Good News for Fishermen!

Once found, never forgotten fishin' holes in environments of primitive serenity thirty-three (33) reservoirs in the Graham County part of the San Carlos Reservation. These have been stocked with rainbow trout in 1968 several planted with fingerling German Brown trout early this spring. Any person fourteen (14) years of age or over must possess a valid Arizona State fishing license. In addition a San Carlos fishing permit is required which is available at $10.00 for the season, $1.00 for one day, and $.50 each day thereafter. The bag and possession limits correspond with the Arizona State regulations. Roads are cleared but rough. High clearance four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended.