Mileposts/Events

Whiskey Row, Circa 1903

Wandering among the rows of Westernwear, we'd have missed it if it hadn't been for a member of the group saying, "Look at that!" She'd been in The Cattleman's Shop on Prescott's historic Whiskey Row before. "That" was a 12%-foot-long, %-inch-scale model of Whiskey Row as it was nearly a century ago. Store owner Paul Gordon built the model, a still-life in plywood and paint of Whiskey Row's historic buildings, signs, and even people strolling along the sidewalk.

Following a fire in July, 1900, it took locals three years to rebuild Whiskey Row. When they were done, the notorious strip which once boasted dozens of saloons then fronted a "modest" 15 watering holes, plus sundry other businesses. It was this incarnation of Whiskey Row that Gordon researched for weeks and then spent more than 600 hours re-creating.

The Cattleman's Shop sits at 124 S. Montezuma, between the Whiskey Row Dog House and Chapman's Trading Post.

Ruminating among the Ruins

Four large pueblo archaeological sites and a cemetery dating from the Mormon immigration of 1876 draw visitors to 4,000-acre Homolovi Ruins State Park, near Winslow in the northeastern part of the state. Interpretive trails wind through the ruins, built by the Hisat'sinom (Anasazi), ancestors of the Hopis, and a variety of programs, workshops, and activities are offered. Visiting the remote area is made easier by a 53space on-site campground with rest room-shower building, hookups, picnic tables, and grills; day-use areas also are available for picnics. Homolovi is about three miles northeast of Winslow via Interstate 40 (take Exit 257, then drive 1.3 miles north on State Route 87). For more information, contact the park, HC63-Box 5, Winslow, AZ 86047-9803; (520) 289-4106.

Handy Saguaro Park Topo Map

A new topo map of Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, covers the Saguaro East and Saguaro West units and includes a guide to hiking trails through both gentle and rugged terrain (as well as the hike leading to 4,687-foot Wasson Peak, the highest point in the Tucson Mountains). Printed on durable paperthin plastic, the waterproof map can be folded to 4 x 9 inches for convenient tucking into a backpack or pocket. It costs $8.99 and can be obtained at National Forest Service offices and National Parkvisitor centers; or you can contact Trails Illustrated; P.O. Box 4357, Evergreen, CO 80437; (303) 670-3457, or toll-free (800) 962-1643.

A Desert Delight

A breeze fluttered through the plant-filled courtyard as we waited while a busboy cleared our umbrella-shaded table. A hummingbird helicoptered next to us, and an iridescent butterfly touched down on a penstemon bush afire with blooms. We'd wandered the trails of Tucson's Tohono Chul Park, relaxed in its secluded nooks, and added a flock of new birds to our life lists. Now, ready for lunch, we agreed that this desert preserve had a lot going for it. We knew that when we pulled in at high noon and had to cruise for a parking spot. In addition to a restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea, Tohono Chul offers 48 acres of "pure, unadulterated Nature," looking much as it did decades ago when the park was the estate of a family from the East. Because of its relatively small size, Tohono Chul offers an "intimate" and easy opportunity to learn about and enjoy the denizens of the desert, including some 400 species of plants, a variety of wildlife, and dozens of species of birds. Do as we did. Walk awhile, sit awhile, visit the demonstration garden, greenhouse, exhibit house, and two bursting-atthe-seams gift shops, and then check out the Tea Room and Garden Cafe. For recorded information, including hours and how to get there, call (520) 575-8468.

A Different Kind of History

Folly, bravery, greed, and sacrifice come alive in the University of Arizona Press book Arizona: A History. Says award-winning writer Robert M. Utley, author Thomas E. Sheridan is "a brilliant stylist whose words sparkle with clar-ity and eloquence... His char-acterizations make the people come alive." Sheridan, who has lived his entire life in Arizona, covers prehistoric mammoth hunters to the recent financial debacle of Charles Keating and others. What's more interesting is that Sheridan's book is a different kind of history. Instead of using linear pro-gression, the story is one of advances and retreats, accom-modations and blunders, booms and busts. Says his-torian David J. Weber, the new book "reveals pro-cesses pacification, exploitation, and transformation rather than relating one d-n thing after another." Sheridan "wins the confi-dence of his read-ers, and his sharp analysis and vivid prose make them want to keep going."

Arizona: A History is available in paperback and costs $24.95. Check your local bookseller or order through the University of Arizona Press, 1230 N. Park Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719; toll-free (800) 426-3797. - Richard G. Stahl

New Visitors Center

A new visitors center with handicapped-access and offering interpretive exhibits, guided walks, and other programs has opened at the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve.

The preserve covers more than 350 acres along three-plus miles of Sonoita Creek in southern Arizona and is a popular destination for bird-watchers, lured there by some 275 species of birds, including the gray hawk and green kingfisher.

In conjunction with the visitors center opening, new preserve hours were established: 7:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M., Wednesdays through Sundays; closed Mondays and Tuesdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. The preserve gate is locked daily at 4 P.M. For more information, telephone (520) 394-2400.

EVENTS Festival in the Pines

August 2-4; Flagstaff For cool times in the high mountain country, head for Flagstaff and the Mormon Lake Lodge, the site of this gathering among the vanilla-scented ponderosas. Festival highlights this year include the works of 200 artists and craftspeople, fun things for kids to do, continuous stage entertainment, and food booths offering "ethnic and traditional" cuisine. Admission is $5 for adults; kids under 12 get in free. Information: (602) 967-4877.

Eagar Daze

August 3; Eagar A parade, logging events, games, a barbecue, live entertainment, and a car show draw visitors to this annual event in Eagar, a hamlet alongside the Little Colorado River in Round Valley. Take a look around town and you can't miss the Round Valley Ensphere: at 189,000 square feet, it's a whopper of a multi-use facility for a town this size. Admission to the festival is free. Information: (520) 333-2123 or 3334128.

Wine Festival

August 3-4; Elgin Tiny Elgin on the banks of the Babocomari River in Arizona's wine country is the site of the Harvesting of the Vine Festival, an annual toast to the state's wine industry. Activities, held at Sonoita Vineyards, include wine tasting, seminars on wine and cooking with wine, lunch, and live music. Admission is $14. Information: (520) 455-5893.

Birding Festival

August 15-18; Sierra Vista The "Hummingbird Capital of the U.S." attracts binocular-clad visitors to the Southwest Wings Birding Festival, a yearly event

Gallery of Fine Prints: Autumn Leaves

Jerry Jacka has earned a reputation as one of the Southwest's greatest landscape photographers, and his picture of Autumn Leaves (see page 30) is clearly a classic. It's also this month's offering from the Arizona Highways Gallery of Fine Prints.

These handcrafted color prints are produced for Arizona Highways by EverColor DyePrint's custom lab, using the latest in digital technology.

To order the print, call toll-free nationwide at (800) 543-5432. In the Phoenix area or outside the U.S., call (602) 258-1000. The sizes and prices of the Autumn Leaves print are:

#A99AL16: Approximately 14" by 17" $175

#A99AL26: Approximately 16" by 20" $225

#A99AL36: Approximately 20" by 24" $275

With a flock of dream-cometrue opportunities for birders from beginners to experts. There'll be field trips to nearby birding hotspots (the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, Ramsey Canyon, and more), "Bat Stalks," "Owl Prowls," lectures, displays, arts and crafts booths, and children's activities. Also, find out about a beginning or backyard birder's program. There will be a charge for the field trips. Information: toll-free (800) 946-4777.

Rodeo and Parade

August 16-18; Payson The World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo celebrates its 112th year with more of the kind of bone-crunching events that keep real-life cowboys in prize money and Ace bandages - and cowboy wannabees in the stands cheering them on. The big parade takes place August 17. Call for rodeo admission. Information: (520) 474-4515 or toll-free (800) 672-9766.

Sweet Corn Festival

August 31; Taylor This old farming town above the Mogollon Rim shows the home folks and visitors a good time with a bow to the tasty crop that includes a parade, a barbecue, food booths, arts and crafts, and a car show. There'll also be a kids' rodeo and some dances. Admission is free. Information: (520) 536-7366.