WEEKEND GETAWAY: ST. JOHNS

getaway weekend The Big 24th of July Celebration in ST. JOHNS Rates as the Best in the State

THE OUTDOOR DANCE FLOOR IS CROWDED with teenagers, grandparents and toddlers, everyone too busy having a good time to mind the age differences. This "family dance" constitutes just one part of St. Johns' annual 24th of July celebration. Residents of the tiny town in eastern Arizona claim to put on the "best 24th of July celebration in the state" and from what I've seen, they just might be right.Throughout the West, towns founded by Mormon pioneers celebrate the 1847 arrival of the Mormons in Utah around July 24, but St. Johns' celebration is one big party for such a small community. Hundreds of visitors flock to St. Johns to take in the parade, rodeo dance and plenty of fun activities. Photographer Bernadette Heath and I are here with our husbands to enjoy St. Johns' big weekend. We arrived Friday morning to explore the area before the celebration really got going. Since St. Johns comprises a pleasant mixture of old and new, locals advised us to start at the Apache County Historical Society Museum. It proved to be good advice, as this town of about 3,500 has quite a history.

Just inside the door of the museum, I'm met by a set of 24,000-year-old Columbian mammoth tusks found in a local sand and gravel pit. Nearby, handmade quilts hang next to mudworm fossils, while a prehistoric camel leg competes for attention with a collection of women's hats from the late 1800s.The story of St. Johns, which sits along the Little Colorado River, began when the river-crossing was called El Vadito, or "the little crossing," by the early Spanish who traveled the area in the 1500s. In 1864, trader Sol Barth regularly passed through the area carrying salt from New Mexico to the miners at Prescott. Impressed with the water and grass, Barth laid claim to 12,000 acres in 1873, and brought in some Mexican families to farm the area. They called the settlement San Juan after Maria San Juan Baca de Padilla, the first female resident, and dedicated it to patron saint San Juan Bautista. Then, when San Juan had grown large enough to rate a post office, federal government authorities required the name be changed to St. Johns.

Herds of cattle joined flocks of sheep on the lush open grasslands while outlaws roamed the sparsely populated area. In 1879, Ammon M. Tenney, acting with the approval of Mormon church leadership, purchased Barth's claims with 750 head of "American" cattle plus $2,000 in goods, and Mormon settlers moved in. With everyone competing for water and grass, trouble was inevitable. Nathan Tenney, father of Ammon and patriarch of the community, was accidentally shot in the head by the Mexican faction while negotiating peace between the cowboys and Mexican settlers. Finally, Apache County Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens, a colorful character with his long hair and fast gun, enforced the law fairly and turned St. Johns into today's peaceful community.

After enjoying the museum, we head to Lyman Lake State Park. Created in 1912, Lyman Lake is still used for irrigation, but its 1,500-acre reservoir rates also as a favorite place for water sports, fishing, picnicking and camping. Tom Fisher, park manager, and Linda Matthews, park ranger, take us by pontoon boat across the lake for a guided walk along the 1-mile Petroglyph Trail. Next, we pile into a van for a quick tour of Rattlesnake Point Pueblo, a 14th-century prehistoric site. Occupied between A.D. 1325 and A.D. 1390, the pueblo contained 80 to 90 rooms.

We could enjoy more time at the state park, but we've been invited to the Campfire Circle, a St. Johns celebration tradition. Held out by the airport, the event requires families to park their cars in a big circle representing pioneers circling their wagons for protection each night. For more than 60 years, this town reunion draws crowds - about 1,800 people tonight.

Kay Hauser, a local resident, takes Bernadette and me directly to her group and says, "When I came here 36 years ago, I didn't have family, friends or religion. Someone invited me to the Campfire Circle, and I loved the whole idea of it. Ever since, I've invited people who don't have family or friends here to join our group." We

LOCATION: 219 miles northeast of Phoenix; 32 miles north of Springerville.

GETTING THERE: From Phoenix, take U.S. Route 60 east, then north to State Route 61.

WEATHER: July average high, 90°; average low, 57°. Afternoon rainstorms are common in July.

PHONE NUMBERS: All are area code 928.

LODGING: Days Inn, 337-4422; Super 8, 337-2990.

RESTAURANTS: El Camino, 337-4700; Corky's Barbeque, 337-2388.

ATTRACTIONS: Lyman Lake State Park, 11 miles south of St. Johns on U.S. Route 180-191; 337-4441. Day-use fee, $4 per car; camping fee, $10 per night for non-hookup site; $15 per night for hookup site. Petroglyph Trail: Trailhead reached via the park pontoon boat, 1-mile round-trip hike of moderate difficulty with a 55-foot elevation change; hiking shoes recommend. Carry water. Rattlesnake Point Pueblo Ruin: Ride park van to site. $2 per individual for each tour. Apache County Historical Society Museum, 18 W. Cleveland St., 337-4737; open Mondays through Fridays; donation admission.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: St. Johns Regional Chambers of Commerce, 337-2000.

certainly lucked out and got home-cooking at its best. A great chef, Hauser even published The Garden Patch, her own cookbook.

Merv Wilhelm's team of Belgian horses pulls a wagon full of children and hay bales. State Senator Jack Brown is here. “I'm not politicking,” he says. “I'm just here for good food.” He's brought the first cucumbers from his garden to add to Hauser's table. Next to us, Paul Ramsey cooks a peach and raspberry cobbler in a Dutch oven and I wander over for a sample.

As it gets dark, visitors and locals alike head to the family dance at the open-air pavilion where a local group, Southern Highway, provides good country music. Teenagers line-dance in rows, a young couple with their baby slowdance and a pair of 3-year-olds try out their first tentative dance steps. I coax my husband onto the dance floor, before we're off to the Days Inn for the night.

Saturday festivities begin with the boom of Jeff Hammond's cannon and a pancake breakfast at the city park. People start claiming prime places along the parade route early, spreading out blankets and lawn chairs.

I admire the beautiful Whiting home in the center of town. Lawn and elm trees surround the white brick house, which was built in the 1880s and is still occupied by members of the Whiting family. The property is “guarded” by Tucker, an English bulldog who sticks his head through the fence for a friendly ear-scratch before running off to play with the children.

Like the town, the parade represents a mix-ture of traditional and new. The honor guard is followed by Southern Highway blasting out “Johnny B. Good.” The many descendants of Willard Farr smile and wave from a movable merry-go-round while the Little League All-stars throw candy and water balloons from a fire truck. The parade's theme, “Bountiful 2000,” includes a banner proclaiming chil-dren as St. Johns' “Number One Crop.” After the parade, we stop for lunch at El Camino, a favorite place for Mexican food. I opt for a combination plate and Bernadette tries the chicken enchiladas. We both get ample portions of delicious food served with hot sopapillas.

Tawnya Wood starts off the rodeo by singing the national anthem and the 4-H Drill team leads the grand entry. Visitors enjoy the variety of unusual rodeo events. Along with typical rodeo competition, St. Johns puts on a hilarious “grocery race” with watermelon, eggs and cups of water at one end of the arena. At the other end, teams of three men and one saddle-less horse line up. At the word “go,” all three men pile onto one horse, lope to the groceries and dismount. One man stuffs a watermelon under an arm and gets back onto the horse, the second grabs the eggs and swings up behind the first. The final man clenches the cup of water between his teeth and, with a running leap, catapults on over the horse's hindquarters and the trio races back to the finish line. A few teams make it, but cowboys, broken eggs and watermelon pieces litter the arena.

After the rodeo, we make one last stop before leaving town. Sitting in Corky's Barbeque licking ice cream cones, we decide we've found the ultimate way to wrap up the “best 24th of July celebration in the state.” AH