Zeke's Desert Excape          3/03/2005

 



We took a ride in the new S-10 and got this far north,
Glacier National Park.

• Food
• Literature for the Mind
• The story of Zeke
• About my real flying & Flightsim Stuff
• Pictures of us and our stuff
•   As you can see, old Jerry has just gotten a little older.

         

• Wickenburg fills an illustrious chapter in the history of Arizona and the West.

Though only 54 miles away from the hustle and bustle of modern Phoenix, Arizona's
most western community hearkens back to a different time and place.

Nature graced Wickenburg with a gentle magic. Resting on the northern edge of the
Sonoran Desert, just below Arizona's mountainous country, the Wickenburg area
abounds in natural beauty. While the area's geological treasures attracted the  miners from around the world, the Hassayampa River flood plain provided fertile  soil for farming and ranching.

For centuries, the western Yavapai (or Tolkapaya as they called themselves), made
the banks of this oasis their home, irrigating their crops of corn, beans, squash,  and tobacco with river water. They named this place Haseyamo, "following the water  as far as it goes," from which the word Hassayampa derived.

Though within the claimed territories of both, the Spanish Empire nor the Mexican
Republic ever extended their authority this far north. However, Hispanic culture  and trade did reach the Yavapai who were nicknamed the Cruzados because they wore
their unusually long bangs in what the Spanish thought was the shape of a cross.

In the early 1820's, stalwart hunters and trappers explored the Hassayampa River in
search of beavers, whose pelts were sold to hat makers back east and in Europe.
Their reports helped peak American interest in the West. The Wickenburg area and
much of the West became part of the United States following the Mexican American
War in 1848.

An 1862 gold strike on the Colorado River near the present-day Yuma inspired hardy
prospectors and miners, predominantly from California and Mexico, to search for
minerals throughout central Arizona. The names of these Argonauts now grace many
of the surrounding geographic landmarks, including the Weaver Mountains and
Peoples Valley.
 

Among the gold searches was the adventurer, Henry Wickenburg. He came from far-off  lands, lured by the dream of abundant gold. His quest was rewarded by the
discovery of the Vulture Mine, where over $30 million in gold has been dug from the  ground. Throughout the foothills surrounding Wickenburg are relics of other
mines that stand as a tribute to the pioneer miner and prospector. The mining lore   of the region, past and present, adds much to the charm of the area.

Ranchers and farmers who built homes along the fertile plain of the Hassayampa  River accompanied the miners. Many of the resourceful and committed settlers came  from Sonora, Mexico, giving this area the distinction of being the northern edge of  the Hispanic ranching frontier. Together with Henry Wickenburg and the miners, they  helped  found the young community of Wickenburg in 1863.
 

The infant town went through many trials and tribulations in those first decades,
surviving Indian wars, mine closures, desperadoes, drought, and a disastrous flood  in 1890 when the Walnut Creek Dam burst, killing nearly 70. Through it all, the  town continued to grow. Its prosperity was insured with the coming of the railroad  in 1895. The historic depot still stands today as the Wickenburg Chamber of  Commerce and Visitor's Center.

Along the town's main historic district, early businesses built beautiful  structures that still grace Wickenburg's downtown area. The abundant clean air and  wide-open spaces attracted a whole new and exciting aspect of the Wickenburg  neighborhood. Guest ranches offered a unique western experience to tourist who fell   in love with the West. The Bar FX Ranch became the first true guest ranch in 1923,  followed by the Remudas, Kay El Bar, Rancho de los Caballeros, and Flying E  ranches, just to mention a few. The construction of the Phoenix to California  highway (Highway 60) brought even more tourists, making Wickenburg the Dude Ranch   Capital of the World. Today, some of these ranches still offer their unique brand
unique brand of Western hospitality.
 

The Hassayampa community became a vital contributor to America's patriotic war
effort during World War II when the U.S. Army trained thousands of men to fly  gliders at a newly constructed airfield west of Wickenburg. After the War, modern  pioneers and home builders developed Wickenburg into a splendid American community.
Wickenburg of today is a modern town with over 600 businesses providing a full
range of services, shopping conveniences, specialty shops and galleries for gifts  of western distinction.

The western ambience, however, still thrives. The town has cherished the best
traditions of its colorful early days. Through annual events such as Gold Rush  Days, and the famous DC Ride, organizations such as the Wickenburg Chamber of
Commerce and the Desert Caballeros, and the determination and hard work of its
citizens, Wickenburg is committed to preserving the best traditions of the Old  West. Come discover Wickenburg's historic downtown. Discover the Jail Tree where
townspeople chained lawbreakers in the old days. Discover the natural beauty and
the legend of the Hassayampa River. You're sure to find it all "Out Wickenburg  Way!"