In the early days of our land, Arizona was a harsh and brutal yet beautiful wilderness - luring men on with the promise of rich, sunny, grass-lined valleys, untamed wild rivers and jagged mountains laced with veins of gold, silver and copper - all free for the taking. One man who answered this call in the fall of 1879 was Joel Willard - his health ruined and tired of the long cold Nevada winters in the foothills of the Sierra. He gathered the family cattle and horses with sons; Ninian, Charles, Dolph, Mac, Jim and Alex. Joel then kissed his wife Mary and daughters Francis and Mabel goodbye with the promise that they would meet again once the men established themselves in the warm and sunny south. He left sons Mac and Jim behind to help their mother and departed in a wagon following the cattle driven by the other boys headed on to make their mark in a new wild and untamed country. Joel Willard and sons made their tortuous way to Arizona across the deserts of southern Nevada into Utah and they then followed the Virgin River down to the swollen muddy waters of the Colorado River. Their wagon was barged across the raging torrent on a rude ferry but the cattle and herders had to swim. The winter weather was cold and many cattle drowned in the crossing. Unfortunately while Joel had made it to Arizona, he died of pneumonia on January 27th, 1879. The boys buried him near Dolan Springs north of Kingman. Charles, Dolph, and Alex forged on into the wilderness without their father but were soon met by Ninian, who had scouted the way on south and knew the way. They reached the Verde with their cattle in the early spring of 1879 and found tall grass, free land and warmth - but the hardships that had dogged them were far from over. The small but growing community in the Upper Verde was working on a dam that would divert water from the river to irrigate fields for the common benefit of all. On June 18th, 1879, Ninian, 23, and his brother Alex, 10, were working in a small boat hauling rocks and brush to fill in the dam. As they neared the middle preparing to drop large rocks overboard, the boat flipped and both boys were swept up against the dam by the current and both drowned. This incident left Charles, 21 and Dolph, 19 to carry on alone in a wild unknown land which while full of promise only seemed to hold death and despair. The two boys, though lonesome for family and grieving their losses were determined to make a go of it in the lush untamed valley. Fortunately for them, they soon struck up a friendship with pioneer cattleman, William Munds. Munds and his family had come into the Valley three years earlier and fortunately took the Willard boys under his wing. He partnered with the two young men in the cattle business and helped them move their cattle to the Mogollon highlands in the spring and summer and back to the valley in the fall. As Munds Park was already taken by Munds and his children, the Willard boys established a headquarters just north of Munds Park which came to be known as Willard Springs. The Willard men prospered through hard work and determination and in 1886 sent for their mother and the rest of the family. Mary built a very large brick home on the north end of Main Street in Cottonwood. Charles Willard married Ettie Scott whose family was from Jerome but ranched northeast of Munds Park. Charles served as the Upper Verde Justice of the Peace in Cottonwood where the couple also operated a dairy and owned much of downtown Cottonwood. Dolph Willard married Ella Prime, whose parents ranched near Prime Lake northeast of Munds Park. They had a ranch on lower Oak Creek where they raised fruit and almonds. They were said to own one of the first phonographs in the vicinity and provided bass for an early stocking of Lake Mary. George MacDonald Willard, known as Mac, married Bea Scott, Ettie’s Sister. Mac established the first post office in Cottonwood. When he retired from the post office, he was appointed to head the Arizona Game and Fish commission by then Governor George W. P. Hunt. The true flowering of the relationship between the Munds and Willard families though came when Francis Willard, known as Fannie, met and fell in love with John Munds. Following their marriage, John was elected sheriff of Yavapai County and Fannie became Arizona’s first woman state senator and only the second woman to be elected to a state senate office in the United States. In 1915, the Willard brothers returned to the grave of their father Joel. They exhumed his body and reburied the remains near the graves of his two sons who had drowned in that early tragedy. Times may have been rough, but the promise was ultimately kept, as the families including their dead reunited and prospered here in Arizona. If you get out into our back country, drive carefully, tread lightly, and please leave our homeland better for your presence! Enjoy Northern Arizona! Bill Cowan'sbook on the Verde Valley History is available at Candy’s Creekside Cottage in McGuireville, Arizona and from Amazon, eBay, and various other retailers, including the Verde Canyon Railroad.

Bread. Who doesn’t love a warm slice of homemade bread slathered in butter? I can’t think of anything I’d rather have, except maybe tacos. Warm bread just spells comfort for me. My family loves my bread and they have come to expect it when sitting down for dinner at my house. Bread is also a wonderful gift. Many of you get bread from Spread the Bread at the church and isn’t it fun to take a loaf to a neighbor? I have found that giving bread out randomly to friends is a great blessing and is always appreciated! Do you know someone who is having a bad day? A loaf of warm bread can brighten it up for sure! I started learning how to make bread in Minot, North Dakota where we were serving in our first church. These ladies, many who lived off the land, taught me so many things. They taught this city girl to garden, to can, to make bread and to drink coffee, but that’s for another story. While living in Minot, I would make homemade sandwich buns every week for us. I loved it. And since I was home most of the time with 3 young kids, I had the opportunity to do it. However, as the kids got older, we were involved in music, sports, school projects, homework, serving at the church and there was simply no time to make homemade bread. Life got so busy. I wish I had found this recipe I’m going to share back then because it is incredibly simple and easy. Don’t let the length of the recipe scare you, it’s really easy. Over the pandemic I have taught myself how to make sourdough bread. This is a process I love, but it takes several days before you get to the final loaf. Most people don’t have the time or patience to do that. But homemade artisan bread can be made in a very short time and look like you spent days making it!!! This recipe makes 4 loaves and the dough keeps in the fridge for two weeks. So you can just slice a hunk off and bake it up! So try it out and then make one for a friend!! This recipe comes from the book Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day. So many good recipes in it! Check it out at the library, find it on Amazon or go to their website at artisanbreadinfive.com. Artisan Bread 3 cups (1 1/2 pounds) lukewarm water 1 tablespoon granulated active dry yeast 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 6 1/2 cups (2 pounds) all-purpose flour Mixing the dough: In a 5 or 6 quart bowl or lidded dough bucket (lid that does NOT seal) dump in the water, and add the yeast and salt. Dump in the flour all at once and stir with a long handled wooden spoon. Stir it until all of the flour is incorporated into the dough, it will be a wet rough dough. Put the lid on the container, but do not snap it shut. You want the gases from the yeast to escape Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about 2 hours to rise. When you first mix the dough it will not occupy much of the container. But, after the initial 2 hour rise it will pretty much fill it. DO NOT PUNCH DOWN THE DOUGH! Just let it settle by itself. The dough will be flat on the top and some of the bubbles may even appear to be popping. (If you intend to refrigerate the dough after this stage it can be placed in the refrigerator even if the dough is not perfectly flat. The yeast will continue to work even in the refrigerator.) The dough can be used right after the initial 2-hour rise, but it is much easier to handle when it is chilled. It is intended for refrigeration and use over the next two weeks, ready for you anytime. The flavor will deepen over that time, developing sourdough characteristics. The next day when you pull the dough out of the refrigerator you will notice that it has collapsed, and this is totally normal for the dough. It will never rise up again in the container. Dust the surface of the dough with a little flour, just enough to prevent it from sticking to your hands when you reach in to pull a piece out. Cut off a 1-pound piece of dough using kitchen shears and form it into a ball. Place the ball on a sheet of parchment paper… (or rest it on a generous layer of corn meal on top of a pizza peel.) Let the dough rest for at least 40 minutes, (although letting it go 60 or even 90 minutes will give you a more open hole structure in the interior of the loaf. This may also improve the look of your loaf and prevent it from splitting on the bottom.) You will notice that the loaf does not rise much during this rest, in fact it may just spread sideways, this is normal for the dough. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone on the center rack, with a metal broiler tray on the bottom (never use a glass vessel for this or it will shatter), which will be used to produce steam. (The tray needs to be at least 4 or 5 inches away from your stone to prevent it from cracking.) Cut the loaf with 1/4-inch slashes using a very sharp serrated knife. (If your slashes are too shallow you will end up with an oddly shaped loaf and also prevent it from splitting on the bottom.) If your dough is collapsing when you make the slashes, it may be that the dough has over proofed or your knife is dull and dragging the dough too much. Slide the loaf into the oven onto the preheated stone and add a cup of hot water to the broiler tray. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes or until a deep brown color. As the bread bakes you should notice a nice oven spring in the dough. This is where the dough rises.

This Veterans Day Arne Soderman never intended to join the Navy. He grew up in Wappingers Falls, New York, in a modest home without any military influence. As a result, Arne never gave much thought about the military, even though the Vietnam war was just starting to make the nightly news. It wasn’t until Arne’s 11th-grade math teacher, Mrs. June Tate, introduced the idea of furthering his education through a military academy. Mrs. Tate saw something special in Arne, and knowing his modest beginnings and sensing the draft was a genuine possibility, she encouraged him to apply. She knew Arne could earn a good living while getting an excellent education, and rather than being drafted as an enlisted member “in the trenches”, he could serve as an officer. Arne listened to Mrs. Tate’s advice and took the competitive exam. He competed favorably and was accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Arne said the training was grueling, “They basically grind you down to nothing then build you back up in their mold.” Arne graduated from the Naval Academy in 1965. After graduation, Arne was chosen for the Navy nuclear power program, which required an additional year of schooling and technical training. Not only that, to work on a nuclear submarine, Arne had to interview with the legendary Admiral Hyman Rickover. Rickover was known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy” and was well known for his infamous interview techniques that involved putting candidates off-guard. For example, when interviewing, Rickover would throw candidates off by seating them in chairs with a shortened leg and at the same time positioning them, so the sunlight streamed through the blinds perfectly to shine straight into their eyes. That way the candidate had to maintain their wits while they were teetering on the chair. After a lengthy interview process, Rickover accepted Arne into the nuclear program, but not without conditions. First, Arne had to bring his already good grades up and take an additional nuclear physics class. No problem—Arne was willing to put in the hard work. Arne finished his intense training successfully and was deployed to carry out missions in Vietnam. However, it wasn’t long before Arne’s thirst for knowledge and adventure began tugging at him when airplanes caught his attention. Arne returned from one of his cruises aboard the USS Harry E. Hubbard (DD-748) and decided to take flying lessons at Long Beach Airport in California. His flight instructor, after two lessons, suggested that Arne should learn to fly from the Navy and become a Naval Aviator. Taking his instructor’s advice, Arne applied and was accepted into the program in 1968 and reported to Pensacola, Florida learning how to fly! Arne got his wings in 1969 and found himself on the USS Hancock (CVA-19) with his squadron, VA-164, flying combat missions in North and South Vietnam. Throughout Arne’s time in the military, he was very blessed. The pilot training alone was extremely dangerous. Many men died just in training, let alone the perilous job of flying in combat missions. Arne recounted a time when he was on a bombing mission in North Vietnam. The target was a power plant north of Hanoi. Arne was flying in formation and was on the wing of the lead fighter pilot when the world went white. The lead pilot was hit in the wing by a 37 millimeter anti-aircraft round. The wing is full of fuel, and fortunately and for whatever reason, the bullet passed through the wing without detonating. All the fuel bloomed through the air blinding Arne in a white cloud. The lead pilot immediately pulled out of formation and took his white cloud, allowing Arne to see again. The damaged aircraft flew safely back to the carrier after refueling while in flight. Keeping calm during tense events is a military must. Keeping calm and accurate in their duty is also a military must. Arne proved over and over his keen ability to do both. Later Arne was part of a larger mission of 20 aircraft, all outfitted with different weapons to take out the Thanh Hóa Bridge in North Vietnam. Arne’s job was to fly ahead of the strike aircraft with cluster bombs to suppress anti-aircraft fire allowing his fellow pilots to take out the bridge. When Arne got back to the carrier, he was told by his commander the gun site was completely destroyed, and for his accuracy and proven skill, Arne was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The dangers of flying bomb missions are nothing compared to the sometimes terrifying process of landing an aircraft at night on the flight deck. Arne explained this was the most dangerous and anxiety-ridden part of his career in the Navy. When landing at night, Arne explains, “All I had for guidance were a couple of landing aides, the lights of the ship, and the Landing Signal Officer guiding me on the radio. The visual cues were minimal, and I had to approach the deck at exactly the right angle and at the right speed to hit one of the four arresting wires”. Each plane is equipped with a tailhook to land on the flight deck—an extended hook attached to the plane’s tail. I had to snag the tailhook on one of four arresting wires. These wires stretch across the deck, absorbing the energy of his aircraft traveling 150 miles per hour in only 3 seconds in a 315-foot landing area. That’s quite a stop! Arne finished his tour in Vietnam and had various assignments including Post Graduate School and flying the A7E off of the USS Midway (CV-41). One of Arne’s last jobs in the Navy was flight testing jets in Pensacola, Florida. After aircraft reached so many hours, they were brought in to be torn down and rebuilt. After the rework, Arne would test the jets to ensure all was in working order. One day Arne and his good friend, Jim, were sitting together when the phone rang. Jim answered, and Arne could get a feel for the conversation. It was another mutual friend trying to talk Jim into taking early retirement. It was 1981, and Southwest Airlines was looking for pilots. Jim was too close to retirement from the Navy and couldn’t take the job. Arne, never missing an opportunity, took the call and took advantage of a lucky moment. Arne left his position, stayed in the Naval Reserves, and flew for Southwest Airlines for 22 years. In total, Arne served for 16 years in active service and eight years in the Reserves. Throughout Arne’s life, he listened to those around him and took advantage of what he calls “lucky moments.” Arne’s life in the military served him and his country very well. Arne explains that his military service was a rewarding and honorable career with many educational benefits. The military allowed him to do what he loves—Fly. To Arne and all our Veterans, we cannot thank you enough for your service and sacrifice in both war and peacetime. We are forever grateful. Arne has been a Munds Park resident since 1991, and lives here with his sweet wife Pat. If you are driving around Munds Park and see a happy couple on their porch enjoying coffee in red robes happily waving at all the people going by, you’re probably saying hi to Arne and Pat! Happy Veterans Day to our soldiers & their families both past and present. We owe you our thanks, but more than that, we owe you our freedom.

Meet one of Munds Park’s originals, Clarence Brady, who just celebrated his 101st birthday! Living to be 101 years old is either good luck or good genes, either way, it’s a big deal. After hearing some of Brady’s stories, I would say it was more than chance; it was an angel by his side. Brady grew up during the Great Depression. As a young man, he remembers difficult and worrisome times and how all Americans, no matter their age, had to chip in and do their part. After Brady graduated high school in 1939, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a work relief program that gave millions of young men employment on environmental projects during the Depression. The CCC helped shape the national and state park systems we enjoy today. Brady said wildfires were burning out of control because the forest floors were filled with dry leaves and branches that fuel fires when lightning strikes. That was his main job, to clear the forest floor. He also learned to build structures, flagstone porches, walkways, and retaining walls throughout our National Parks. He earned $30 per month and sent $25 home to his family, keeping only $5 for himself. He took pride in his work and had the honor of helping his family during the Great Depression. Coming out of the CCC, Brady was the batting coach for a boys baseball team out of Williamsport, PA. Only 4 teams were competing in 1941, but it would grow and come to be known as “Little League Baseball”. Brady remembers the founder of Little League baseball, Carl E. Stotz, watching them practice. Brady’s true passion was flying. As a matter of fact, he learned to fly before he learned to drive! It was his passion for aviation that Brady’s brother Jake encouraged him to enlist in the Airforce. You see, the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor, and Jake was immediately drafted. Brady’s brother thought it was better to choose your destination during the draft rather than leave it to chance. During this time, Brady was working an intricate lathe in a factory in Williamsport, PA. Because of his expertise, he acquired a full deferment from the war. Brady could have stayed home, but he’s a patriot and felt the call to duty. He enlisted and began training to become a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He was only 23 years old. After a year and a half of military flying school in aircrafts such as the P-40, he became an Officer. He received his Aviation Wings in June of 1944. Second Lieutenant Clarence Brady is now a WWII American fighter pilot, flying the new and powerful P-51 from 1943 to 1945. He is deployed in the South Pacific on a small island, Ei Shima. He flies almost 50 missions dropping bombs over Japan. Brady described what it was like flying the P-51. He said the plane’s cockpit was small and that he could hardly move. There was just enough room to maneuver the joystick and manage the plane’s controls. He flew in cramped quarters for 6 hours, 3 of which he would have two 500 pound bombs resting on each side of the aircraft or three small bombs on each side that he would deploy over his targets in Japan. Brady explained that the P-51 didn’t have autopilot technology and that it was him, and him alone, flying the plane hundreds of miles each way. He remembers one account when his plane ran out of fuel just before landing. Brady was approaching a cliff, and the engine kept sputtering and cutting out! He pulled hard on the joystick causing him to blackout. When he came to, he found himself in the clouds and thought, “Is this what heaven is like?” He discovers he is still climbing straight up and is in grave danger. With incredible skill and maybe a little angelic support, Brady safely landed his plane. While Brady was flying missions over the Pacific, he, like everyone else, was left in the dark about America’s plan to drop the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima. He and his squadron were flying back from a mission when they saw a bright flash of light. One of them remarks, “Look! It looks like the sun is rising!” Another in the squadron responds, “The sun doesn’t rise in the west!” After landing, they find out they witnessed the Atomic bomb. So coming back from their next mission, they took a detour and flew low over the bombed site, unknowingly flying through damaging radiation, trying to comprehend the devastating aftermath. I asked Brady how he felt about his missions and the war. He said he had to block it out. He knew each mission left behind massive destruction, killing hundreds. He said he was lucky. He was in the air, removed from the sight of the pain and devastation. A few times, Brady had to stop to compose himself as he reflected on his service. The war ended and Brady returned home to live in Williamsport, PA, where he attended art classes at a Technical School. One evening, after a few beers, Brady and a friend decided to go to the local YWCA Dance. There he meets a young woman who immediately catches his eye, Miss Jean Peeling, and she is dancing up a storm. She will be the love of his life — A love that has lasted 70 years. For me, this was a special part of our interview. I am not sure I can find the words to describe the love between these two. As they reminisced about their life together, they exchanged sweet smiles, had moments of laughter, and would hold each other’s hand as they held back tears of gratitude. They understand their gift of true love, and they cherish it. Their life together was filled with a lot of love and hard, hard work. Brady returned to civilian life as an illustrator for Sears and Roebuck—a job he really loved. However, it didn’t last long. When America joined the Korean War to aid South Korea, Brady was recalled back into service. Because of his experience as a fighter pilot, the Air Force needed him to watch the Canadian/American border for unauthorized aircraft at the radar site. He literally had to identify every aircraft flying into American airspace from the ground. The stakes were high. Russia had the atomic bomb, and America wasn’t going to be caught off guard again. It was Brady’s job, along with his fellow servicemen, to ensure they didn’t enter our air space. After the Korean War, Brady stayed in the Air Force for a total of 27 years. Brady has a long record of serving our country. Do you know who else does? His family. Military families have to be strong and resilient, and the Brady family was just that. When Brady was in active duty in the Air Force, it was at a time when the military family moved with the service member. If the family couldn’t or didn’t want to move overseas, they had to move off base and find housing of their own. Today, families can stay on the base while their hero is stationed overseas. Jean remembered a time when Brady got transferred, and they had to move quickly. They owned their home and Brady left for his new assignment leaving it to Jean to sell the house, pack their belongings, and move with two children and a newborn in tow. She was stressed, to put it mildly. She never sold a home before and had to do it fast. Think about it. Women didn’t really do those things in 1961. Feeling overwhelmed, she shared her concerns with the lawyer who was selling the house. He told her to pull herself together and get moving, and that’s precisely what she did. Military life requires a great deal of hard work, planning, and ingenuity. After Jean sold the house and was ready to move, she didn’t know how to manage a newborn driving across the country. “Well, That’s easy, said Brady!” He made the first-ever, so we think, car seat. He constructed a bassinet out of wood that snuggly rested between the driver and passenger seats, making it easier for Jean to tend to the baby. Because they moved so much, Brady made makeshift beds for the kids in the back of the sedan. He designed sleeping areas made of wood for each child in the back seat of the car. To keep the children warm, he connected hoses to the heat vents in the front of the car and ran them to the back so his little ones could be kept nice and warm. As you can imagine, the Brady’s, like all military families, have many stories of pulling together, working hard, and getting things done. It’s clear that when someone serves our country, their family does too. Brady’s last Military base was Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1970. The family moved to Litchfield Park and Brady became a 5th grade teacher at El Mirage Elementary School in 1972. Imagine a fighter pilot as your teacher — What a great role model for children. I imagine that’s why Brady was given the students that needed a strong teacher and mentor. He taught for fifteen years before retiring...again. One summer day in 1968, Brady decided to take his wife and their three children, Susan, Mark, and Michael, up north on a family picnic to escape the valley’s heat. They took the 1-17 North and exited 322 knowing nothing of Munds Park. It was a beautiful area, but back in 1968, there wasn’t much there. They could see the Pinewood Clubhouse and golf course, but little other development. There were many empty lots, a few cabins, and a small real estate office, Pinewood Realty. Driving up toward the National Forest, the family found a nice place for a picnic. They wanted to enjoy the cool pines and fresh air but were soon told to leave because they were on private land — a lot that was for sale. So they drove into the National Forest and had their family picnic. They enjoyed the area so much that by the time lunch was over, Brady and Jean decided that Munds Park was the place for them. Before heading home, they made a trip to the realty office and purchased that very lot! That same year Brady builds a picnic table on their land to enjoy many picnics to come. A few years later, they buy a second lot. Brady builds the cabin himself with a kit and help from family and friends. He constructs the fireplace by himself, using flagstone and cement, a masonry skill he learned decades ago in the CCC. So we come full circle. Brady and the family love their cabin in Munds Park, which is a true labor of love. It is where the Brady family lives today.

Kids! An exclusive interview with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus! We at the Pinewood News were lucky enough to sneak a few moments with Mr. and Mrs. Claus after their headline appearance at the annual Santa’s Visit right here in Munds Park! Santa’s Visit to the Pinewood Fire Department has been a tradition enjoyed by Mundsies since before 1993. This year was just as memorable despite COVID-19 restrictions. Sandee Caviness: Hello Santa & Mrs. Claus! Thank you for finding the time to give this interview. We know it’s a very busy and fun time of the year for you! Santa Claus: Ho, ho, ho! Yes, Christmas is busy and our elves are hard at work, but we always have time for our friends in Munds Park! Sandee: Thank you Santa! It is always special when you visit. I understand that Engineer Devon Liggett, one of the Pinewood Firemen, drove you around the Park in old Engine 41. Did you enjoy riding in the fire truck? Santa: Yes! Mrs. Claus loves that the fire truck is red! Ho, ho, ho! Sandee: That does sound like fun! How did Dasher, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen feel about you riding in the fire truck rather than the sleigh? Santa: Oh, they were fine with it! They need to eat lots of carrots, rest, and build their strength for the big ride on Christmas Eve. Sandee: Santa, you have visited Munds Park for many years at the Pinewood Fire Department. Is this because Munds Park doesn’t have a mall? Santa: Why yes, it is. However, I have to say, the fire station is my most favorite place to visit. It’s been a long tradition and the fire station allows Mrs. Claus and me to spend more time with the kids and their families. Of course, this year was different, but we still were able to celebrate the season together. Sandee: Santa, what is your favorite part about visiting kids in Munds Park? Santa: Oh, I love the look on the kid’s faces when they see us! They are happy and bouncy and full of joy! Also, the people of Munds Park are extraordinary and even magical some would say! Something about a small-town that brings a close connection between families and neighbors. Everyone is eager to help one another. Sandee: I know lots of people feel the same way, Santa. Ok, next question. Have any of the kids pulled your beard? Santa: Ho, ho, ho! No, not yet! Just lots of hugs around the legs. Sandee: That’s sweet. A hug around the legs is a lot better than a tug on the beard! What is the funniest thing a child in Munds Park asked for Christmas? Santa: Oh, that is easy! One time a little boy asked for a can of black beans! Ho, ho, ho! Sandee: Black beans? Hahaha! Ok, Santa. I have a very serious question. Santa: Yes? Sandee: Is it true you have a naughty and a nice list? Santa: Yes, it’s true. We make a list every year and we check it twice to see who is naughty or who is nice! Sandee: Oh boy! Any words of advice on how to stay on the nice list? Santa: Yes, there are lots of ways to stay on the nice list. The general rule for kids is to respect and help their parents, do their chores and homework with their best effort, and always be kind. These simple but important rules will always keep kids on the nice list! Remember, I see you when you’re sleeping, I know when you’re awake, I know if you’ve been bad or good. So be good, for goodness sake! Sandee: Yes! Yes! Be good! Santa, kids and adults all love getting gifts from you, but we also know that giving as well as receiving brings joy. What do you tell kids about giving? Santa: We all know how great it feels to receive gifts, but the magic of giving, now that’s the best feeling of all. Our hearts fill with joy when we make others happy and this joy lasts a long time. Do you remember the last time you gave a gift? Maybe it was a picture you drew in school and gave it to your Mom or Dad, or you gave a friend a toy you no longer used or even shared a piece of candy. Do you remember how you felt? It’s that feeling of sharing that brings happiness. This is why I am so jolly! Ho, ho, ho! Sandee: That’s a wonderful lesson Santa. Thank you and we wish you a very Merry Christmas! Kids! It’s not too late to write to Santa! His address: Santa Claus 123 Elf Road North Pole 88888 Want to track Santa on Christmas Eve? NORAD, The North American Aerospace Defense Command, will follow Santa on December 24 as he flies from the North Pole to visit children’s houses worldwide! Check out the site at www.noradsanta.org. Google also has a Santa Tracker complete with games. Visit them at SantaTracker.google.com.

Can We Preserve Our Small Town Charm and Not Trample on the Rights of Others? Growth is coming to Munds Park – with expanding and planned RV parks catering to an increasing demand for seasonal housing at a vacation town known for outdoor recreation, a cool climate and a friendly atmosphere. What that growth will look like, and how to preserve the community’s natural beauty and old-time charm, are matters of current debate. “How do you keep a balance?” said Cindi Eagleton, owner of Munds Park RV Resort, the Chevron gas station and a shopping center. “How do you add to the community and not make a ruckus?” The Munds Park RV Resort, with 370 units, is adding 122 more units in Phase 4, expected to be completed in August. The shopping center is getting a new storefront this summer — Mary Coyle’s Ol’ Fashion Ice Cream, founded in Phoenix in 1951. Mary Coyle’s has a retro vibe with black-and-white tile flooring and classic sundaes, including its specialty “mountain” of ice cream with multiple flavors and toppings. In the planning stages, but not a done deal, is a new RV park with 125 RV spots and 20-30 rental cabins on about 10 acres behind Munds Park Community Church. Prospective buyers Ari Levenbaum and Adam Sandoval have a contract with the seller and hope to close in April. The property is going through rezoning from residential to commercial, which is considered likely to happen. Also in progress up the freeway is the proposed new Windmill Ranch RV resort, which would bring 151 RV sites and 147 cabins to a 61-acre property between Munds Park and Flagstaff, just south of the Newman Park exit. In late February, the Coconino County Planning and Zoning Commission forwarded the proposal to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. Trendlines on multiple fronts are driving the growth. A shortage of housing and escalating prices in Arizona and nationwide are pushing people to consider alternatives like RVs in rural areas like Munds Park. The pandemic taught people they can work from anywhere, not bound to an office or a house. Munds Park has only one RV park, and it has a wait list. Baby boomers are retiring and looking for affordable options in pleasant surroundings. Phoenix metro has 4.7 million residents, according to 2017 population estimates. Rising summer temperatures are motivating more of those people to head north for weekend getaways and summer homes. Levenbaum and Sandoval considered those trends when they explored building a mobile home park on land behind the church. The land has been for sale for five years — originally zoned commercial, then residential, and now proposed back to commercial again. Concerns about flooding and its current status as a patch of residential property bordered by commercial property made the land challenging to sell. The investor pair hired hydrologists, engineers and surveyors to evaluate the land. They have met with the sewage district, the church, local business owners and the county, he said. As required by ordinance, a neighborhood meeting of residents within 1,000 feet of the proposed development was held March 17 at Provident Partners in Munds Park. More than 20 people from outside the boundary area showed up. Space was limited, but to accommodate as many people as possible, names were drawn and seven additional people were allowed to attend. Concerns expressed included more traffic through the main drags; slower internet connections as population and demand grows; noise and foot traffic; and the environmental impact on night skies and the forest. “Like anything else in this world, if everybody had their way, they would keep everything the same as what they grew up with,” said Bill Spain, CEO of Provident Partners, listing agent for the seller. “Growth is a difficult thing to calibrate. You want to make sure when growth does occur that you can work with the people who own the project to maximize benefit to the community.” Spain is a 30-year Munds Park resident who founded his company more than 20 years ago, serving the Valley and Munds Park. Levenbaum said he and Sandoval are respectful of the Munds Park community and will be good neighbors. Government requirements will be met to address flooding, water, environmental and power needs, he said. More trails will be created to give people another option. Limitations will be placed on noise, with quiet hours and speed limits enforced, he said. High-speed Internet service is scheduled to be installed along I-17 in two to three years, he said. “I’m a resident of Munds Park. It’s been my vacation home for four years. I love it and plan on staying there the rest of my life,” Levenbaum said. Levenbaum is chief operating officer of the American Association of Motorcycle Injury Lawyers, a national marketing and advertising company. He is not a lawyer, but graduated from Northern Arizona University with a master’s degree in education and taught school for eight years before joining the association. He and his wife Kathy bought a home in Munds Park and spend two or three months a year there. He grew up in Scottsdale and has a home in Phoenix. Sandoval is a resident of Moyers, Oklahoma, where he owns a campground for motorcyclists. A self-described entrepreneur and philanthropist, Sandoval created ScootinAmerica, a two-year road trip to raise money for military veterans. He is active on social media. Though Levenbaum and Sandoval are both motorcycle enthusiasts, their proposed park would not become a motorcycle mecca, Levenbaum said. Munds Park is a popular destination for off road and all-terrain vehicles. The area has an expansive trail system designated for hiking, mountain biking and ATVs. If their plans for Munds Park become reality, Sandoval would move here to develop the property and manage it, Levenbaum said. Most of the proposed park’s rentals would be long-term seasonal rentals, not short-term, Levenbaum said. “We will be bringing in more people but also bringing in more money and taxes and people supporting local businesses,” he said. “We want to provide people with a home away from home – a sanctuary to share in what makes this place special.” Steve Bowyer, pastor of the church next to the property, thinks it is likely that the land will sell at some point to a business that will develop it. “My hope is that it would be developed by owners we can work with in Munds Park, who think about what the people want. I feel like the partners working on the RV park are eager to be part of our community,” Bowyer said. Dick Drinen, president of the Pinewood Property Owners Association, said the association does not take positions on development issues. Residents are free to bring questions to the association’s attention and everyone will get a response, he said. The association is a nonprofit supported by voluntary dues. Eagleton believes the property next to the church should remain residential zoning because of the flood plain issues. She also is concerned about the roadway not being sufficient for RV traffic and about the proposed park attracting short-term renters who come and go, with no investment in the community. The Munds Park RV Resort, which Eagleton describes as “adult camp,” offers activities for the community with bands, dancing, bingo, the sports bar, a pool, and the Wandering Donkey Mexican food restaurant at the strip center, she said. Most of the resort is for park models, which Eagleton said gives the residents “ownership pride.” Another pool will be added for phase 4, she said. “My family has been here 50 years,” she said. “I’ve been here 17 years full-time. We won’t develop things unless we know it is good for the community.” Levenbaum feels the same way. “Someone is going to purchase this land,” he said. “Someone like me who is part of the community will develop it in a respectful way and make it a high-end park.” NEXT ISSUE OF THE PINEWOOD NEWS We will review existing Munds Park organizations that can help make positive change and welcome our new neighbors. After all, we are Mundsberry USA!

The View from Here Dying young seems like such a mournful tragedy. Youthful, vibrant and full of life, holding bright promise for the future that might have been in one moment, And then suddenly gone in an instant!! With only a sad enduring echo That continues on in the memories of the family and the ones who cared. Yet a silent commemoration of that young Spirit persists beyond anybody’s knowing of the joy and exuberance of childhood Running through clear sunny days with bright blue skies and green grass in the shortened life that was… Neal Munds. Neal Munds (William Cornelius) was born at Ten Mile, near Roseburg, Oregon in 1864, the middle son of Sarah Jane and William Madison Munds. William Munds had come west with the California Gold Rush from Missouri in 1849 before moving to Roseburg in 1857. He met and married Sarah, the daughter of Oregon pioneers, who had come to the Roseburg area via the Oregon Trail in 1843. Neal had two brothers - James T. a little older and John Lee who was younger. When Neal was 10 his father had an altercation with one of his wife’s cousins. As a result William brought his family and their herd of cattle to Arizona Territory in 1876. They settled first in Williamson Valley, northwest of Prescott and the following year the family moved into the Verde. They lived a short while near what would become Cottonwood before buying Riley Casner’s squatter’s rights to a quarter section of land along Spring Creek, a short tributary of Oak Creek above Cornville. William Munds and sons drove their cattle into the high country and located a summer place in what became known as Munds Park in the Mogollon Mountains as they were known then. They spent summers here in Munds Park and winters in the Verde. Horses then were the modern equivalent of the automobile and young men wanted flashy horses and fancy tack as today they want flashy cars and fast motorcycles. The Munds boys were always horse back and while the money may have been in cattle, both Neal and John loved good horses. Mustangs ran wild on the open range here and were free for the taking if you could catch them. Broncos were cheap and breaking wild horses to ride, pull a wagon or plow was a respected profession limited to men, young, strong and savvy enough to stay on the back of a wildly-bucking bronco bent on unloading a rider in any way possible. Horse races and rodeos were regular summer events here in the high country. There was always a large 4th of July rodeo in Flagstaff which Neal entered regularly. The Willard brothers came to the Verde in 1879 and shortly thereafter established a summer place at Willard Springs a ways north of Munds Park. The Willards also had cattle and shared a love for good horses. In the early days there were no fences and all cattle mingled freely on the open range. Local families would gather together in the spring and fall to round-up the stock and move them as a single herd to the high country or back down off the mountain. The herd was generally worked at Clay Park which is where Foxboro Ranch is now. In the spring, calves would be branded, earmarked and castrated. A family would then separate and drive their individual cattle to their summer homestead or camp location. In the fall the cattle were again gathered into a single herd and the keepers were separated out for the walk back to the Verde and the culls were herded into the shipping corrals in Flagstaff. After 1911 there was a rail connection to Clarkdale. Shipping pens were built so cattle could be shipped from there which simplified the process a bit. An interesting side note to this roundup process was that the local families mingled, courted and married much the same as the cows. In the summer of 1887 Neal was 21. He and Jim were visiting friends up at Willard Springs when Neal took a dare to ride a mean outlaw bronco. He climbed aboard that bright summer morning and the struggle began. According to Munds decedents, “The horse bucked so hard, Neal’s head was almost snapped off but he was still riding when the horse ran into a tree and fell with him. Brother Jim rode south to Munds Park for a wagon but by the time he got back to Willard Springs Neal was dead. William Munds selected a burial spot here in Munds Park on a hillside in the pines where they laid him to rest near the family.” So the next time you’re riding north on Interstate 17 and pass through the park at Willard Springs think of Neal Munds holding fast to the back of the wildly bucking horse and the tragic end to a young vibrant life taken away on a summer day a hundred and thirty plus years ago. PLEASE!!! If you get out into our spectacular Northern Arizona back woods try to make the place better for your presence, do not litter, and please leave the area cleaner than you found it. Enjoy Northern Arizona. Questions or comments welcome. Please email me at verdehistory@yahoo.com or Facebook - Bill Cowan, Rimrock Bill Cowan's book on the Verde Valley History is available at Candy’s Creekside Cottage in McGuireville, Arizona and from Amazon, eBay, and various other retailers, including the Verde Canyon Railroad.

The View From Here John Lee Munds, the youngest son of William Madison Munds, was born in Roseburg, Oregon, on October 4, 1868. In 1875 The family traveled south from Roseberg, driving 115 head of cattle and two covered wagons when John was seven years old. They settled first at Williamson Valley near Prescott and then bought land along the Verde River near what is now Cottonwood, Arizona in 1877. John and his older brothers James and Neil were among the first students at the Upper Verde School. As summer’s scorching heat arrived they searched for a place to range their cattle in the Mogollon Mountains and found a verdant green opening in the forest that today bears their family name. In early June 1879, four Willard brothers ranging in age from 9 to 23 arrived in the Verde driving a herd of cattle. They lost their father to pneumonia along the trail the winter before. Within a week of their trip, the oldest boy Ninian, and Alex, the youngest, drowned while working on a dam in the Verde River. Charles, 21 years old, and Dolph, 19 years old, were left alone to watch over the cattle and make their way in the new land. The boys entered into a partnership with William Munds, who took them under his wing and did what he could to help the boys while their mother Mary and the rest of the Willard family moved down from Nevada to the Verde Valley. In those times, life was not easy. John Munds brothers both died tragically. Neil died in 1886 on a bucking horse near Willard Springs, and James accidentally shot himself in the head here in Munds Park. William Madison Munds sent John off to Stockton Business College in 1887 and graduated in 1889. In the spring of 1890, John Lee Munds married Fannie Willard, the beautiful sister of the Willard brothers. The couple came to live here on the mountain and spent that first season in a small cabin at Willard Springs. That summer, the following article appeared in the Arizona Republican newspaper: YAVAPAI HORSE THIEF SHOT DEAD IN THE ACT - Many Horses Recovered. Prescott, August 14. The settlers in the eastern part of this county have been quite excited lately over the numerous thefts of horses. Last Friday, an organized search party found the thief in Box Canyon, where he had several fine animals hidden. Several shots were exchanged, but the man, who proved to be a resident in the community, named James Wilson, escaped. This morning he went onto the ranch of John Munds and had two horses ready to take from the place when Munds surprised him and ordered him to throw up his hands. Instead of doing so he attempted to draw a pistol, but a shot from Munds’ rifle broke his arm. He then attempted to draw his pistol with his left hand, when Munds fired again and killed him instantly. Fifteen horses were found that had been stolen by him. The family story was that when John Munds fired the second shot at Jimmy Wilson, the bullet entered his mouth and came out the back of his neck. When Fannie, who was pregnant with their first child, came running from the cabin, all she could see was the bloody wound on the back of Wilson’s neck. When their first child William Harold was born, he had a birthmark in exactly the same location on the back of his neck. When George Ruffner won the Yavapai County Sheriff election, he appointed John Munds as deputy in January of 1895. He was subsequently elected Sheriff of Yavapai County in November of 1898. While deputy, John led the manhunt for Yavapai County Jail escapee James Fleming Parker who was hung for his deeds in Prescott. While Munds was sheriff, he led one of the most extensive manhunts in Northern Arizona history, that of Black Jack Ketchum, who was accused in the killings of Mack Rogers and Clint Wingfield in Camp Verde on the evening of July 2, 1899. The posse, led by Munds, were in the field for nearly two months before finding out that Black Jack had escaped into New Mexico. Authorities apprehended Black Jack after he held up a train and was hung in Clayton, New Mexico. It was the first time anyone had ever been hung in Clayton and through that lack of experience, they made the rope a little too long so when Black Jack hit the end - it decapitated him. During John’s tenure as deputy, he became widely known for successfully capturing bootleggers around central Arizona during Prohibition in the 1920s. John confiscated their stills and paraphernalia and was noted in the January 10, 1919, Coconino Sun article below. SHOOTS PISTOL HAND OFF BOOZE IMPORTER Four bootleggers, two automobiles and two auto-loads of whiskey were collected Monday night, a short distance below Black Canyon, by Deputy Sheriff John Munds, of Verde. Munds was accompanied in his expedition only by a sawed-off shotgun and by a boy whose principal duty was holding a “flashlight for Munds while his prisoners and their cars were being searched. The Verde officer was tipped off that a big consignment of Christmas booze, which had been brought by auto all the way from Needles, was in route to the Verde district. Early Monday evening he took his car and drove down the road toward Camp Verde. When Munds met the first car, a practically new Dodge, he stopped his own machine squarely in the road and called to the other driver to halt. A young man about 27 years old stepped out of the Dodge, revolver in hand. Munds cut loose with his shotgun and blew the bootlegger’s gun hand to small bits. The revolver was scattered around with the hand by the roadside. That ended the scrap. The two other bootleggers drove up a moment later and surrendered without resistance. All were armed. Munds hauled his prisoners to Verde, where the wounded man was given attention. At last reports, he was well on the road to recovery in the Verde hospital. None of them gave their names to Munds and Justice C. W. Bennett, who has the case in hand, could not be reached by telephone today.” Following the end of John Munds term as Yavapai County Sheriff, he went into the cattle business north of Ashfork and served as a contractor building roads around Mojave County. He was very interested in the new-fangled automobiles and was known for driving his car around the state. He provided one of the first automobiles to transfer prisoners to the state penitentiary in Florence. John Munds also supported the Arizona Good Roads Association advocating for the improvement of roads around the state. Interestingly, when John Munds was in his fifties, the United Verde Extension Mining Company hired him to be a watchman at their new smelter at Verde/Clemenceau near Cottonwood. Fannie Munds, originally a school teacher, was also an active participant in politics. She was elected recording secretary of the newly established Arizona Territorial Women’s Suffrage Association in November 1899. Her close friend Pauline O’Neal, wife of Spanish American War hero Bucky O’Neal, was elected president and the two worked diligently on suffrage issues during the 1900s. After Arizona’s statehood was granted, Fannie Munds was unanimously elected to be president of the Arizona Women’s Suffrage Association. She led a petition drive to get the issue on the November 1912 ballot, and the issue passed by a wide margin 8 years before women were allowed to vote nationally. In 1914 Fanny Munds became the first woman to serve in the Arizona State Senate and only the second woman to serve in such a capacity in the U. S. So the next time you’re driving around or through Munds Park think back about the remarkable history and take diligent care of our beautiful State. Enjoy Northern Arizona! Bill Cowan's book on the Verde Valley History is available at Candy’s Creekside Cottage in McGuireville, Arizona and from Amazon, eBay, and various other retailers, including the Verde Canyon Railroad.

James Thomas Munds was born near Roseburg, Oregon in 1862, the second child and oldest of the three sons of William Madison and Sarah (Cox) Munds. The family drove a herd of cattle from Roseburg to the Verde Valley arriving in 1876. They settled on land that had just been opened from the Rio Verde Indian Reservation near what would become known as Bridgeport near Cottonwood, Arizona, when Jim Munds was 14 years old. That same year Samuel & Jane Merinda (Sinnett) Loy arrived in Arizona with their five children, three boys, and two girls, from Saline County, Missouri and began farming and ranching along the Verde, near the mouth of Oak Creek a ways below the Munds. When there were enough students to warrant a school, Jim Munds attended school with the Loy children and ultimately fell in love with the youngest of the Loy daughters - Harriet Ann, known as Hattie, two years his junior. The two families were joined together when James Thomas Munds and Hattie Loy were married in the Verde Valley Sept. 24, 1882. The couple soon filed a Homestead claim on a quarter section of land along the lazy bends of Oak Creek north of Page Springs and also took a summer place west of James’ father in Munds Park. James and Hattie’s first daughter, Edna, called Getha was born Nov. 18, 1883, and their second daughter Sarah Jane, known as Jennie, was born in 1885. In partnership with their father, James and his brothers Neil and John ran a large herd of cattle in the Verde Valley during the winter and in Munds Park during the summer. Munds Park at that time was called the Mogollon Mountains. Jim lead large cattle drives each spring, moving the herd from the warmth of the Verde to the spring grass of the Mogollon highlands. He pioneered the “Munds Trail” over a route that would later become Schnebly Hill Road. He and Hattie farmed and ranched the area immediately west of I-17 and built a home there along the Flagstaff - Verde Valley Wagon Road, also known as the Munds Highway. Life was not always easy, but the Munds family prospered through hard work and determination. Then in early September of 1892, tragedy struck - as it quickly can on the Arizona territorial frontier. Thirty-year-old Jim Munds was bringing horses into a pasture near his house in Munds Park. It was unusual for him to carry a gun, but he perceived some kind of local threat and carried a Winchester rifle across his saddle that day. He leaned the gun against the fence while he opened a gate. After herding the animals in and closing the gate, Jim bent down while still on his horse to retrieve the gun and grabbed his rifle by the barrel. The gun got caught in the wire, and it discharged, hitting him in the head. Mack Willard was nearby and heard the gunshot and came running to Jim’s side. At about the same time, Matt Black, a resident of East Newman Park, came riding into the ranch. He was asked to ride down to Oak Creek and bring Dr. Myron Carrier, Jim’s brother-in-law and Hattie. Another rider was sent to Flagstaff twenty miles north to bring Dr. P. J. Brannen. However, Jim died of his wound before either doctor or his wife arrived. He was laid to rest next to his brother and niece in the Munds family plot near his father’s log cabin in Munds Park. Hattie and the girls were left to carry on alone. Hattie’s brother, John Loy, who had been farming in Red Rock came to Munds Park to help her. He began to farm more extensively growing potatoes and beans, and built a large stone potato barn behind the Munds’ home. Because cattle could walk down the Munds Trail and potatoes couldn’t, John Loy began to work on improving the Munds Trail into a wagon road. Pioneer families believed in the value of education and when Getha and Jennie were old enough they were sent to the Territorial Normal School in Tempe where they were trained as teachers. They both graduated with teaching certificates in 1904. The girls were strong and capable, and they each married into prominent local families. Getha married Oliver Benedict from Camp Verde and the couple ranched and farmed along the lower Verde. Getha taught school at Squaw Peak School and raised her children to be strong community leaders both in Camp Verde and throughout Arizona. They sponsored one of the states leading 4H clubs in the late twenties and early thirties in Camp Verde. Jennie married Dave Wingfield, and they went on to own one of the largest cattle and ranching operations in Central Arizona. Dave, along with their son Kenny, owned the Apache Maid Ranch, Mahan Ranch, the Lost Eden Ranch, the K bar T, and the ranch that would ultimately become Lake Montezuma. Interestingly, when Dave Wingfield’s mother died, Dave’s father Henry, known as J. H., ultimately married his mother-in-law Hattie. Next time you are out in our beautiful Northern Arizona backwoods, smell the fresh air and think back to a time when Arizona was a lot wilder, when life was simple, and appreciate it. Do what you can to take care of what we have today. Enjoy Northern Arizona. This article on the history of Munds Park is part 3 of a 12 part series. Bill Cowan'sbook on the Verde Valley History is available at Candy’s Creekside Cottage in McGuireville, Arizona and from Amazon, eBay, and various other retailers, including the Verde Canyon Railroad.

The View From Here Melvina Munds was born in Roseburg, Oregon, on November 18, 1858, the 1st child of William Madison and Sarah (Cox) Munds. She followed her father and younger brothers, Jim, Neil, and John, to Arizona in 1876 at age 18. Myron Aldelbert Carrier arrived in the Verde Valley 5 years later in 1881 and first stayed with the William “Bill” Nichols family, who had a herd of milk cows near Jerome. Carrier had been born in Oneida County, New York, December 22, 1842, and as a young man had served in the Union Army; Co. A., 117th Regiment, New York Infantry. The unit was originally stationed around Washington, D. C., but then moved south and fought in various battles. Carrier was taken prisoner and spent time at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia, known for having windows with bars open to the elements, thereby increasing the inmates’ discomfort. Carrier was freed in a prisoner exchange but blamed his lingering poor health on his Confederate prison experience. Following the war, Carrier traveled west in a wagon train spending a winter just outside Salt Lake City trapping. After much thought about seeing so much sickness and misery in Libby Prison, he returned east to take up the study of medicine. It was there he married Harriet Jane Lindsay, September 27, 1867. The couple moved first to Nebraska, where two daughters, Nellie Moroa and Ethel Jane, were born and then to Michigan, where Dr. Carrier practiced medicine for seven years. Harriet Carrier died in 1881, and Myron left his children with relatives in New York to come to Arizona, arriving in the Verde Valley shortly thereafter. He invested in mining claims and cattle and provided medical service for the rapidly growing community in the Verde. Melvina Munds and Myron Carrier were married on September 27, 1884, in a ceremony conducted by Rev. J. T. Pierce in Flagstaff. The couple then spent summers at Munds Park and lived winters in Spring Creek near her father along a tributary of Oak Creek. The couple was rarely apart. Myron Carrier was active in the Democratic Party and was elected Yavapai County Assessor in 1886, which he held through 1888. He was also elected many times to serve as a district supervisor representing the Upper Verde District of the Democratic Party. The Carriers built a log cabin and corrals near Munds Canyon’s head in Munds Park and were granted a patent to their homestead in the summer of 1891. Myron was partners with Oak Creek rancher Frank Owenby on a herd of cattle branded DC Bar, which ran in Munds Park’s vicinity along with other Owenby cattle branded ONB. Myron’s two daughters came to the Verde to be with their father, and both married well. Nellie married colorful William Loy, the brother of Jim Mund’s wife, Hattie. Ethel Jane married Lee Hawkins, the dashing first dentist in Jerome, known for his love of contraptions as well as owning the first automobile in the Verde Valley. Melvina and Myron also had two daughters, Hazel and Iva. Unfortunately, Hazel died in Jerome in the spring of 1892 and was buried next to her Uncle Neil here in Munds Park. Neil was killed while riding a bucking bronco at Willard Springs in 1886. Jerome began to boom in the early 1890s. The Carriers moved into Jerome, where Myron served as the community doctor with an office in the Red Cross Drug Store. He was soon appointed Jerome Health Officer, which meant he had the authority to establish smallpox quarantines and regularly inspect the prostitutes and cribs in Jerome. He also kept a horse and buggy at the ready to make house calls from Clear Creek below Camp Verde to the upper end of Oak Creek. Life in Jerome was a happy and fulfilling time for the Carriers. William Munds was elected to be the first Mayor. Melvina, her stepmother Cornelia and her sister-in-law Fannie all served in Diamond Chapter 7 of the Order of the Eastern Star, putting on plays and doing other community service projects in the community. In 1898 the Carriers sold their Munds Park Ranch to Flagstaff banker and sheepman E. S. Gosney, who soon sold to Charles H. Odell for whom Lake Odell is named. Most of the original Northernaire subdivision, the golf course, and the Pinewood Club House are situated on the original land homesteaded and loved by Melvina and Myron Carrier – Important Arizona Pioneers. If you get out into our spectacular Northern Arizona backwoods, please try to make the place better for your presence - do not litter and try to leave the area cleaner than you found it. Enjoy Northern Arizona!! This article on the history of Munds Park is part 2 of a 12 part series. Bill Cowan's book on the Verde Valley History is available at Candy’s Creekside Cottage in McGuireville, Arizona and from Amazon, eBay, and various other retailers, including the Verde Canyon Railroad.

For more than 50 years, we have set aside a day in April to focus on and lend our support to environmental protection. With sustainable choices for your garden, however, you can be ecologically responsible all year long. Earth Day started in 1970 after two politicians - U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, Democrat of Wisconsin, and Congressman Pete McCloskey, a California Republican - co-chaired an effort to create a series of teach-ings on college campuses about the environment and threats to it. The date, April 22, was chosen because it was a weekday that fell squarely between Spring Break and final exams, and organizers felt this would maximize the number of students who would attend. But the organizer of that first event recognized the potential of attracting many more people to the cause and reached out to a wide range of organizations and faith groups to be part of the first day. They also came up with the name Earth Day, which drew national media interest. The result was that on April 22, 1970, about 20 million Americans (about 10% of the total population of the United States at that time) attended rallies in the streets, parks and auditoriums across the country to protest on behalf of Mother Earth. It is still the largest single day protest in history. While the initial focus of Earth Day was confronting issues like oil spills, polluting factories, and loss of wilderness and wildlife, the movement has expanded over the years to include the things that we as individuals and families can do to help the environment. Gardening is a big part of those efforts. Plant a Tree One of the most impactful ways you can improve the environment hands down is by planting a tree. Trees clean the air, prevent rainwater runoff, provide a home for animals and can even save you money. Here’s how: Photosynthesis. Trees absorb harmful carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the air. Not only that, trees also can absorb pollutants like nitrogen, ammonia, and sulfur dioxide. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, it is estimated that just one tree can absorb 10 pounds of polluted air each year and release 260 pounds of oxygen. Prevent soil erosion and flooding. Trees reduce erosion from leaf to root. The canopies of trees serve as a flexible screen that protects the earth and reduces the force of wind and rain. Meanwhile, the complex root systems under trees prevent soil compaction and help water soak into the ground instead of just flowing over the surface. Provide a wildlife habitat. Trees provide nesting sites, food and shelter for birds and other critters. Conserve energy costs. If you plant your tree strategically, it will provide shade during the summer and shelter from cold winter winds, which can both reduce your utility bills. Garden Organically Sustainable and organic gardening takes a little planning, but it is easy to do. Among the easiest things you can do to create an eco-friendly garden include these practices: Go Native and Naturalized. Discover the many beautiful plants that are native (or have adapted well) to our region. They are easier to grow and sustain because they are already suited to the rainfall, soil and climate in our region. Because of this they tend to require less effort – and even less water – to grow Use Mulch. A nice covering of mulch is another easy way to create a healthy garden that benefits the ecology. Mulch prevents your soil from drying out, suppresses weeds, and adds nutrients to the soil. Try beneficial insects and organic pesticides. From lady bugs to neem oil, there are many methods of getting rid of pests without using harmful chemicals. Composting Composting epitomizes one of the tenets of environmentalism – the power of recycling. When you take food scraps and yard waste and compost them, you not only create a superb organic fertilizer, you also keep those items out of our landfills. That’s a huge impact as food scraps and yard waste together account for about 30 percent of what we throw away. The key to successful composting is knowing what you should – and shouldn’t – put in your compost bin. Good items include fruits and veggies, eggshells, coffee grounds, nut shells, shredded newspaper, cardboard, grass trimming, leaves, woodchips and even hair. No-no’s include meat, fish, and most fats, like grease and lard, all of which can cause odor problems and attract pests like rodents and flies. Avoid charcoal ash, pet waste, diseased plants, or yard trimmings that were treated with chemical pesticides, as they can include substances harmful to your garden - or yourself! Being Water-Wise. Once again, it looks like we’ll be having another dry summer in northern Arizona this year. For gardeners, this raises the dilemma of how to enjoy growing flowers and foodstuffs during a time when conserving water is not only ecologically desirable; it’s a necessity. The key is cultivating a garden that is functional and attractive but also “water wise” by using one or all of these methods: Install a drip irrigation system. Hand watering delivers water at such a high rate, you reach the surface of the soil and the rest is lost to evaporation or runoff. Drip irrigation, by contrast, uses far less water and penetrates the entire root system. It also trains the roots to grow more deeply which gives your plants a better chance of surviving and thriving. When you hand water, your plant’s roots stay at the surface of the soil because that is where the water is and will dry out more quickly because they are closer to the sun. Maintain your garden. And by that, we mean don’t skip on the weeding and pruning. Not only will you keep your plants healthy, but it will also help to conserve water because your landscape plants will not have to compete with weeds or spent blooms for water. Use rain barrels. Take advantage of the monsoon season by putting out rain barrels to store and use rainwater in your garden. Warner’s Nursery will be holding several classes as part of our “Root Camp” series that deal directly with conservation and eco-friendly methods of gardening. In April, we’ll be holding classes on garden planning and how to select trees for our micro-climates; in May, we’ll have sessions on organic gardening and composting and in June we’ll feature classes on native perennials and drip irrigation systems. You can learn more by visiting warnersnursery.com. .

The View From Here As we celebrate the beginning of a new year, I thought it would be a fitting tribute to share a little history of the Munds family – That for whom Munds Park is named. Like most anglo Westerners, the Munds family originally came from the East. William Madison Munds was born September 26, 1835, in Clay County, Kentucky. William was raised on a small farm near Gentry, Missouri, along the Iowa border. At the young age of 14, he left his family behind and joined a wagon train of forty-niners heading to California’s gold fields. He settled in Eldorado County, and as he matured, he became a successful miner. In 1857 at age 22, after eight years in Northern California, William Munds took his earnings and moved to Oregon and raised cattle and horses. He married Sarah Jane Cox on November 18, 1858, and the family lived in Roseburg, near her parents, for the next 17 years. Sarah was the daughter of a prominent rancher, John Cox, who had extensive holdings along the Pacific Coast. The Munds family began to grow with the birth of their daughter Melvina in 1859. Three sons followed, each born in Roseburg; James, 1863; William Cornilius, nicknamed Neil, 1865; and John in 1868. The union between William and Sarah proved to be somewhat stormy. Sometime in the early 1870s, William got into an altercation with Sarah’s cousin, George W. Cox, and William was charged with assault. Following his release from this incident, he decided it was time for a change in scenery. The family learned of the boundless grass and lucrative mining opportunities in Arizona’s newly formed territory, so in 1875 William (age 40) and his three sons headed South West. They loaded all their worldly possessions into two covered wagons, along with a large herd of cattle and horses. They moved down the Pacific Coast across Nevada and into Arizona at Stone’s Ferry, crossing the Colorado River near the mouth of the Virgin River. From October 1871 to February 1875, all of the Verde Valley’s upper reaches had been set aside and occupied by the Rio Verde Indian Reservation. However, the proclamation was rescinded in February 1875 and the Indians in Central Arizona were relocated to San Carlos south of Globe. The former reservation was opened to homesteaders just months before the Munds men and their stock arrived from Oregon. William acquired one of the first homesteads in the Upper Verde near what is today Bridgeport (near present-day Cottonwood), eventually moving to Spring Creek, a tributary of Oak Creek, above what would become Cornville. As the grass dried up each summer, the pioneers drove their stock to the Mogollon Mountain highlands to take advantage of the lush grasses and cool weather. William and his family found an isolated park that was claim-free. The meadows provided excellent grazing for the summer months, so the Munds family established it as their summer headquarters. The land was free for the taking. If the land was not “Claimed or Staked,” settlers could claim up to 160 acres (roughly 1/2 mile by 1/2 mile or equivalent) under the Homestead Act of 1862. To make a claim, pioneers needed to be an American citizen over the age of 21 and file for a homestead. That was it. Because William had used his one allowable homestead claim for the Spring Creek Ranch, James, the oldest son, filed a homestead claim for the west half of Munds Park. The family built a large home with barns and fences in the northwest end of the meadow. On September 27, 1884, Melvina married Dr. Myron Carrier from New York. The doctor came out west and ran cattle with D. J. Brannon and homesteaded the area that is now Munds Park, East of Interstate 17. Back in those days, the springs provided enough water to raise wheat, barley, alfalfa and potatoes. William Munds was an active citizen in Central Arizona. In 1876, he was named the 1st Marshall for the American Centennial 4th of July celebration. Later he became the committeeman for the Yavapai County Democratic Party, nominated for both the county board of supervisors and the territorial assembly. While working cattle on the mountain, he became the Mogollon Livestock Association’s vice-president on April 11, 1885. William Munds was instrumental in deciding the dates for the rodeos (spring and fall roundups) and selecting the “Boss of the Plains,” the man in charge of the roundups. As the Jerome mines prospered and the population increased, William Munds established a butcher shop to sell the beef from his herds. When Jerome was incorporated in 1899, William Munds was elected the town’s first Mayor. In 1903 William left Jerome in a buggy along with his second wife Cornelia to inspect his cattle and stock operation. He took ill with stomach problems as they traveled along Oak Creek and forced them to stop at the home of Henry Schuerman, the father-in-law of his oldest son James. William died at the Schuerman Ranch near Red Rock Crossing on June 11, 1903, ending the life of one of northern Arizona’s most prominent pioneers. If you get out into our spectacular Northern Arizona backwoods, please try to make the place better for your presence - do not litter and leave the area cleaner than you found it. Enjoy Northern Arizona!! This article on the history of Munds Park is part 1 of a 12 part series. Bill Cowan's book on the Verde Valley History is available at Candy’s Creekside Cottage in McGuireville, Arizona and from Amazon, eBay, and various other retailers, including the Verde Canyon Railroad.