[Source: Florence Reminder] — Pinal County received a new grant to continue repairs on the historic Second County Courthouse. This new grant for $150,000 from the Arizona State Parks Historic Preservation Heritage Fund will be matched with $225,000 from Pinal County. The county hopes to use the funding to repair the dormers, chimneys, frieze (area between the roof and wall), porch and dissolving brick. County officials are working with the architect to prepare plans and hope to go out for bids by February or March.
Final rehab nearly complete for Florence’s Silver King Hotel
[Source: Florence Reminder, Bonnie Bariola] — The front page of the April 14, 1977 Florence Reminder and Blade Tribune was devoted to an article about the purchase of the Florence Hotel by Norm and Bonnie Conkle, who were going to rehabilitate and reopen the hotel. The article states, “As envisioned by Conkle, the new Silver King Hotel will not only be a beautiful place for tourists to stay, but will be a tourist attraction itself.
The hotel was operating until the day Conkle purchased it. At that time it was the oldest operating hotel in Arizona. It catered to silver and gold entrepreneurs, cattle barons, and many of Arizona’s earliest statesmen. Unfortunately, the Conkle’s plans did not materialize and over the next two decades the building suffered extreme deterioration.
During those two decades Bill Coomer was constantly telling his wife, Katie Montaño, that “someone” needed to do something about the hotel. Katie finally told him that instead of talking about it, why didn’t he do something. Unknown to Katie, Bill created the private nonprofit Florence Preservation Foundation (FPF) in 1993. He also wrote a Heritage Fund grant application to be used toward the rehabilitation of the hotel. In addition he wrote a letter to Ed Bass asking for his assistance with the project. Once the grant application was funded, he shared with Katie what he had done. Had she not “shamed” him into doing something, the building probably would have been razed since this was what a lot of people thought should be done with it. [Note: to read the full article click here.]
Arizona archives get new, upgraded home
[Source: Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic] — No more grandma’s attic for the state’s important papers and keepsakes. Instead, the new Archives Building is a technological and climate-controlled wonder, especially when compared with the nearly 100-year-old space that housed everything from the original state Constitution to Wyatt Earp’s extradition papers.
The $38 million Polly Rosenbaum History and Archives Building, which opened late last fall, is being dedicated next week at a ceremony open to the public. It’s named after a long-serving lawmaker who was devoted to historic preservation and has already been dubbed “the Polly building.” [Note: to read the full article click here.]
Adopt-A-Ranch Program shows that collaborative conservation works
[Source: Arizona Game & Fish Department’s Wildlife Blog, Wildlife Views] – – Two ranch improvement projects conducted in early November as part of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Adopt-A-Ranch Program illustrate how various groups can come together in a win-win for private landowners, the recreating public and wildlife conservation. The Adopt-A-Ranch Program is a cooperative effort between Game and Fish, landowners and volunteers across the state to complete projects that improve ranch land while enhancing wildlife habitat or recreational access for the public. The program has helped relations between landowners and people who wish to recreate on those private lands.
On Nov. 8, 18 volunteers from the Arizona Trail Riders Club (ATR), eight people from the Williams Family Ranch, and personnel from Game and Fish worked together to install a culvert on the Constellation Road at Slim Jim Wash north of Wickenburg, Ariz.. The road, mainly used by ranchers, is an access point to many hunting and recreational areas.
During the heavy rains of 1993, the wash severely cut the road; since then, traffic has detoured down into the wash. With the culvert installed, the roadbed can be built back up to its original level, eliminating the hole that vehicles were forced to drop down into and then climb back out of. The culvert will protect the road from future storms and enhance vehicular access for the ranchers and the public. [Note: to read the full article click here.]