COTTONWOOD AZ HISTORY
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Named after its big cottonwood trees along the Verde River, where settlers once camped and set up tent homes is yet today a hidden gem in the backyard of "Old Town" Cottonwood, AZ.
TODAY
This rare and unique greenway riparian habitat which accesses the Dead Horse Ranch State Park is one of twenty left of its kind in the world. Known as a Fremont Cottonwood/Goodding Willow Riparian, it is one of five remaining stands in Arizona. The one mile trail starts at the western edge of town behind the old jail. It is of a 6 mile reach of the Verde River Greenway, which is only part of the 180 mile long year round flowing river. The riparian is identified with its dense forest of riparian trees and shrubs along its banks and its many rare animals and plants that inhabit this uncommon habitat.
Below are only a few of the nearly 20 threatened and endangered species in this area:
◊ River Otter
◊ Southern Bald Eagle
◊ Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
◊ Lowland Leopard Frog
The area also supports some of the highest breeding bird densities of any North American habitat of rare species.
Some of the more common animals in the area are:
◊ Deer
◊ Racoon
◊ Beaver
◊ Coyote
◊ Javelina
◊ Mallard
◊ and the favorite is the great Blue Heron, Verde River Greenway mascot
Three native fish are known to yet exist in the Verde iver and are on the Federal register of endangered species:
◊ Spike Dace Minnow
◊ Colorado Squawfish
◊ Razorblade Sucker
In addition, this area Greenway boosts numerous culturally significant sites from the nearby Tuzigoot National Monument and several yet to be excavated habitations.
and known as Cottonwood was called the "Biggest little town in the state of Arizona".
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Click on the pdf. file below to open and print
a free Cottonwood Self-Guided Historic Walking Tour
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***Always working on this page... ***
So please come back...
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A town famous for bootlegging, feeding the miners and filming movies. Yet a best kept secret and still away from the hustle bustle of the big city atmosphere, the small town is quiet and friendly. A year 'round place to be, in any season, whether for sightseeing or exploring, you'll find Historic Old Town to have its own inspiring beauty...
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| Cottonwood Hotel early 1922 |
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| Cottonwood Hotel 1940's |
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COTTONWOOD'S Trip to the Past...
Experience Cottonwood in the now 21st Century in this turn of the 19th Century, early 20th century Old West charming second story historic hotel. The hotel balcony overlooks the heart of quaint Old Town Cottonwood's downtown area. With upper floor Old Town views, each Apartment Suite has its own unique decor adding to the historic hotel feel and its trip to the past.
Come and stay and walk the streets where legends have...
Some COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA FACTS:
The Cottonwood Hotel is Cottonwood, Arizona's oldest hotel.
The Cottonwood Hotel is the ONLY lodging with a balcony that overlooks Cottonwood's downtown area.
The Cottonwood Hotel was location for the towns FIRE BELL up until the 1960's.
The Cottonwood Hotel is COTTONWOOD'S longest standing business with the SAME NAME & SAME LOCATION since 1917...
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Sitting in the North Central part of the state, and the heart of the Verde Valley, Cottonwood provides a handy base for those visiting the old mining town of Jerome, the prehistoric ruins at Tuzigoot, wildlife areas, and the other attractions of the Verde Valley. The town is 14 miles northwest of Camp Verde, 16 miles southwest of Sedona, and 41 miles northeast across Mingus Mountain from Prescott.
Some say Cottonwood has a split personality. The original town area now called "Old Town" is separated from the commercial strip development (shopping centers, fast food restaurants and "Big Box" stores) along the new section of AZ 89A, which bypasses Old Town. Old Town has the most personality, as you would expect, and is worth a visit; take the Historic 89A route (same as Main Street) from either Cottonwood or Clarkdale.
Clarkdale, two miles northwest of Cottonwood, still has the look of a company town. From 1912 it housed officials and workers of the smelter that operated nearby. Although a lot of residents lost their jobs when the smelter shut down in 1952, others were glad to be rid of its heavy black smoke. You'll see the giant dome and other structures of the Phoenix Cement Company, which supplied the cement used in building Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River.
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Late 1500's
In the late 1500’s Spaniards came to the area calling the Verde River, “El Rio de Los Reyes” or the River of Kings as they were lead by Zuni’s to the mines in Jerome. For 25 years more Spaniard expeditions visited Jerome and the Verde Valley, but increasing Indian hostility and the forbidding geography prohibited any other Europeans and Americans from exploring or settling here until the 19th century.
Cottonwood and the Verde River Greenway area was overgrown with native grasses, fruit trees and orchards, cacti, mesquite, juniper and rabbit bush, furnishing excellent hunting for rabbits and quail and deer. It's abundance died of some after the smelter's went in. TODAY the riparian area is protected as it is one of the world's rarest riparian's of its kind. There are only twenty left in the world, five of which are in the state of Arizona and this area is one of them.
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Early 1800 to 1900’s ~ The Land Rush
Cottonwood was founded in 1879
The settlers at that time were farmers and ranchers. They referred to the area as the 'Verde'... Charles D. Willard settled in the area, bringing with him a mechanic by the name of Neff.
Between 1915-1917
Cottonwood began building their town. Since campfires often burned at the old wagon grounds under the big Cottonwood trees that stood in the wash that extended for several hundred yards to the Verde River from just north of where the old jail building now stands, was known as the 'Cottonwoods'. Cattleman and ranchers from Oak Creek, the lower Verde or Camp Verde and surrounding areas made their over night stops there. Newcomers settling would also pitch a tent or a make shift home down there. As the name Cottonwood got used more and more, they decided it was a beautiful place to build and a great name for their town.
By March of 1917 Cottonwood began booming. Cottonwood appealed to the more venturesome, those who wanted their own home and business. There was a certain reputation for lawlessness. Some who settled in Cottonwood were run out of the nearby company towns. Heavy bootlegging was abound, therefore attracting other non law abiding citizens as well as law abiding from other towns. Cottonwood was known to have the best bootlegging within hundreds of miles, attracting citizens from Los Angeles, Phoenix and closer-to-home folks.
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Lon Mason's General Store and Post Office.
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| Lon Mason's General Store & Post Office 1908-1917 Cottonwood Arizona |
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May 7, 1917 ~ Jerome Sun Newspaper/ Visitors from everywhere are taking in the sights of the new city. Houses selling~ not many empty lots. Sunday was a great day for Cottonwood. The nice weather and perfect conditions for the young metropolis visitors motoring with their motor vehicles. Visitors came by the hundreds.
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May 11, 1917 ~ Jerome Sun Newspaper/Busy times at Cottonwood as people scrambled for real estate. Lots were selling for $125.
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| Minnie & Joe Hall 1920's |
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| Early 'Teens through the 1920’s
Arizona's Bootleg King
COTTONWOOD'S famous bootlegger Joe Hall, was known as the “Bootleg King of Arizona”
On December 3, 1917 his prize whiskey still blew up burning much of the town. Since most of the buildings and homes were of wood, a fire only meant rebuilding the town.
The town of Cottonwood was indeed feeling the effects of the good times promised by the erection of the Extension Smelter. New buildings were put up rapidly housing various kinds of businesses.
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Joe Hall was also the fire marshall and would ring the fire bell located at the Cottonwood Hotel whenever a fire broke out.
He saved his family house during the 1925 major fire that burned his business, warehouse and most of the west side of the downtown area. Hall's family house still stands today. It sits on the corner of Pinal & Cactus.
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Built in 1917, the Hall house still stands in its original wood construction. The tunnels that went from the rear of the house over to Joe Hall's business (Joe's Bunk & Grille) located at 1004 N. Main Street were closed off after Joe was raided by Ruffner in 1929 and put in jail for 10 months. His prize still sat on top of his wagon which was parked out front of the Old Jail the whole time. When Joe was released, he left Cottonwood and moved to the San Diego, California area. Joe Hall was the FIRST to be jailed in the Old Jail which was built in 1929.
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| Old Hall House at Pinal & Cactus |
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Click on the photos below for enlarged views.
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| 1929 circa historic Old Town Cottonwood Jail |
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| Inside Jail Cell |
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| 1929c Old Town Jail (9/11/2008) |
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| 1929c Old Town Jail & Trail |
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Al Capone's name is etched on the outside of the Cottonwood jail cell. It was rumored that he passed through bailing a bootlegger friend out of the old jail. Can you imagine... Al Capone in Cottonwood!
Click on the photo on the right for an enlarged view of Al Capone!
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| Beer Taxes Exceed $2,000.000 A Day! |
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1917-1920
According to statistics compiled for the State Directory in the late teens, Cottonwood was represented by 64 businessmen who operated 4 general mercantile stores, 5 stores handling dry goods, 3 restaurants, 1 barbershop, 1 movie picture theater, 1 amusement hall, 1 drugstore, bakery, confectionery, lumber yard, 2 garages, 2 blacksmiths, butcher shop, furniture store, 2 shoe shops, 7 pool halls, service station, ice plant, jewelry shop, 2 hotels, cleaning shop, root beer stand, novelty store and ice cream parlor. The AZ power had a temporary office. Cottonwood proper had 300 residents.
Cottonwood was called the 'Biggest Little Town in Arizona'
By the 1920’s ~
There is not another town in the US that can boost of so many business houses for a population of about 1000. Cottonwood was called the 'Biggest Little Town in Arizona'. Merchants were doing a fine business and being busy all the time.
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Early 1920’s ~ Mae West Stays in Cottonwood and room's at the Cottonwood Hotel.
Mae West hung around Historic Old Town Cottonwood during its prohibition heyday! The days before her career took off, one of the old timers talked about the times Mae was in town. Starry eyed, he was taken with how she got around the speakeasies and played in the mash ready to be stilled in those good ole prized whiskey stills!
To see more about her visits to the Cottonwood back to the Cottonwood Hotel History page.
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| Mae West ~1934 |
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| RIALTO THEATER (1917-1923) |
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The above picture of the (1st) Rialto Theater was located at 924-926 N. Main St. (TODAY'S location of the Cinnabar Boutique). Joseph Becchetti first built the theater at that location in 1917. In 1923 he built a newer and larger theater at the 914 N. Main St. location (NOW the Tavern Grille). He leased the 924-926 N. Main St. building to Thomas Moore who put a restaurant in at that location in 1923, after Becchetti moved the Rialto to its new location. It was at the 926 N. Main St. location, in the rear of the restaurant that the fire broke out on April 20, 1925.
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Fires Burn Down Town!
April 20, 1925 at 3 am another prized still blew up. The early morning fire started with the explosion of a prize still located in the rear of the Thomas Moore Restaurant (the Old Rialto Theater) located at 924-926 N. Main St. The fire fanned by a strong wind, swept down the two blocks of the Westside of Main St. all the way down to 1024 N. Main. Fifteen businesses were destroyed along with 10 residential homes behind the business district between Main & Cactus.
The one fatality ~ George H. Brooks, a renown minister, Doctor of Divinity & lecturer from Los Angeles who was holding seminars in the area and was staying at the Cottonwood Hotel in which he frequented on a regular basis. It is still a mystery on how he predicted the night before that Cottonwood would see their biggest catastrophe ever and ended up being the only fatality! Some say he is still walking around the hotel in the upper hallway, maybe trying to find his way out!
The 1925 fire was Cottonwood’s biggest catastrophe ever.
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Cottonwood 1925 fire.
15 businesses and 10 homes burned to the ground, not including warehouses, cars and machinery. There wasn't enough gloom in the town, yet to find out that they lost a life in the fire.
George H. Brooks, spiritualist lecturer was holding meetings in Cottonwood for several days. It appeared that Brooks had awakened by the fire, partially dressed himself, then fell overcome by the heat and smoke, across from the foot of his bed at the Cottonwood Hotel. His body was horribly burned, little being left but his skeleton. The other roomers made it out of the hotel.
Lysons had a close call as he barely made it out of the rear of his building, as he leaped through a window partially dressed.
The fire burned from the Requenda Saloon & Pool Hall (922 N. Main), a restaurant operated by Thomas Moore (926 N. Main) (where the explosion was and the fire originated) which was the old Rialto Theater (1917-1923). The Lysons building at (928 N. Main) & the Cottonwood Hotel & Mercantile (930 N. Main) were the worst. The flames jumped the street over to the bakery (1002 N. Main). Joe Hall (1004 N. Main) had his whiskey stored between the walls and down in the cellar of his building. Once the fire hit those walls in his Grille another explosion broke out, and quickly caught fire to Hansohn Grocery Store, Asby’s Grocery, Riley’s Variety,Topman’s barbershop, Dr. McClellan’s office, the Pioneer hotel, and Dr. Henderlite’s office . It was contained by then and the Post Office next door had little damage. The Paris Beauty Shop and Tony Butkovich’s new plumbing store on the other side of the street were badly scorched.
Homes behind the business area burned, 3 belonged to Joe Hall, 2 by Mac Willard, 2 by Hansohn, 2 by William Barabee.
The fire was the worst in the recent history of the Verde. Little insurance was on any of the properties, but plans were quickly in the works to rebuild.
It was a day of gloom for Cottonwood. For once stood a hustling commercial area, on this day in 1925 were smoldering heaps, crumbling walls and destroyed furniture. There was much vandalism, by men mostly young boys, rifling off with cash registers and slot machines and other things they took a fancy to. The officers finally put a rope around the block where the Cottonwood Hotel and buildings stood and stationed guards through the next night to prevent the flames from spreading.
Most valiant fire fighting was done by the Eden’s of the Cottonwood Lumber Co. Foster and Braley and a crew of helpers all on the North of the fire zone. Wallace Hancock, W.S. Garrison and another crew fought just as valiantly while on the west of the block where the fire originated were John McIntyre, Joe Becchetti and Peter Henelly with some few helpers. J.R Hall really saved the west side of the street across from the burned area from destruction. Hall lost a big warehouse stored full of machinery and all kinds of mine and pipe equipment. He also lost all of his rental houses on his land, but he did save his own residence. His fire plugs and hoses together with his skill as a nozzleman saved his home, the Eckert residence, garage across the street and Wallace Hancock’s dwelling.
The McIntyre Building and Becchetti's Rialto Theater were not damaged in the fire, which were newer buildings built in 1923 of cast block. They were located on the other side of where the fire originated.
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Prescott Evening Courier-April 20, 1925
TWO BURN TO DEATH IN FIRE IN COTTONWOOD
13 Stores, 10 Homes Lost In Conflagration
Blaze Starting in Restaurant Destroys the Entire Block in Valley Town
Loss is said $200,000
Man and Woman Perish in Flames, Fear, Two Others Gone, Under Control
G. H. Brooks, spiritualist minister, of Los Angeles, met his death in the fire that destroyed the Cottonwood Hotel this morning, it has been determined. The man was aroused, when the flames reached the hotel and started to dress but is thought to have been overcome by smoke and fell back on his bed. An unidentified woman is said to have been buried under a falling wall, but her body has not been recovered, it was learned late this afternoon.
Less than half the loss, which will reach about $200,000, was covered by insurance.
Two persons, a man and a woman are dead and two others are missing as the result of a disastrous fire which swept Cottonwood at an early hour this morning, according to word received here. The blaze which is said to have caused approximately $200,000 loss, was of brief duration, starting about 5 o’clock this morning in a small restaurant next door to the Rialto Theater and being under control half an hour later.
Thirteen stores and shops and 10 residences were completely destroyed by the flames which swept a square block in the Verde Valley town, according to R. H. Manley of the Star car agency, one of the fire fighters, who drove to Prescott this morning after flames had been brought under control.
The guests of the Cottonwood Hotel, which was one of the buildings consumed by the flames, had narrow escapes. Two of them, an unidentified woman and a spiritualist preacher, who were guests of the hotel, are alleged to have met their death in the blazing structure. The woman, eye witness said, escaped with the other guests, but ran back into the burning building before she could be stopped. The charred bodies of the two could be seen in the smoking embers of the hotel, Mr. Manley said, after the flames had been extinguished. Two men, residents of this town, are reported to be missing, and it is fearful they have been burned to death.
Little headway could be made in fighting the fire due to the intensity of the flames, which were driven down the main street of the town by the wind and which prevented the fire fighters from getting within 150 feet of the burning structure. By heroic efforts, the post office was saved.
Residents of the little town who were aroused by Mr. Manley, Arthur Lysons of the Lyon’s cigar store and Mr. Eden of the Eden Lumber company, fled to the hills above the city carrying their household goods with them. The fire was checked at the Eden residence by the shifting of the wind.
Deputy Sheriff’s John Munds and Joe Young took charge of the town when the flames died down and spent the rest of the today watching to prevent a recurrence from flying sparks.
The stores and residences which were destroyed are as follows: Raquina pool hall, Rialto theater, Cottonwood Hotel and store, Eckert bakery, Lyson’s cigar store, Eckert Drug store, Joe Hall’s residence, Cottonwood barbershop, Hansohn grocery, Riley Vanity store, Selnas restaurant, Underwood Hotel and several residences.
PRESCOTT EVENING COURIER-APRIL 21, 1925
2 More Bodies In Cottonwood Hotel Ruins
Unidentified Woman, Man Met Death in Confingration of V.V. Town, Aver
YEGGS BLOW UP SAFE
$600 Stolen From Kovacavich Store, Report, After Blaze Sweeps Place
Two persons, an unidentified man and woman who had registered at the Cottonwood Hotel, met their death in the fire which consumed a block of the Verde Valley town at an early hour yesterday, in addition to G. H. Brooks, Los Angeles minister, according to word received from that place today.
The couple, who are known to have registered at the hotel, were caught under a falling wall, it is stated. An effort was made today to cool the embers sufficiently so that the bodies, which were in sight, might be recovered, residents of the town said.
Taking advantage of the general disturbance which followed the conflagration, thieves last night are reported to have blasted open the safe in the Emil Kovacavich store in Cottonwood, which escaped the flames, and to have made their escape with $600.
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Read Charlie Stemmer's (Cottonwood' Post Master at the time) paranormal experiences relating to this 1925 fire and Rev Brooks spiritualism by CLICKING HERE.
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Even though the April 1925 fire burned most of the town, the whole town rapidly rebuilt with care and caution. Most buildings were completed by summer or September of 1925. It wasn't the first time the town was rebuilt. With businesses thriving in the trades of spirits (best booze within a hundred miles), produce, construction and feeding the miners in Jerome, since 1917, Cottonwood was known as the "Biggest Little Town in the State of Arizona!"
Since the insurance companies would no longer insuring wood buildings or the wooden boardwalks, the hotel was built with a special designed solid cast concrete block and stuccoed over. The blocks had 12-18" of firewall. It was said that they wanted to make dang sure if a building caught fire again it would not burn the whole town. We had proof of the pudding in December of 1998 when the theater burned.
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Some homes and buildings were built and rebuilt using the brick they made at the now historic ruins of the Lime Kilns. Horse drawn wagons and carts transported their loads along the Lime Kiln Cut-Off which was a major travel route between the mining town of Jerome and the Oak Creek farming community of Sedona. Spirits from Cottonwood, Oak Creek wine and locally grown produce was bartered for trade between these Verde Valley communities.
TODAY it is part of the Dead Horse Ranch State Park located on the Lime Kiln Trail. If you're into hiking go check out the ruins. It's walking distance from the Cottonwood Hotel. The 14 mile Lime Kiln Trail provides an excellent historic trail opportunity for equestrian riders, mountain bicyclists and hikers connecting Dead Horse Ranch State Park TRAIL SYSTEM in Cottonwood to Red Rock State Park in Sedona. The trail is designated as non-motorized, although portions of the trail follow existing road alignments.
For more information on the Lime Kiln Trail go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/lime-kiln-tr.shtml#content
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| Burt Lancastor & 'Liz Scott in Cottonwood movie filming of 1946 Desert Fury |
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1946 Filming of "Desert Fury" starring Burt Lancastor, 'Lizabeth Scott, John Hodiac
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Thursday, Sept. 10, 1953
Pop Clanton
The picture below is from the Verde Independent newspaper, Thursday, Sept. 10, 1953. The caption reads, "LOOKING AS IF he had just pulled in from the desert, Pop Clanton, one of the few members of his tribe not killed by law officers in Tombstone, here guides his caravan up Main St. in Cottonwood. "Partner," says the sign on the wagon, "This is a GOOD town. Pull in, Stay the Nite. Pop Clanton, Cottonwood, Ariz." That's Clanton behind those enormous boots. He lives on Second St. and his dog smokes a pipe." (Picture taken in front of the Cottonwood Hotel).
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| Pop Clanton Walking Advertising for the Cottonwood Hotel says "it's a Good Town, Pull in and Spend the Night!" |
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Robert S. 'POP' Clanton parked his covered wagon regularly in front of the Cottonwood Hotel. His wagon, sign and his dog smoking a pipe was good advertisement for the hotel. He was friends with Bill Robinson, owner of the Cottonwood Hotel and Robinson's Western Wear Clothier.
R. S. 'Pop' Clanton was born October 11, 1886. Cause of death was cancer. He died on April 18, 1958. He worked the railroad and was a car inspector-repairman.
***I am still trying to find out what house on 2nd Street here in Cottonwood, Arizona that Pop Clanton lived in. If you happen to know, please inform the historian, me via eMail... karen@cottonwoodhotel.com Thank you...
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1964 ~ The ROUNDERS
Sedona Finally Called Sedona In Movie Now Being Filmed (Verde Independent Thursday, May 14, 1964). Sedona up until this point was a scene for nearly 100 of Hollywood's most famous western movies, always, however doubling for other places. The 'Rounders' was the first movie in history that Sedona got actual credit under its own name for its film location. 'The Rounders' starring Glenn Ford, Henry Fonda, Chill Wills, Edgar Buchanan and a wild-eyed bucking roan horse named Ol' Fooler, were featured in a parade down on Main Street in Sedona, they also held a rodeo at the posse grounds.
Interesting enough, for COTTONWOOD, the movie was the last movie to use the Rialto Theater for its 'Rushes'...
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| Elvis Presley ~ 1967 “Stay Away, Joe” |
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| Elvis Cruisin' Main Street in Old Town Cottonwood Arizona |
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CLICK HERE to read the history
about Elvis Presley in Cottonwood Arizona.
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