Camp Verde Historical Society

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Camp Verde Historical Society Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Camp Verde Historical Society, Museum, 435 S Main Street, Camp Verde, AZ.

We are dedicated to the restoration, preservation, and administration of buildings, sites, materials, and documents of local historical significance, including our vast collection of archival materials dating back to the 1860s.

Happy Fort Verde Days weekend! The picture is from the 1960 Fort Verde Days parade. According to our Digital Historian, ...
10/10/2026

Happy Fort Verde Days weekend! The picture is from the 1960 Fort Verde Days parade. According to our Digital Historian, "The first Fort Verde Days celebration was held on November 24, 1957. It began as an open house event hosted by the historical society to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Fort Verde Museum, which had been established in the administration building of the old fort in 1956.

This inaugural event included a fashion show featuring gowns from the military post period, a short lecture on the history of Fort Verde, and refreshments served on the veranda. Following this initial success, the celebration expanded in subsequent years to include parades and other activities, evolving into a major community tradition."

As always, if you have stories or corrections to share, please feel free in the comments below. Oh, and please come celebrate this year's parade - CVHS has a float again!

🗓 ON THIS DAY in 1872, Dr. Henry Porter (a soldier of General Crook) writes,Dear Father,[snip]"This territory costs the...
10/06/2026

🗓 ON THIS DAY in 1872, Dr. Henry Porter (a soldier of General Crook) writes,

Dear Father,
[snip]
"This territory costs the government an immense sum every year—millions and millions, and all to protect about two thousand people, many of whom are miserable vagabonds who have come here to escape from justice. I do not know how much it costs the government to keep a regiment of cavalry here a year, but you can readily see that it would be no small amount when hay is $40 a ton and grain 10 cents a pound. Everything is high here. I will give you the prices of a few necessary articles: bacon 50 cents, flour 12 cents, potatoes 8 cents a pound, butter is $1.50 a pound, and eggs are $1.50 a dozen. I purchased a towel recently that in the states [Arizona was not yet a state] would cost about 22 cents, but I paid for it $1.25. Salt at Camp Hualpai is 18 cents a pound, but that is because they have very little on hand."

"Arizona is a poor place to live—anyone that has ever been here can testify, and everyone seems to be looking forward to the time when they will leave. It's as out of the way and as far from a railroad and civilization as a person can get in the United States."

How times have changed! And yet some things stay the same. We'll leave the interpretation of which is which (especially the more subjective claims) to you.

🗓 On Oct. 1, 1886, the sheepmen met at Flagstaff and organized the Arizona Sheep Breeders and Wool Growers Association. ...
10/01/2026

🗓 On Oct. 1, 1886, the sheepmen met at Flagstaff and organized the Arizona Sheep Breeders and Wool Growers Association. In 1905, when competition with cattle became severe, the U.S. Forest Service met with the cattlemen and sheepmen and established the primary driveways: Heber-Reno, Mudtanks and Government Gap, Grief Hill - Oak Creek; and Bearsprings. The largest growth in the sheep industry came between 1881 and 1890. The Arizona Journal-Miner for Oct. 26, 1897, stated that 80,000 head of sheep had been driven to the Salt River Valley for winter feeding on alfalfa, grain and cotton stubble.

The last band of sheep to use the Grief Hill driveway came through in 1991 and consisted of less than 5,000 sheep.

~ Jean Clark (clipping from unattributed newspaper, 3/31/1993)

🌧 NOT On This Day (but a day much like today and tomorrow), "Both Camp Verde Elementary School and the new elementary sc...
09/28/2026

🌧 NOT On This Day (but a day much like today and tomorrow), "Both Camp Verde Elementary School and the new elementary school under construction were hit hard by torrential rains on Aug. 1 [2000]. Rain and mud flooded all but two or three classrooms at the old Camp Verde Elementary School....

"...the rain damaged carpets, ceilings, walls, computers, teaching supplies and anything made of particle board. Work crews are working long hours to remove, replace and dry the rooms out before school starts. Once these areas are cleaned up and sanitized, a health inspection will be made for contamination."

~ Pamela Williams, The Verde Independent, 08/11/2000

09/23/2026

🗓 ALMOST ON THIS DAY (it slipped past us over the weekend) on September 20th, 1972, a public hearing was held in Camp Verde regarding the "construction of a section of Interstate 17 beginning at the north end of the completed section of Interstate 17 at a point approximately 16 and one half miles northeast of Cordes Junction, continuing northeasterly across State Highway 279 and the Verde River to a connection with a completed section of Interstate 17 at a point approximately three-fourths miles northeast of the junction with the highway leading to the Montezuma Castle National Monument, a distance of approximately 11.8 miles."

Were any of you there at this meeting?

🗓 ON THIS DAY in 1924, Ralph Reid married Hester Crouch / Burnett [see note below]. Ralph and Hester later purchased and...
09/14/2026

🗓 ON THIS DAY in 1924, Ralph Reid married Hester Crouch / Burnett [see note below]. Ralph and Hester later purchased and owned the Montezuma Inn for many years. According to our records, Hester was particularly known for her amazing pies. 🥧

* This is one of those situations where we have conflicting records in our archives, hence our uncertainty with Hester's maiden name. We welcome your assistance in this matter! We also hope to greatly enhance our collection of photos for the Reid family in the coming months, as we do not currently have a photo of Ralph and Hester in our database.

🎉 A day to celebrate! 🎉
09/12/2026

🎉 A day to celebrate! 🎉

ANSWER (to yesterday's quiz): The Camp Verde meteorite was discovered in the spring of 1927 by George Dawson, an amateur...
09/11/2026

ANSWER (to yesterday's quiz):

The Camp Verde meteorite was discovered in the spring of 1927 by George Dawson, an amateur archaeologist exploring ancient ruins on Wingfield Mesa in Camp Verde, Arizona. While excavating a stone cyst within a structure attributed to the prehistoric Sinagua or Salado cultures, Dawson uncovered a 135-pound nickel-iron mass carefully swaddled in a blanket of turkey feathers. Although chemically identified as a fragment of the Canyon Diablo meteorite—the massive impactor that formed Meteor Crater roughly 50 miles away—the object's presence in a deliberate, reverent burial suggests it held significant spiritual or ceremonial value to the indigenous people who inhabited the site centuries ago.

Following its recovery, the meteorite was eventually purchased by prominent researcher H.H. Nininger in 1939. After decades in his private collection, the specimen was acquired by Arizona State University in 1970 and is currently housed at the Center for Meteorite Studies. Physical analysis of the iron reveals smooth, worn surfaces that may indicate frequent handling during ancient rituals, cementing the artifact's reputation as a rare example of a celestial object that commanded deep reverence in a pre-Columbian society.

~ CVHS Digital Historian

QUIZ - We know what this is, do you? Here's the text:Postmark Sept 10Phoenix Ariz. Sept. 9, 1938.Mr. Nininger:- Dear Sir...
09/10/2026

QUIZ - We know what this is, do you? Here's the text:

Postmark Sept 10
Phoenix Ariz. Sept. 9, 1938.
Mr. Nininger:
- Dear Sir:
I have been told you buy Meteorites, I have one of unusual appearance is the shape of and looks like it may be a giant Arrow head (weight 138 lbs.) would you buy this.
Very Truly
G. E. Dawson
R. 9. Box 489
Phoenix Arizona

🗓 ON THIS DAY in 1931, "...In addition to receiving favorable action upon the Verde bridge, the Yavapai county delegatio...
09/01/2026

🗓 ON THIS DAY in 1931, "...In addition to receiving favorable action upon the Verde bridge, the Yavapai county delegation was informed by State Engineer W. W. Lane that the Blythe bridge purchasing contract between Arizona, California and the bridge company had been definitely signed, thus enabling the appropriation for the construction of the Wickenburg-Ehrenberg highway to be put into effect. It is believed that bids will be called for within a week or ten days for construction work, which must be completed to participate in the Oddie-Colton appropriation by September 1.

"With the completion of the Oak Creek Canyon highway, now under construction, and the building of the Camp Verde [White] bridge, there will be scenic routes open through the Verde valley which it is believed will cause greatly increased travel through this section. The connection of the Fossil Creek highway to the Verde district by the Verde bridge will open up a recreation area to local residents which, despite handicaps in reaching it, has been immensely popular.

"With the completion of the Blythe route and the opening up of the two highways mentioned, it is firmly believed that Yavapai county will participate in the greatest influx of transcontinental travel in its history, leading through sections famous for scenic beauties, a delightful climate and attractive resorts."

~ Verde News, 04/21/1931 (with mention of September 1st)

Address

435 S Main Street
Camp Verde, AZ
86322

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+19285679560

Website

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