Did You Know…

that the Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and the Conquistadors likely followed the Gila and San Francisco Rivers through the Clifton area in his search for the Seven Cities of Cibola?

that the Apache Chief Geronimo was born in the vicinity of Clifton, AZ (near the confluence of Eagle Creek and the San Francisco and Gila Rivers) in 1829?

the Clifton-Morenci-Metcalf area was the first copper mining district in Arizona?

the first active railroad in Arizona (the Coronado Railroad) ran along Chase Creek between Clifton and Metcalf? Its first steam locomotive, Number 8 (later renamed Copperhead), was hauled in by mules and operated from 1897 to 1922? It was rebuilt and is on display near the Clifton Cliff Jail today.

the Morenci Southern Railroad used five trestles that formed loops (the most in the world) to climb the 1,800 ft. between the San Francisco River and Morenci?

the Arizona Copper Company, in 1905, sent the smoke from its Clifton smelter through a shaft and out the top of the adjacent mountain? For a short time it was referred to as the “Clifton Volcano?” You can see the opening to the shaft near the Clifton Circle K.

that the population of the Clifton, Morenci, and Metcalf area in 1910 was approximately 18,000? Way more people than in Phoenix at that time!

that the original towns of Metcalf and Morenci no longer exist? They were swallowed up by the open pit copper mine. Morenci was moved to its current location.

that US 191, the Coronado Trail, used to be US 666 and was dubbed “The Devil’s Highway” as much for its twisting, steep, and unforgiving nature as for the numeric symbolism? It was the 6th spur off of Route 66 in Arizona.

that the first woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor, was from the Duncan Valley?

that popular southwestern cultural artist Ted DeGrazia was born in Morenci, AZ?

that of Arizona’s famous 5 Cs (cotton, cattle, copper, climate, and citrus) Greenlee County showcases the first four of these? And citrus can be grown in the county’s southern half, but we don’t really specialize in it?

Hannagan Meadow got its named by way of a coin toss between Toles Cosper and Robert Hannagan? Mr. Hannagan was a Nevada miner who came to the area in the late 1890’s to raise cattle.