St. David Heritage & Cultural Arts Society P.O. Box 3 St. David, AZ 85630 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED POSTAL PATRON ST. DAVID, AZ 85630 Nonprofit Organiza on U.S. Postage PAID St. David, AZ Permit No. 5 JULY 2015 St. David Heritage & Cultural Arts Society Our Mission: To serve the community of St. David and the San Pedro Valley as a society enabling the preservation and development of our historical and physical heritage, while promoting the cultural arts. EVENTS & NEWS ALL IN A DAY S WORK - St. David PIONEER DAYS Set for JULY 17-18 18 LOLA SCOTT MERRILL 2015 GRAND MARSHALL Pictured here with husband, Burt, on wedding day in 1948 Facebook: St. David Heritage & Cultural Arts Society SaintDavidHeritge@gmail.com INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Kartchner Caverns - a Family Experience More on Lola Merrill 2 Pioneer Days Schedule Apache Powder & San Pedro Valley History - Telling Stories with Video 2 Insert St.. David Trees & ADOT 3 Lansing Auditorium 3 Legacy Piano Concert 3 FREE St. David History Books, BBQ Member Discounts, Fireworks Drawings, Quilt Tickets 3 4 Who doesn t love parades, history, frog races, watermelon contests, barbecues, foot rodeos, music under the stars and fireworks? If you celebrated St. David Pioneer Days with us last July, you know it will be a ton of fun, and a great opportunity to spend me with family, see old friends, and make new ones. Here are some things you will want to know: The theme for this year s parade and events is All in A Day s Work. We d love to have you or your organiza on be in the parade, be a vendor, donate a drawing item, or help with an event. See the Pioneer Days insert inside for more informa on. A schedule of events is included on the Pioneer Days insert in this issue, and on our website and Facebook pages. Ques ons? Email us! (See addresses at le ). Please spread the word to others who have been a part of the St. David com LOLA MERRILL -- Grand Marshall, 2015 Pioneer Days Parade All in A Day s Work is the theme for this year s Pioneer Days celebra on in St. David on July 17 18. Appropriately, the Grand Marshall for the Pioneer Day parade will be Lola Coons Merrill, a stalwart example of the value of good, honest work and the sa sfac on that comes from doing your best each day. Lola Merrill says she was surprised to be selected as the Grand Marshall, but all who know her recognize her steady dedica on to doing whatever she can to serve her family, church, and community throughout the years, and to doing it with a smile. She has always had an interest in preserving the history of the San Pedro Valley and helping others with their family history research and con nues to be a resource for any who are likewise interested. Lola was born in Pomerene to Louis A. and Silva Coons Sco, and graduated from Benson High School in 1947. She married Burt Merrill of St. David in 1948 and together they raised a family of seven children through good mes and hard (Continued on page 2) munity in the past, or who love this area. Like us on Facebook and invite others to do the same. FIREWORKS DONATIONS NEEDED will you help? Make a Fireworks dona on and qualify for great Pioneer Days drawing prizes and more. See back page for details; learn how to receive a FREE St. David history book with your Heritage Quilt ticket order, fireworks, membership, or other contribution. 2015 Heritage Quilt Benefits St. David Schools Queen Size, by Wilda Dillman Valued at $1,500 NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN SEE PIONEER DAY INSERT OR ORDER FORM ON PAGE 4 FOR TICKET INFO
JULY 2015 Kartchner Caverns: A Family Experience ST. DAVID HERITAGE & CULTURAL ARTS SOCIETY PAGE 2 Many of the sons and daughters and grandchildren of James and Lois Kartchner lived in the Benson St. David area in 1978 when two spelunkers made it known to the family that they had discovered a world class cavern system on the family s ranch in the Whetstone Mountains. Over the next 10 years, family members met, explored, pondered, and planned, largely in secret, how to preserve the caverns in a way that would both protect and share this marvelous resource. On Friday, July 18, 7:00 p.m., in the Lansing Auditorium in St. David Schools 1938 Building, join a conversa on with several of the Kartchner siblings who will share what it was like being involved in the mul faceted project. Bring your curiosity and your ques ons! (Above) Fred and Beverly Kartchner examine a shield and flowstone by carbide lantern and flashlight on an early trip inside the caverns. (Right) It s a wonder that the cave remained a secret when family members returned home looking like this couple. Children were not told about the caves until they were in high school, and then they helped with the exploration. Pictured are Sue and Paul Kartchner. (Lola Merrill -- Continued from page 1) mes. Now a widow, she keeps busy with a wide variety of projects. Burt and Lola were true partners in providing for their family. Early on in their marriage they operated Don s Coffee Shop in Benson, and then Burt went to work for Apache Powder Company doing maintenance under Walter McRae. A er a year or so in Utah, they came to live in St. David in 1951 and Burt worked for Max Fenn at Benson s Shamrock Dairy and delivered milk to Bisbee. In 1954, the Merrills bought a dairy on South Miller Lane from Loyd Miller, and partnered with Kent and Deene Johnson in the dairy business. Their large investment in dairy ca le from Oklahoma was eventually lost in a ba le with brucellosis, a disease which requires the slaughter of infected ca le, and by 1964, the dairy was returned to the Millers. Burt and Lola determined to work hard to pay off the resul ng debts, even though it took a number of years of both of them being employed to do so. Declaring bankruptcy and avoiding our debts was never a considera on, Lola says. We just knew it was the right thing to do to pay them off, but those were some pre y lean years for us and our children. Lola took employment at Libby Air Field on the Ft. Huachuca Army base, where a highlight was a once in a life me ride in one of the small helicopters. She also worked for Spencer Merrill at the St. David store, and remembers when a fire destroyed the store. Her memory of the way the community worked together to help get the store back in opera on s ll brings her a smile. A number of St. David residents came together and encouraged Spencer Merrill to put in an order for grocery goods, and then built shelves in a storage building behind the burnt store and stocked and marked the goods for sale upon their arrival. Eventually the store was rebuilt and is recognizable today as Grandma Goodman s a er St. David s first store operator in the 1880s. Burt did dozer work with Carl Davis in the Sunsites area, dug water tanks in the county, and constructed the Dragoon Post Office. In 1965, he returned to work at Apache Powder Company under Laddie Richey, helping to construct the prill tower. Lola was employed a total of 15 years as a secretary for St. David Schools under J.A. Kartchner and Bruce Gibson. She re red when the dairy debts were paid off in full and Burt had a job in the Cochise County Assessor s office. Eventually Burt served as the Coun ty Assessor and as president of the Arizona Associa on of Coun es. When he re red in 1992 he began a full me job of farming and raising ca le. With a large family and strained resources, everyone was expected to work. Lola says, We worked early in the morning and late at night, and the children knew that chores were to be done before anything else. Now they thank me for teaching them to work! She remembers that during the years when she was employed outside the home during the week, Saturday was baking day. I would bake eight to ten loaves of bread so there would be plenty for the family for the coming week. That evening we would have beans and cheaters for supper, referring to the fry bread and beans that cheated the family out of one more loaf of baked bread. Lola Merrill truly represents a tradi on of integrity and hard work not uncommon in the heritage of the San Pedro Valley and her life is in keeping with the Pioneer Days theme, All in A Day s Work. The parade begins at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, and travels from Merrill Drive and N. Miller Lane to the St. David School parking lot. North Miller Lane will be closed to vehicles star ng at 8:45 a.m. (Left) Lola and Burt Merrill celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 1998. (Below) Burt and his father, Rusty Merrill, stand atop a load of hay hauled from Willcox for the dairy on South Miller Lane in St. David.
JULY 2015 ST. DAVID HERITAGE & CULTURAL ARTS SOCIETY PAGE 3 Important Bits & Pieces COOL!! HVAC INSTALLED IN LANSING AUDITORIUM A wonderful hea ng and cooling system is in place in St. David Schools Lansing Auditorium, just in me for Pioneer Days. Thanks to generous donors, fundraising efforts, and a USDA Rural Development grant, the St. David Heritage Society provided the school district with funding for the $48,000 project. Enjoy the comfort at future events! ST. DAVID TREES SUBJECT OF FUTURE MEETING WITH ADOT Thanks to those of you who have donated to the St. David Trees fund, and the trees are definitely looking be er. However, concerns were raised in March following removal and heavy pruning of a few of the trees along Hwy 80 in St. David. A phone mee ng between ADOT representa ves as well as members of the St. David Heritage Society and the St. David Irriga on District made it clear that ADOT does not plan to maintain or replace the trees over the long haul. Watch for more informa on regarding a community mee ng with ADOT some me in August or September. AUDITORIUM GETTING A FACELIFT Many volunteers, under the direc on of Michele Judd, have been prepping the Lansing Auditorium for a new paint job. Using the JustServe.org website, a clearinghouse for community service projects, individuals and families and Scout groups have cleaned walls and sea ng and more. With more volunteers pledged and a $500 dona on of paint from Sherwin Williams, a new look is around the corner. Thanks to all! (Right) Mary Lou Clerc helps with cleaning. SOLVING MYSTERIES ON FACEBOOK We have o en been asked to help iden fy people or places in an old St. David photo or family story. If you will email to us (saintdavidheritage@gmail.com) your photos, histories, and your ques ons, we can post them on our Facebook page and see if together we can solve some mysteries! Look us up on Facebook: St. David Heritage & Cultural Arts Society. Ask your friends to Like our page, and soon we ll have lots of poten al St. David sleuths. LIMITED QUANTITIES REMAIN of the St. David Commemora ve Plate depic ng the now razed LDS Chapel which stood at the corner of Hwy 80 and Church Street, 1948 2014. The beau ful pain ng by Karina Bryant Stanger is a fi ng remembrance, and the plate comes with a historical booklet filled with photos and informa on. To order, see form on page 4, or contact us. The booklets can also be purchased separately. Apache Powder Stories & More How many of you or your loved ones ever worked at Apache Powder Co., now known as Apache Nitrogen Products? The plant, located in the hills west of St. David, has a fascina ng and important history stretching back to the 1920s. On Saturday, July 18, following the Pioneer Days parade, Larry Sco of Benson will show a series of several short videos in the Lansing Auditorium, telling the story of Apache Powder Company, our neighbor and regional employer for nearly 100 years. A erward, he will share his thoughts and experiences in digital archiving of historic photos and documents. He is becoming more ac ve with our community in long range plans to make our history more accessible and appealing to the community and to researchers. Come enjoy the cool of our new air condi oning! Apache Nitrogen Products is a major donor to the rehabilita on of the Lansing Auditorium and 1938 Elementary Building, as well as a contribu ng sponsor of the St. David Pioneer Days celebra on. WOULD YOU LIKE TO OWN AN APACHE POWDER DYNAMITE BOX? Four of them will find home with Pioneer Days a endees on July 17 18: One will be given away at the Kartchner Caverns discussion on Friday evening, July 17. Two will go to fireworks drawings cket holders, and one more to the silent auc on winner on Saturday evening, July 18. Legacy Piano Concert Thrills Audience A dream come true for Mary Pat Lansing, the April 2015 Legacy Piano Concert brought together the talents of some of our area s beloved musicians and music teachers, and a plea for con nued support of arts educa on. The performers included, le to right below, Ron Higginbotham, Melanie Young Davis, Mary Pat Lansing, Kathy Weber Coon, and Glennis Merrill Miller. One highlight of the evening was an original composi on by Kathy Coon, performed with Ronnie Higginbotham, in honor of Kathy s musical mentors. JOIN US FOR OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS Learn some local history and help with a variety of historical and cultural projects. We ve been mee ng the second Wednesday of the month, 3:00 4:30 p.m., at the 1938 Building at St. David School. If you would like an email reminder, email us at saintdavidheritage@gmail.com. We d love to have you join with us and even share some of your historical findings.
ST. DAVID HERITAGE & CULTURAL ARTS SOCIETY P.O. Box 3 St. David, AZ 85630 E-mail: SaintDavidHeritage@gmail.com Editor: Sue Kartchner, 520-720-4407 We re on the web - SaintDavidHeritage.org Like and Follow us on FACEBOOK: St. David Heritage & Cultural Arts Society St. David Heritage & Cultural Arts Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Donations to SDHCAS are tax-deductible. Projects of SDHCAS include: St. David Trees History Publications & Lectures Broadway & Beyond! 1938 Building Rehabilitation Archiving Local History St. David Fort Monument Bell Monument & Bricks 1880s Historic Military Ball Heritage Museum Room St. David Pioneer Days Alumni Class Photos This Newsle er is available electronically by email and on our website. If you would like to receive it as a PDF document by email, please send your request to us at SaintDavidHeritage@gmail.com. If you know of others who live outside of St. David who would enjoy receiving the newsle er, please forward it to them, or send us their email address. We will use your email address for Heritage Society business only and will not share it with others. PAGE 4 FREE! - 2015 5 th Edition St. David History Book The popular history of early St. David, Mormon Pioneers of the San Pedro Valley St. David, Arizona is available FREE with each $50 in Heritage Quilt ckets, fireworks drawing ckets, membership and/or other contribu on placed with the order form below. As always, copies may also be ordered below for $12; $10 each for two or more. Fireworks Donations = Drawing Tickets + Fun Fireworks are fun AND expensive! Your dona ons make them possible, and our vendors and others have provided great prizes in exchange for your help. Tickets are available with the form below or at events. Drawing prizes will be awarded at the July 18 evening events, 6:00 9:00 p.m. on the football field, prior to the fireworks. Tickets: $1 each; 12 for $10; 25 for $20. Keep one side and place the stubs in the prize bags of your choice that evening. If you order with this form, you can pick them up on the football field July 18. Save $1 Per Plate at the Pioneer Day BBQ! Current or new Heritage Society members will receive a $1 per plate discount at the July 18 BBQ. Join or renew below, or at the BBQ. Membership dona ons fund our newsle ers and allow other dona ons to directly fund our projects. Receive discounts or special offers at all our events. Fabulous Silent Auction Items - Airplane ride, Apache Powder Box, Hay & More... A special addi on to our evening Pioneer Days ac vi es is the silent auc on prior to the fireworks. Check it out! To donate an item, email us or call Sandy, 520 686 2021. ST. DAVID PIONEER DAYS 2015! Together we can celebrate St. David Pioneer Days with Festivities and Fireworks, and help the St. David School District complete the rehabilitation of the 1938 Elementary building and Lansing Auditorium. Will you join us? YES! I d like to help in the following ways: I d like HERITAGE QUILT TICKETS* (Quilt value $1,500) 1 for $5 3 for $10 7 for $20 20 for $50 Other (Need not be present to win) I m enclosing a Tax-Deductible Contribution* (Specify amounts in the spaces provided): 2015 PIONEER DAYS FIREWORKS! (Pick up your Drawing tickets July 18 @ the football field) 1938 Building Fund St. David Trees Fund Histories / Monuments Wherever Needed I m making a tax-deductible ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP CONTRIBUTION* ($1 off per plate at Pioneer Day BBQ): $15 Individual $25 Couple $30 Family *MY CONTRIBUTIONS & QUILT TICKET ORDER at left total $50 or more. Please send a FREE St. David History book for each $50. COMMEMORATIVE PLATE* - St. David LDS Chapel, 1948-2014 * Includes Historical Booklet plates (pick up in St. David) $30 / $25 each for 2 or more plates (mailed) ; $30 / $25 ADD Priority Shipping: For 1-2 plates $15, For each 3 plates $20 Historical Booklets (without plate) $5 each 2015 New printing 5th edition of the St. David history book, Mormon Pioneers of the San Pedro Valley copies ($12 or $10 each for 2 or more) NAME ADDRESS EMAIL PHONE QUILT TICKETS $ CONTRIBUTIONS $ BOOKS $ TOTAL ENCLOSED $ QUESTIONS? Email saintdavidheritage@gmail.com or Call 520-720-4407 or see website, www.saintdavidheritage.org Make Checks Payable to SDHCAS, and mail to SDHCAS, PO Box 3, St. David, AZ 85630
JULY 17-18 ALL IN A DAY S WORK -- SCHEDULE OF EVENTS - Events take place at St. David School unless noted otherwise - FRIDAY, JULY 17 5:00-7:00 PM St. David History Demonstration: Plowing with Horses & Oxen by Dr. Andy Mayberry. Meet at the empty lot at the SW corner of Hwy 80 & Miller Lane. Try your hand! 7:00 PM History Conversation: A Family Experience: Exploring & Developing Kartchner Caverns. Several members of the Kartchner family will host the discussion, share experiences, and take questions. Lansing Auditorium in the 1938 Elementary Building, St. David School. SATURDAY, JULY 18 9:00 AM Traditional Pioneer Day Parade, N. Miller Lane Theme: All In A Day s Work. Road closes to vehicles at 8:45 AM. 9:30 AM-Noon Old-fashioned Games & More on school grounds (Crawford Field). Bring a frog if you want! 9:45 AM-11:30 AM Historical Presentation: Telling San Pedro Valley Stories in Video & Print. Larry Scott, working with ANPI on a potential book about the history of Apache Powder Company, will present short videos about our area and discuss a vision for collecting and sharing historic photos and stories. Repeating presentation; come cool off with the new air conditioning! Lansing Auditorium 11:00-1:00 PM Traditional BBQ in K-Hall. BBQ Beef, Beans, Cole Slaw, Tortilla, Chips & Salsa, Drinks, Dessert. $6 Adult/$5 under 12; $1 discount per plate with Heritage Society membership 2:30-5:30 PM Old Fashioned Family Foot Rodeo at Post Arena, Milepost 296, Hwy 80, between St. David and Benson 6:00-9:00 PM EVENING EVENTS - at St. David High School s football field, Apache Nitrogen Stadium -- Food and Craft Vendors. Support neighbors & local organizations Visit and Picnic on football field; bring your blankets and chairs Music under the stars Fireworks Donation Drawing Prizes & Silent Auction Heritage Quilt Drawing (Value $1,500) GRAND FINALE FIREWORKS! Fireworks Donations will be Greatly Appreciated & Will Qualify for Drawing Prizes Special thanks to Apache Nitrogen Products, Arizona s G&T Cooperatives, St. David Volunteer Fire Department, R&R Pizza, St. David Schools, St. David Ward, Patton Ward, San Pedro Ward, St. David Heritage & Cultural Arts Society IF YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS WOULD LIKE TO DONATE A DRAWING OR SILENT AUCTION ITEM, CALL WILDA, 520 720 9440, OR EMAIL SAINTDAVIDHERITAGE@GMAIL.COM HERITAGE QUILT DRAWING Queen Size Quilt - Red, White, Blue, Black by Wilda Dillman ($1,500 Value) Awarded July 18 - just before the Fireworks Benefits St. David Schools TICKETS: $5; 3 for $10; 7 for $20, 20 for $50 At Pioneer Days Events St. David School Office St. David Water Office The Cowboy Way, Benson Call Wilda 520-720-9440 Email saintdavidheritage@gmail.com Print newsletter order form: *Need Not be Present to Win* YES, WE WANT YOUR ENTRY IN THE PARADE! Theme: All in a Day s Work. For info, or to register, call 520-720-4469 or send an email to: SaintDavidHeritage@gmail.com VENDORS: Contact Lori Arnold by email at lori.arnold66@gmail.com (put Vendor Fair in the subject line), or call 520-221-1133. For more details: Facebook: St. David Heritage & Cultural Arts Society Please Like and Share!