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Payson () is a town in northern
Gila County Gila County ( ) is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,272. The county seat is Globe. Gila County comprises the Payson, Arizona micropolitan statistical area which is incl ...
,
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
, United States. Due to Payson's location being very near to the geographic center of Arizona, it has been called "The Heart of Arizona." Payson is also considered part of the colloquially defined Northern Arizona region, and the town serves as a gateway to the vast wilderness of the
Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau is a physiographic and desert region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the Southwestern United States. This plateau covers an area of 336,700 km2 (130,000 mi2) within w ...
. The town is surrounded by the Tonto National Forest, the largest of the six national forests in Arizona—and the ninth largest national forest in the United States. Payson boasts a lively festival calendar, including The World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo, established in 1884, as well as the Arizona State Old Time Fiddlin' Championship which celebrates the area's musical heritage. As of the 2020 census, the population of Payson was 16,361.


History

Prior to the arrival of European-American settlers, the area was known as Te-go-suk—or Place of the Yellow Water—by the Dilzhe'e
Apache The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...
. The area was also historically inhabited by the Yavapai and other Oasisamerican peoples, including the
Hohokam Hohokam was a culture in the Indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest, North American Southwest in what is now part of south-central Arizona, United States, and Sonora, Mexico. It existed between 300 and 1500 CE, with cultural p ...
, Mogollon, Salado, and Sinagua cultures. In 1882, considered to be the founding year of Payson, area settlers established a logging, mining, and ranching hamlet called 'Green Valley." That same year, the
Battle of Big Dry Wash The Battle of Big Dry Wash was fought on July 17, 1882, between troops of the United States Army's 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment (United States), 3rd Cavalry Regiment and 6th Cavalry Regiment (United States), 6th Cavalry Regiment and warriors of t ...
—fought between troops of the United States Army's 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 6th Cavalry Regiment, and members of the White Mountain Apache Tribe—took place just north of town on the
Mogollon Rim The Mogollon Rim ( or or ) is a topography, topographical and geological feature cutting across Northern Arizona, the northern half of the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately , starting in northern Yavapai County, Arizona, Yavapa ...
. The battle occurred within the greater context of the
Apache Wars The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States Army and various Apache tribal confederations fought in the Southwestern United States, southwest between 1849 and 1886, though minor hostilities continued until as l ...
. On March 3, 1884, a post office was built in Green Valley with the help of Illinois Representative Levi Joseph Payson. In honor of the representative's help, the town's name was changed to "Payson". Payson held its first
rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...
in 1884. The town declares the competition to be the world's oldest and continuous rodeo as it has been held every year since. In 1918, author Zane Grey made his first trip to the area surrounding Payson. He would visit with regularity through 1929, and he purchased two plots of land near Tonto Creek, including from Sampson Elam Boles under Myrtle Point. Grey wrote numerous books about the area, and he also filmed movies in the area, such as '' To the Last Man''. His cabin is located in Green Valley park. During
Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...
, the manufacture, sale, and distribution of liquor was plentiful in Payson. These transactions took place on historic Bootleg Alley. "Payson Dew", brewed across 30 to 40 stills in the Payson area, was coveted from as far away as Los Angeles. The drink helped to reinvigorate Payson’s economy. During the 1930s, an effort was initiated to better connect Payson to the outside world through the construction of roads and highways. At that time, the town was very isolated—with a trip from Phoenix to Payson taking eight to twelve hours. Throughout the 1950s, work progressed on a paved road from Phoenix to Payson, and the road was completed in 1958. The highway, State Route 87 (also known as the "Beeline Highway"), was later expanded to four lanes. Payson was officially incorporated in 1973.


Ellison Creek and East Verde River flooding

On July 15, 2017, heavy rains from upstream of the creek and river caused the waterways to swell, subsequently leading to downstream flooding. This flash flood crucially affected the popular Water Wheel swimming hole where 10 people were killed and 4 others were injured.


Geography

Payson is located in northern Gila County—within the hilly and mountainous terrain of the Arizona transition zone. The town sits at an elevation of , and it has a total area of . The
Mogollon Rim The Mogollon Rim ( or or ) is a topography, topographical and geological feature cutting across Northern Arizona, the northern half of the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately , starting in northern Yavapai County, Arizona, Yavapa ...
, the southern boundary of the
Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau is a physiographic and desert region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the Southwestern United States. This plateau covers an area of 336,700 km2 (130,000 mi2) within w ...
, lies to the north of Payson, with elevations exceeding . There are several cold water lakes on top of the rim; they are stocked with fish by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Payson is adjacent to the Tonto Apache Reservation, and it is bordered to the east by the town of Star Valley. Other nearby communities are
Pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. ''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as cu ...
,
Strawberry The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown Hybrid (biology), hybrid plant cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The genus ''Fragaria'', the strawberries, is in the rose family, Rosaceae. The fruit ...
, Gisela,
Rye Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is grown principally in an area from Eastern and Northern Europe into Russia. It is much more tolerant of cold weather and poor soil than o ...
, Round Valley, and Oxbow Estates, all within Gila County.
Globe A globe is a spherical Earth, spherical Model#Physical model, model of Earth, of some other astronomical object, celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but, unlike maps, they do not distort the surface ...
, the Gila County seat, is to the south via State Routes 87 and 188. State Route 87, the Beeline Highway, leads southwest to Phoenix and northeast to Winslow. State Route 260 leads east to Show Low.


Zane Grey Country

" Zane Grey Country" is a term for the area around Payson. This term was most often used in the 1970s and 1980s, and appeared in the header of the local newspaper, the ''Payson Roundup''. In recent times, it has fallen somewhat out of favor, as the term "Rim Country" has become more popular among locals.


Climate

Owing to its elevation of , Payson is in a transitional area between a
hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Csa'') and a cold semi-arid climate (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''BSk''). The town straddles USDA
Hardiness Zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...
7b and 8a, and it is surrounded by high desert pinyon-juniper woodlands,
ponderosa pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine, is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is t ...
, and the mixed conifer forests of the
Mogollon Rim The Mogollon Rim ( or or ) is a topography, topographical and geological feature cutting across Northern Arizona, the northern half of the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately , starting in northern Yavapai County, Arizona, Yavapa ...
escarpment. Winter is often sunny with mild, breezy days and cold nights. In December and January, nighttime lows typically fall below —with the coldest nights of the year falling below . By mid-afternoon, however, average daytime temperatures surpass . While most winter precipitation falls as rain, Payson receives an average of of snow each year, spread across six days of measurable snowfall. Snow melts rapidly, and any lingering snow cover is minimal. In December 1967, Payson experienced a record-breaking snowfall, with more than of snow falling over eight days. Locally referred to as the "Storm of the Century," the 1967 event caused immense disruption and damage in the area—downing trees, toppling power lines, and caving in roofs. Spring weather in Payson is windy and highly variable—with warm, sometimes hot weather intermixed with late-season snowfall and rain. Colorful wildflowers are common in the spring. Blooms include blanketflowers, daisies, golden columbines, globemallows, irises, lupines, penstemons, poppies, primroses, vervains, wallflowers, and the golds and fuchsias of
cactus A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...
flowers. While average summer daytime temperatures climb above , the town's elevation keeps it protected from the extreme heat found in Arizona's lowland deserts. Early summer is characterized by hot and dry weather, with elevated wildfire risk, whereas mid-to-late summer is tempered by the North American Monsoon. The monsoon brings frequent, sometimes severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and flash floods. On average, Payson receives of monsoonal moisture—approximately 35% of its annual precipitation—across the months of July, August, and September. Autumn is characterized by stable weather and gradually cooling temperatures. Fall foliage peaks from late October through mid-November, and colors are most vibrant in the escarpment canyons of the
Mogollon Rim The Mogollon Rim ( or or ) is a topography, topographical and geological feature cutting across Northern Arizona, the northern half of the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately , starting in northern Yavapai County, Arizona, Yavapa ...
and nearby riparian zones.
Diurnal temperature variation In meteorology, diurnal temperature variation is the variation between a high air temperature and a low temperature that occurs during the same day. Temperature lag Temperature lag, also known as thermal inertia, is an important factor in diur ...
is large throughout the year.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2019, there were 15,297 people living in Payson, AZ and is the 2,788th largest city in the United States. 5,832 households, and 4,070 families residing in the town. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was 791 people per square mile, which is 1275% higher than the Arizona average and 773% higher than the national average. There were 7,033 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 92.5%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.2%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 2.6% Native American, 0.5% Asian, <0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 3.0% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 9.3% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. There were 5,832 households, out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.71. In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.1% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 15.3% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 36.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57.1 years. This is approximately 54% higher than the Arizona average of 37. The male/female ratio was 0.9:1. English was spoken by 93% of people and Spanish was spoken by 5% of people. The median income for a household in the town was $33,638, and the median income for a family was $38,713. Males had a median income of $30,900 versus $23,750 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $19,513. About 6.5% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.


Recreation

The
United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Natio ...
has jurisdiction of 97% of the land around Payson; the town is surrounded by the Tonto National Forest and by tribal governments. Much of the land is available for recreational activities. Payson is home to several hiking trails—notably the Cypress/Boulders trail system and nearby
Mogollon Rim The Mogollon Rim ( or or ) is a topography, topographical and geological feature cutting across Northern Arizona, the northern half of the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately , starting in northern Yavapai County, Arizona, Yavapa ...
trails (including Horton Creek trail). The Tonto Natural Bridge, the largest known natural bridge in the world, is located just northwest of Payson in Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, a unit of the Arizona State Park system. The area incorporates three golf courses, two of which belong to private country clubs. Mazatzal Casino, a tribal casino, is operated by the Tonto Apache Reservation near the south end of town. The Payson area is a popular destination for rock hounds. In various areas surrounding the community,
quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The Atom, atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen Tetrahedral molecular geometry, tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tet ...
crystals can be found, some rivaling
Herkimer diamond Herkimer diamonds are double terminated crystal, double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite (rock), dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York, and the Mohawk River Valley in the US. They are not diamon ...
s in quality, as well as
geode A geode (; ) is a geology, geological secondary formation within sedimentary rock, sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Geodes are hollow, vaguely spherical rocks, in which masses of mineral matter (which may include crystals) are secluded. The crys ...
s,
agate Agate ( ) is a banded variety of chalcedony. Agate stones are characterized by alternating bands of different colored chalcedony and sometimes include macroscopic quartz. They are common in nature and can be found globally in a large number of d ...
and onyx.
Fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ...
s are commonly found in the
Paleozoic The Paleozoic ( , , ; or Palaeozoic) Era is the first of three Era (geology), geological eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. Beginning 538.8 million years ago (Ma), it succeeds the Neoproterozoic (the last era of the Proterozoic Eon) and ends 251.9 Ma a ...
strata In geology and related fields, a stratum (: strata) is a layer of Rock (geology), rock or sediment characterized by certain Lithology, lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by v ...
that is exposed along the Mogollon Rim to the north and west of Payson along State Route 87 and State Route 260. Payson has two parks, Green Valley Park and Rumsey Park. It also has two lakes, which are part of the Urban Fish Program. Payson hosts free outdoor concerts in the summer. Other activities include intramural sports like baseball and football. Payson also has a small skate park. Payson hosts a Fourth of July fireworks display at Green Valley Park.


Culture

Payson is the site of the annual Arizona State Old Time Fiddlin' Championship, held in September. The fiddle contest features both local and nationally known instrumentalists, and it awards cash prizes.


Rodeos

Payson hosts two rodeos. In May, the Multi-Purpose Event Center near the Tonto Apache Reservation hosts the Gary Hardt Memorial Rodeo. In August, Payson hosts the historic August Doin's Rodeo (1884), which makes Payson the "Home of the World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo".
Prescott, Arizona Prescott ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. As of 2020 United States census, 2020 Census, the city's population was 45,827. In 1864, Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona Territory, r ...
, 100 miles to the northwest, is known for hosting the "World's Oldest Rodeo" (1888), but it took a hiatus during World War II.


Mogollon Monster

Forestlands surrounding Payson, and throughout central, northern, and eastern Arizona, serve as the backdrop to the legend of the Mogollon Monster—described as a large,
bipedal Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an animal moves by means of its two rear (or lower) limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning 'two feet' (from Latin ''bis'' ...
, ape-like creature with a pungent smell, similar to Bigfoot. The legend came to local prominence in 1947 when a "big, hairy beast" raided a Boy Scout camp near Tonto Creek.


Public services


Education

The town is served by the Payson Unified School District.
Text list
/ref> A branch of Gila Community College is located in Payson.


Police department

The Payson Police Department serves both the Town of Payson and Town of Star Valley. , the department is authorized to staff 32 sworn officers which includes the chief, lieutenant, five sergeants, four detectives, two school resource officers, two specialty positions (GIITEM and Traffic), and patrol. In 2021, officers responded to more than 16,000 calls for service. The police department also staffs a 24/7 dispatch center that is the primary public safety answering point (PSAP) for northern Gila County. In addition to dispatching for Payson PD, they also dispatch for the Town of Payson Fire Department, Hellsgate Fire District, Pine/Strawberry Fire District, Christopher Kohls Fire District, Waterwheel Fire District, and Gisela Valley Fire District.


Transportation

The Payson Senior Center operates the Beeline Bus, which provides local bus service to Payson, Star Valley, and Mesa del Caballo. Mountain Valley Shuttle stops in Payson on its PhoenixShow Low route.


Historic structures

The following are images of some of the historic structures recognized by the local government. * The Haught Cabin – Henry and Sarah Haught built their log cabin in 1904 of alternating layers of logs and chinking in Roberts Mesa. The Haught's cabin measured 10′ by 18′. It had a dirt floor and no windows. The cabin was moved to Tonto Creek and by 1930, it was abandoned. In 1999, the cabin was moved once more, this time to the Green Valley Park and reassembled on the museum's grounds which is located at 700 South Green Valley Parkway. * The Sidles Mud House – Henry Sidles built the poured mud home in 1882. The mud house, located at 505A W. Main Street, was later purchased by August and Wilhelmina Pieper. * The Pieper Mansion – August and Wilhelmina Pieper built a new house which became known as the "Pieper Mansion" in 1893. Located at 505 W. Main Street, the Piepers moved in and used the Sidles mud house for storage. * The Ranger Station – This is the oldest Ranger Station still standing in the Southwest. It belonged to the Payson Ranger District of the National Tonto Forest. The station was built in 1907.Smithsonian Magazine
/ref> * The Ranger Family House – was built in 1933 and is the oldest Ranger Family House still standing in the Southwest. * The Ranger Office – was built in 1932 and together with the Ranger Station and the Ranger Family House completes the ranger complex of the Payson Ranger District. The three properties are located on the grounds of what is now the Green Valley Park. * The Ox Bow Inn and Saloon – built in 1933 and located at 607 W Main Street. The log inn was built as the Payson Hotel and the restaurant was named the Busy Bee. In 1945 the business was purchased and expanded by Jimmy Cox, who renamed the hotel the Ox Bow Inn. The property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 2004, ref.: #04001073. * The Tonto Natural Bridge – The landscape formation is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world.


Gallery

File:Payson-(A) Main Street Payson.jpg, Historic Payson Main Street File:Payson-Haught Cabin-1904-1.jpg, Haught Cabin File:Payson-Pieper mansion-505 W. Main St.-1890-1.jpg , Pieper Mansion File:Payson-Sidles Mud House-505A W. Main St.-1882-2.jpg , Sidles Mud House File:Payson-Tonto National Forest- Ranger Station-1907.jpg , Ranger Station File:Payson-Tonto National Forest-Ranger Family House-1933.jpg , Ranger Family House File:Payson-Tonto National Forest-Ranger Office-1932.jpg , Ranger Office File:Payson-Ox Bow Inn and Saloon-1933.jpg , Ox Bow Inn and Saloon File:A097, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, Arizona, USA, 2004.jpg, Tonto Natural Bridge


References


External links


Town of Payson official website

''Payson Roundup''
local newspaper
Payson visitors' site

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

Tonto National Forest
{{authority control Populated places of the Mogollon Rim Micropolitan areas of Arizona Towns in Gila County, Arizona Populated places established in 1882 1882 establishments in Arizona Territory