Joseph City, Arizona - My hometown

Just a quiet little town..

Joseph City is a quiet little town, which until the building of a power plant by Arizona Public Service some years ago, was primarily a farming community. It has little in the way of esthetics to recommend itself to the reader, but is a marvelous place to raise children. The Hatch family have lived in Joseph City for nearly 35 years, and are one of the "newcomers", as this community has strong family roots for the Hansen's, the Tanner's, the Despain's, and others.

One of the largest employers of our town folk is the Cholla Generating Station, owned by Arizona Public Service.

The Rock Art Ranch.

Brantley, Katie, and the Kids of the Baird family have spent much time and cash in putting together the Rock Art Ranch. They would have me mention their friend Clem Rogers, without whom the task would have been much more difficult. For a great experience, I recommend a visit to the Ranch for just a fun time, or perhaps for a family reunion....Great food, great fun, and lively entertainment at a price far below comparable experiences elsewhere!!

Sometime when you have a while to listen, it'd be good to have someone tell you the story of the hardy pioneers who settled this area. The men and women who created this "wide spot in the road" that is known as Joseph City. Their's is a tale of hardship, of dis-appointment, of heartbreak like few have lived through. And yet, because they persevered, they have left a legacy to the folks who now honor them worth more than the riches of this world. These folks watched as numerous attempts at erecting a dam on the Little Colorado,were washed away. Yet they rebuilt, and struggled to make this Arizona soil produce their living. Because of their efforts, we now have relative ease, both in agriculture, and life in general.. I, for one, give a generous "Thank You", to those good men and women, may we each strive to live up to their standards!!!

   I think a note to all you folks who live in the cities, and who think that a small town is a better place to live, may I say that indeed that is true. You should understand, however, that the selfishness you see in your cities is in full bloom in small towns, it is simply that it often takes a different avenue.
  While there are an inordinate number of lazy, welfare individuals in most cities, you will find in small towns that the selfish nature is that of individuals securing for themselves and their families, benefits from whatever arm of government may be available in their individual towns. In Joseph City, for instance, perhaps the largest employer is the public school system. We find families and individuals who will, due to either their own, or their family's employement in the school district, look the other way when principles of right and wrong are violated, so long as those violations accrue to themselves a benefit. These are basically good, honorable men and women, who would be the first to raise their voices in opposition to such actions were there no benefits to themselves. It is a constant amazement to me how the people of America, and even my little town will rationalize away any action which is beneficial to themselves, while abhoring such otherwise!!
  So, come on to small town America, but bring with you a firm resolve to stand fast to principle regardless of the benefits, or lack there-of. While our little town have many who bend with dollar signs, there are a great many strong, honorable men and women as well.

TAYLOR, ARIZONA

   Now that I've told you about my kids' hometown, may I just tell you that like most men, I believe, my true hometown remains the town of my youth. I grew up in a little town on the banks of the Silver Creek, about 40 miles south of Joseph City. No young man ever lived in a better place and at a better time in history than did I.. Taylor Arizona in the 1950s is that type of town of which movies are made... Andy and Opie would have been right at home in the Taylor of my youth. Whether it was swimming at the old Willow Hole, riding Rex Shumways cows, playing marbles, or hanging around Speed's Garage, the days were full and fulfilling. These were years of community and national pride which put to shame the attitudes of today.
   Now the reader needs to understand that Taylor is but 3 short miles from the town of Snowflake-- in my youth there was a friendly, yet serious competition between these two communities. As I have grown older, the competition has wained, but the desire to keep the identity of my hometown seperate from Snowflake remains. There are those in Snowflake who look as Taylor as merely a suburb of their town, and I tend to have the same feelings in reverse. You'll notice that even the link I put in above has that dreaded "Snowflake-Taylor" phrase!!!
    There had been some disputation over the years as to the senority between the two towns. It should be noted that my Grandfather, James Pearce, along with other fine families, officially founded Taylor, Arizona on January 23, 1878, several months prior to the founding of the "younger" Snowflake.. The reader may well think this to be nit-picking by myself, and you would be right.. But the pride of some of the families in the Taylor-Snowflake region prompts me to make sure the facts are correct.
    As a final note, one should understand that the property which is now Taylor was purchased by my Grandfather and others with their own monies, sweat, and struggle, not relying upon the aid of anyone else nor using any monies from the Church. Perhaps not a point of any particular worth, but we do take some strange sort of pride in the self reliance and dedication or our forefathers, both in Taylor as well as Snowflake..

I'm going to tell you more later about Taylor, but just know for now that even after having been living away from it's boundaries for about 35 years, I still feel totally at home when I return. Those men and women who established Taylor were the same breed as those spoken of above, and their blood runs in my veins, of which I am very proud..