Your Roundup

What do you think of when you hear the term Payson history? What things do you associate with it?

I only go back as far as 1975 Tim.

There were no stoplights, lush green forest at intersection 87/260, there was a Yellow Front Store, women wore blue jeans and "waffle stompers," no high heels and pantyhose, Elsie's Pioneer Bar, The Oxbow, and the Winchester, were social gathering places and you didn't get busted for going there.

Everyone liked each other back then, well, maybe not everyone, but there were no serious splits like we have today.

You could barely see the "Pieper Mansion" for the trees and flowers, it was beautiful, and green stuff grew everywhere.

It rained in the summer and snowed in the winter.

Those days were THE BEST.

When I hear the word Payson History, I usually get upset if it concerns most things written about Payson and the people who lived here.

What I remember is the fairness, people helping people, without hoping to get thier picture in the paper. Saturday night dances at the Pioneer Bar dance hall and the Elks Bar Dance hall, later named the Winchester. A trip to the East Verde River to swim. Sledding down the hill from Payson Rock hoping we could stop before falling in the icy water in American Gulch.

NO TOWN GOVT.

Kids making thier own entertainment, playing board games, like Monopoly or getting exercise walking or riding a bike, or playing work-up softball at the school, with out having to make reservations or asking permission from someone to use school property. Parents taking care of thier kids, and everyone looking out for all the kids.
Of course that sometimes backfired when we thought we got away with something.
Only one sheriff, who talked to the kids for minor things, not throwing them in jail so they have a record for the rest of thier lives. Usually a threat to tell thier parents did the job.

Pat, you're describing Small Town, USA in the 50's and 60's. Well, except for the not town government part.

Exactly why we moved to Christopher Creek and Payson from Mesa, for the small town feeling. But then other newcomers decided they wanted to "make positive changes", and now we no longer have that small town feeling. I know some will disagree and say it still has a small town feeling, but you would have had to been here when it REALLY had that feeling. And we will never get it back.

And did you notice a Las Vegas developer got his hooks in at the Grand Canyon? Sure, it will help the economy, but what an ugly piece of c**p. How could they spoil the natural beauty? How could they????

It was in the late 40's and 50's. It was a little like Mayberry except we didn't have a Barney Fife.

Pat, I wasn't born until 1952, which is why I picked the decades I did.

llandproud,
I had my first child that year. I'm old enough to be your mother.

I'm sure, though, that my mother is considerably older than you. She'll be 88 in July.

I started early, she started late, but I think we both did good raising our kids.

And then there's my Mom, 92 years old, still smoking and still cussing.

And now, on to NASCAR!

Dean,
Back to your post on the 23rd. Think what great pictures you could take from the glass ramp or whatever it is. (:
You couldn't pay me enough money to go out on it. I won't ride in a glass elevator on the outside of a bldg. Did it once but only because I was forced to!