NORTHERN GILA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
LOCAL HISTORY ARCHIVES
NORTHERN GILA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
MARGUERITE NOBLE LIBRARY
FINDING AIDS
A finding aid is a guide to a collection. It will tell you about the person who collected it and/or a historical note about the time and events that the collection is about. It will give you some idea of the amount of material there is, such as a folder of 30 photographs or one or more banker's boxes of materials.
CLICK ON the PDF links below to discover what is in our Historical Society's Local History Archives. If you desire to examine an archive, please complete the Contact Us form linked at the top of the page or call 928.474.3483 to arrange an appointment.
Please Note: The following links are in Adobe PDF format, in order to read these files, please be sure that you have Adobe Reader installed on your computer; if not, download this FREE Adobe Reader program file.
The Backbone Newspaper Collection / March 3, 1995-March 26, 1999 This collection is the entire run of the Backbone Newspaper
The Diaries of Nellie May Pyle Beard
The diaries cover a time beginning with January 1, 1933, with continuous daily recordings until December 31, 1947.
The Ed Delph Collection on the Pleasant Valley War
This collection comprises photocopies of materials that were collected by Delph relating to the history of the Pleasant Valley War and ranch history in the Pleasant Valley area, especially the OW Ranch on Canyon Creek.
The Clifford Edwards Photograph Collection
Cliff Edwards was known as "Tuffy", when a rodeo performer, and "Tailspin" as a pilot. He flew the first plane into Payson.
The Glenn R. "Slim" Ellison Collection
Glenn Reynolds "Slim" Ellison was born in Globe, Arizona in 1891. He moved to the Rim Country with his family in 1898, and from that point on was a lifetime resident of the Payson area. His various "day jobs" included being a cowboy, cook, trapper, and rancher.
The Anna Mae Deming Collection on Payson Weather and History
The collection comprises materials related to Deming's work as a weather reporter, including official report data for the years 1958, 1960, 1962-1990, and 2005
Payson Weather and History.pdf
The David T. Ricker Research Notes Collection
This collection consists of Ricker's research notes on local history. He was particularly interested in Apache history.
Coming Soon
The Doris Sturges Harger Papers /1963-1972 -- "Ten For The Tonto"
Ten years of correspondence with government officials regarding the establishment of the Tonto Apache Reservation.
The Bill Harrison Collection
The Harrison Collection contains articles about Main Street, a chain of title documents, warranty deeds, and a lease agreement on various properties on Main Street, Payson, Arizona.
The Harold C. Hulbert Papers
The bulk of the collection consists of documents pertaining to a portion of Hulbert's time with the Forest Service and his retirement.
The Nyle Burnham Leatham Photographic Negative Collection
Nyle Leatham took any jobs available in the Payson area and as a consequence, he documented life in Payson, AZ in the mid-1950s; school photos, photographs for businesses such as Owen’s Lumber, Oxbow Inn, Hoehn’s Station, etc., ranch work, roundups, Tonto Fish Hatchery, and the road work on the first paved highway into Payson.
The Frank Pierce Drew Collection
Frank Pierce Drew was born in Sacramento, CA in 1855. He moved to Arizona in 1880 after his friend, Joe Woods, wrote him and told him how wonderful it was in Arizona.
The Mogollon Advisor Newspaper Collection
The Mogollon Advisor was begun as a free weekly newspaper in 1979 by Carroll Cox and Janet Martin. Ms. Cox was the publisher and editor, and Ms. Martin was the business and sales manager. In 1989 the Mogollon Advisor merged with the Payson Roundup, with Ms. Cox as the publisher, and was known as the Roundup Advisor for a short time. A non-competing clause kept Cox and Martin from starting another newspaper for a time; however, on March 3, 1995, the first issue of the Backbone Newspaper appeared. Due to legal issues, they had to suspend publication for another five months.
The Diaries Of Elwood Fremont Pyle
Elwood Fremont Pyle has been recognized as one of the pioneering people to live and make his home in the Payson/Rim Country area of Arizona. His diaries cover from 1936 through 1940.
The Gilbert "Gib" Stiles Collection
The main portion of this collection consists of first editions of Zane Grey's books. It also contains personal letters, photographs, and other Zane Grey memorabilia.
The Tonto Trails Magazine Collection
Tonto Trails magazine was started in 1955 by Norman Mead, who later also published Arizona's White Mountains magazine. Tonto Trails was issued once a year and initially cost 25 cents. The magazine provided articles about Rim Country and its happenings, such as a “fish derby” on Tonto Creek and how to make beef jerky
The Ira Murphy Oral History Interviews
In the 1970's Ira Murphy, a retired teacher was asked to help write a book on Payson history. He interviewed several individuals, visited research institutes and the library published A Brief History of Payson, the first book on Payson history.
The Lena Chapman Chilson Hampton Collection
Lena was an active participant in the Payson community. She was the first and the twenty-fifth president of the Payson Woman's Club and wore the same dress to both installations. She was renowned for her generosity in lending money to her fellow townspeople and for the beautiful flower gardens she had at her home.
The Nan Pyle Scrapbook Collection
Currently in development.
The Payson Junior High School Oral History Collection / 1985-1986
Ms. Nordlinski's eighth-grade classes took on the project of interviewing long-time residents of Payson. These included a representative of most of the pioneer families still in Payson at the time.
The Payson Woman's Club Collection
The collection consists of materials related to the history of the Payson Woman's Club, its operation of the Payson Pioneer Cemetery and Payson Public Library, and its ownership of the Arctic Extension mining claims.
The Vaughn Collection
This collection consists of materials related to the livestock and property that was owned by the Vaughn family.
The Philip G. Smith Collection
Philip "Phil" Smith was a charter member of the Northern Gila County Historical Society. He taught music for about 40 years, mostly at the high school in Globe. An amateur archaeologist and historian, he was active in several historic preservation projects, including Friends of Fort Verde, the Fort Verde site, the Q Ranch, and the Camp Lincoln site.
The Ralph Fisher, Sr. Collection
Mr. Fisher was an amazing saver. This collection consists mainly of 21 scrapbooks having to do with local events and Mr. Fisher's writings.
The Stanley C. Brown 'Great Dude Fire' Scrapbook- June & July 1990
Mr. Brown kept a scrapbook of the Dude Fire, including pictures and his notes.
The Stanley C. Brown Oral History Interviews
Stan Brown, author, researcher, and former Payson Town Historian interviewed over 40 local residents throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s.
The Don Wolfe Photograph Collection
This collection consists primarily of photographs taken by Wolfe in and around the Payson area. Subjects include historic roads, landmarks, businesses, vehicles, and buildings in the area, and areas relating to David Douglas Gowan.
The Payson Wildlife Preserve/Association, Inc., Papers 1979-1998
The Payson Wildlife Preserve/Association (PWP/PWA) grew out of an effort to assist the Payson Zoo, established circa 1979. Efforts were finally discontinued in 1998.