Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 71

AU-EornoHs Arizona WIJI- 17 inn k. "IImmU 1mI mIiIm tl .,,.1. ir i IIIIK UII "Mil fl" 111 II I 111 iV i ill' A if' A III III i. ill! iflniiill illL.ill u' iih i IE I' llll'll' .1 IIP'll'' IP ii Sunday, January 18, 1953 THE STATE'S GREATEST NEWSPAPER Page 1 (Section 7) 'I' 0 A Ol', IT IPlCtfDd? SUPERSTITION CHAN PL ERM FLORENCE 1 QUEEN CREEK -v4. I RANDOLPH Spread Out sprd over the flat farmlands along the Gila River as this aerial picture shows.

A new town in Arizona from a historical standpoint, Coolidge was started in 1925 by R. J. Jones with wide streets and perfect square blocks. In this view looking northeastward, the main thoroughfare across the middle of the picture is Coolidge Avenue. The Southern Pacific railroad intersects the avenue in the middle right of the picture.

(Photo Courtesy Moody Flying Service) Underground Water Is Agricultural Empire JJJS'- Tapped; Emerges so than the social, civic, and recreational activity in the community. There are more than a score of organizations from Cub Scouts to the American Legion and Rotary, and the women are unusually active. A RECENT highlight in the recreational field is the completion of the Hohokam Country Club midway between Coolidge and Florence which is a big asset for drawing winter visitors. Tourist attractions of Coolidge are being pushed and there are several excellent motels in addition to good hotels in town. Since the town was incorporated in September 1945.

real progress has been made in improving governmental services for Coolidge citizens. Street improvements, lighting, better sewer system and ditch lining are just a few projects that are making Coolidge a better place to live. Curiously enough, the city that Richard J. Jones started is almost adjacent to a monument to one of the oldest civilizations in the Southwest, the Casa Grande ruins. Indians also used the waiers of the Gila for extensive farming of the Casa Grande Valley but for some reason they vanished and no organized community existed in the area until Coolidge started.

Some say the Indians left because the land became waterlogged after centuries of irrigation. The opposite is true now. The problem is enough water. There are people in Coolidge who are concerned about water and are seeking ways to insure dependable supplies. A' Mhr By AL LEACH A bustling little city in the middle of an agricultural empire is Coolidge, a community born on anticipation of the days when wealth would grow from the ground of the vast Casa Grande Valley.

For Coolidge, 57 miles southeast of Phoenix on Highway 87, was mostly desert land little more than a quarter of a century ago. A few farmers tried to eke out a living, depending upon water from the natural flow of the Gila River. But when construction of Coolidge Dam got underway, a farseeing man named Richard J. Jones turned his farm land into a townsite, appropriately named after the dam. THAT WAS in 1925-26 and Jones's tract soon began to sprout buildings for homes, stores, and businesses allied with the expected farming boom.

The dam was completed in 1929 and the farmers were waiting for the water. But Coolidge Dam did not live up to expectations and seldom held enough water to permit adequate irrigation of the 100,000 acres in the San Carlos Irrigation Project, let alone permit development of additional lands. In 1940 Coolidge was a town oft only 2.537. During the war years when a big army air base southeast of town brought new people to the area, the population took a spurt upwards. Then in the postwar years, with general influx of new people into Arizona and with cotton prices climbing, farmers ure of 4,306.

The Coolidge Chamber, of Commerce estimates there are" 6,500 persons within the city limits alone and more than 20,000 in the surrounding area. Coolidge considers itself the "hub of the agricultural econ-omy in Casa Grande Valley," and claims 65.000 acres' 'of farm land in its immediate vicinity. As pointed out, most of the acreage is in cotton, but there is a diversified side too. It's cattle country, too, and many grain crops are raised. Much of Coolidge's business and industry are geared to irrigation and mechanical type farming implement dealers, ditch liners, pipe and machine shops, pump companies, cotton gins.

Too, Coolidge increased steadily its number of retail stores, groceries, restaurants, professional services, and automobile dealers. Within the last year new stores opened in Coolidge include an auto supply shop, tractor company, farm equipment store, jewelry store, and an ice cream factory. More people have meant more homes, more churches and more school facilities. The Coolidge school system, for example, recently completed a new building but its facilities now are cramped as ever. In home building it is estimated that nearly 100 riew residences have been built in the last year and at least two big housing projects are being considered.

The economic sphere of Coolidge is lively enough but no more found they could afford to tap the underground water supply. Pump water, especially, was like a shot in the arm to Coolidge. Cotton lands were developed outside the, San Carlos water project and everybody drilled more and more wells. THIS EXPANSION is reflected in the Coolidge 1950 census fig- Iffy? i INVITATION The Coolidge Chamber of Commerce capitalizes on its most famous historical attraction in this roadside sign on Highway 87. -4f Ii i Trade jVIark Wherever this ol(i elongated craft on wheels appears it is a safe bet the Coolidge Jaycees are there to let you know where they came from.

The Coolidge Jaycees have driven the bus as far as Central, to make themselves known at a national convention. I I' 1 -tf' Iff 1 iV'ti A -ft4 Roping Champ Is No Dude A Coolidge resident who has a big reputation nationally is Asbury Schell, rancher and world's champion in rodeos. Asbury was top team roper in 1936 and 1938 and always in the money on the rodeo circuit. A veteran at the game. Schell has performed in rodeos 2C years.

lie and his son, Eddie, run about 1,400 head of cattle in Pinal County. Eddie, too, is acquiring a reputation in rodeo events. As a junior, he won prizes in the Florence Parada and now participates in adult competition. There are several other rodeo performers in the Coolidge area including Cliff Whatley, roper and steer bulldogger, and' Clar-ence Balcom, a roping expert. Station Gets New Building Two davs after radio station KCKY-CBS in Coolidge burned down, it was back on the air.

That was Nov, 1, and KCKY moved quickly into a cotton shack. It is still operaUng from the shack but a new building and transmitter will be in operation by April 1. V. F. Parady is general manager of the station which is owned by the Gila Broadcasting Company.

Jaycees Stage Annual Rodeo It's not a large group like many junior chamber of commerce organizations but the Coolidge Jaycee bunch will stand with the best of them when it comes to accomplishment. There are 22 Coolidge Jaycees headed by Warren Steele, rancher. Organized six years ago, the Jaycees immediately launched an annual rodeo in October as their main project. They have had five, including one which was a financial loss. Not daunted, the Coolidge Jaycees dug up $1,000 out of their own pockets, paid off the bills, and went ahead.

Last year their rodeo was a big success, $2,700. This money is going to the current big project of the Jaycees a Scout Clubhouse and community center at Arizona and Coolidge Boulevards. The organization maintains its own rodeo grounds about a mile south of Coolidge. Meetings are at 8 p.m. each Tuesday in the VFW home' or Vah-Ki Inn.

NOBLE GRAND James M. Miller is noble grand of the Coolidge IOOF. The fraternal organization has 78 members and meets at 8 p.m. each Tuesday in its own lodge auction. In the picture above 4-H members exhibit prize calves.

William C. McConnell superintendent of Kenilworth, announces the 1953 fair will be April 17-18. Entries already are coming in for the big event. pnp Winnprc Boys and girls of Kenilworth Ele-r nze Jiincib mentary School take t0 4.H Ciub work with high interest, for on the school grounds 2 mUes east of Coolidge there is a big 4-H Club fair and RoDer Prove tnat rdeo cowboys are not strictly Fancy Dan actors, Asbury Schell, a top roping hand in the rodeo circuit, wTestles vith a stubborn calf in garb suited for the job..