Two Arizona sites listed as oddities have fallen victim to wind, rain and fire.
The little church that Loren Pratt built to honor his late wife – the Mini Taj – was severely damaged by an Arizona thunderstorm. It stood in the open fields at Dome and welcomed visitors and curious passersby since 1996, but succumbed to the storm in early September. The winds tore the roof off and left only a couple of walls standing.
The genesis of Galeyville, on the eastern side of the Chiricahua Mountains, was similar to many other short-lived boom towns in Cochise County.
In this case, it all started in 1880 when John Galey arrived from Pennsylvania to promote a silver mine. Since the prospect was only 60 miles, as the crow flies, from Tombstone’s bonanza, Galey visualized himself as the next silver king of Arizona. He secured some financial backing and laid out a townsite. Before long, Galeyville boasted 11 saloons and some 30 other various and sundry enterprises.
The boom lasted only about a year. The silver played out and Galeyville became another metropolis that didn’t quite metropolis. The story of old Galeyville might have ended right there, had not a pack of outlaws led by Curly Bill Brocius decided to take up residence.
SAHUARITA — The Titan Missile Museum here isn’t really scary like a haunted house, but when you stop to consider the damage that one of those things could have done, it goes way beyond frightening.
Fortunately, it never happened.
During the Cold War, several Titan missiles armed with nuclear warheads were planted in deep holes and aimed at the Soviet Union as a matter of precautionary defense. None were ever fired, so nobody knows for certain what the consequences would have been. The site/museum here was originally known as Site 571-7, and was one of 54 sites in three states to be spared after nuclear disarmament treaties were signed. Now the complex is a museum that reflects on something that never happened.
YUMA — This city is so proud of its sunshine that it has always been willing to be on it. According to the Guinness World Record book, Yuma is the sunniest place on earth, with bright skies prevailing an average of 4,055 hours out of a possible 4,456 hours every year. That’s 91 percent of the time. Or 350 days per year.
More than a century ago, Yuma hotels backed up the sunshine boast by offering free board to visitors every day the sun didn’t shine. Times have changed, but there are still freebies.
About 40 miles north of Tucson, Picacho Peak abruptly rises 1,500 feet above the flat desert landscape typical to many other parts of Southern Arizona. It’s among the most prominent landmarks along the highly traveled stretch of Interstate 10 connecting Tucson and Phoenix.
Thousands of drivers pass by the ominous peak daily; most unaware of the adventure it holds, or its historical significance.
Picacho is the highest peak among a cluster of rugged rock formations shaped by an ancient volcanic flow. It serves as the cornerstone of Picacho Peak State Park, which boasts 3,700 acres of recreational opportunities that aren’t visible from the highway. In addition to numerous hiking trails, the park has campgrounds, ramadas, picnic areas, grills and a LEED-certified visitor center.
According to Arizona State Parks, this region was frequently traveled by Mormon settlers and forty-niners throughout the mid 1800s. It was also the scene of the westernmost battle of the Civil War. In April 1862, a couple dozen Union and Confederate troops clashed near the base of the mountain while scouting. Three men were killed.
