Arizona Oddities

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Your Guides
  • Departments
    • Art
    • Dose of History
    • Culture
    • Natural Surroundings
    • Odd Observations
    • Weather Talk
    • Food & Dining
    • Small Town Scene
    • Recreation
    • Only in Arizona
  • Get the Books
  • Contact Us

logo

Arizona Oddities

  • Home
  • Your Guides
  • Departments
    • Art
    • Dose of History
    • Culture
    • Natural Surroundings
    • Odd Observations
    • Weather Talk
    • Food & Dining
    • Small Town Scene
    • Recreation
    • Only in Arizona
  • Get the Books
  • Contact Us
Dose of HistoryNorthern ArizonaSmall Town Scene
Home›Dose of History›How did Show Low Get its Name?

How did Show Low Get its Name?

By Andrea Aker
July 27, 2009
17775
8

Excerpt from Arizona Adventure by Marshall Trimble, the state’s official historian.

Statue commemorating card game in which Show Low derived its name.

Statue commemorating card game in which Show Low derived its name.

Early day settlers Corydon E. Cooley and Marion Clark had been neighbors for a short time, living among the lush, green ponderosa forestland along Arizona’s Mogollon Rim. The two became concerned about one encroaching on the other’s privacy. Perhaps on a clear day one could see a wisp of smoke rising from other’s country. Whatever the reason Cooley and Clark agreed it was getting too crowded and one of the two parties had to move.

The issue was to be settled, not by intimidation or gunplay, but with a deck of cards. The game, called Seven-up, where low card wins, was a favorite among frontiersmen. The game reached its climax when Clark said to Cooley as he dealt the last hand, “If you can show low, you win.” At this point Cooley turned up the deuce of clubs and declared “Show Low it is.” Marion Clark moved on down the road a piece and Cooley named the settlement that grew up near his ranch, “Show Low,” in honor of the now-famous card game.

The main street in thriving Show Low today is called the “Deuce of Clubs” and whenever there is a runoff for mayor the issue is settled by the two political opponents sitting down with a deck of cards. The first to draw the deuce of clubs is mayor for the next term.

(Visited 10,954 times, 5 visits today)

Related Posts:

  1. Gambling Produces a Woolie Town
  2. Arizona’s Bigfoot Terrorizes Mogollon Rim
  3. Arizona Trivia Sampler: Can You Pass?
  4. Mogollon Monikers: Origins of Place Names in Arizona’s Rim Country
  5. Tug-of-War Settles Oraibi Dispute
Tagsmogollon rimplace namesshow low

8 comments

  1. Joe Schallan 1 August, 2009 at 22:44 Reply

    It is “Show Low,” not “Showlow,” at least according to the Arizona Dept. of Commerce, the U.S. Board of Geographic Names of the United States Geological Survey, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Yes, I checked.

  2. AndreaAker 3 August, 2009 at 07:23 Reply

    Hi Joe, thanks for reading. Please remember that humans run Arizona Oddities, and despite precautions, there will occasionally be errors that sneak by. I have inserted a note at the bottom of the post about the error. and I am working on finding out why the original book text included “Showlow.”

  3. Aaron 26 January, 2017 at 08:42 Reply

    I went there

  4. Playing catch-up. Or maybe ketchup. – The Travelling Tylers 10 February, 2017 at 13:54 Reply

    […] After a really long, dusty drive on a road that winds across the ginormous Navaho Reservation, we arrived for our final stop before reaching Patagonia. By its name (and possibly its location), a person could be forgiven for assuming its economic base is gambling. Not so. The name has an interesting origin which you can read about here. […]

  5. William Annes 13 February, 2017 at 07:33 Reply

    Took the trivia test… got the last 5 right

  6. Alison 4 April, 2019 at 09:53 Reply

    Hello my name is Alison Hearn I am in 7th grade and i have to right something about some one or something and I am doing Show Low I lived in Show Low since I was born and then I had to move to Texas for my dad because he got a job and i miss the cold weather but as I learn more about Texas I also want to learn more about Show low as well so if you can text me back or email me at my email thank you.

  7. Cindy Link 8 August, 2019 at 17:30 Reply

    Just wanted to let the world know what a wonderful place Show Low is. We bought a cabin here a few years ago, to get out of the summer heat in the Valley. What a surprise, to discover what a lovely town it is. I hope it retains its western flavor and country appeal always.

    • Andrea Aker 9 September, 2019 at 08:38 Reply

      It really is a wonderful place! Thanks for sharing.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Arizona Oddities Archive

Most Popular Posts

  • How to Keep Scorpions Away from Your Home
  • How to Keep Javelinas Away from Your Yard
  • What’s With All the Backyard Concrete-Block Fences…
  • Did You Know it’s Against the Law to Grow…
  • Four Deserts, One State

This Week Past Years

2019

  • 5 Facts About the Southwest’s Strangest, Smelliest Inhabitant – The Javelina

2015

  • A Beer Between the Forked Tree in Flagstaff

2014

  • Mow the Lake?

2013

  • Peach-Faced Love Birds Live in the Valley?

2012

  • Walk in the Path of Ancient Hohokam at Sears-Kay Ruin
  • Rest Stop Marks Border of Gadsden Purchase

2010

  • Why Do People Paint Citrus Tree Trunks White?
  • Elephant Feet in Northern Arizona?
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Find a Famous Writer and Explorer's Mountain Retreat in Greer

    Find a Famous Writer and Explorer’s Historic Mountain Retreat in Greer

    By Taylor Haynes
    July 31, 2020
  • thousands of Mexican free tail bats make Phoenix tunnel their summer home

    Thousands of Mexican Free-Tail Bats Make Phoenix Tunnel Their Summer Home

    By Taylor Haynes
    July 17, 2020
  • How to Keep Scorpions Away from Your Home

    By Andrea Aker
    January 3, 2011
  • Javelina

    How to Keep Javelinas Away from Your Yard

    By Andrea Aker
    November 23, 2011
  • Phil Motta
    on
    August 27, 2021

    Why Does Downtown Phoenix Seem to Have Two Downtowns?

    I know this post ...
  • Carol
    on
    October 17, 2020

    The Tucson Artifacts are the Southwest’s Greatest Hoax

    lol ... these "clues" ...

Follow us

© Copyright 2009 – 2023 Aker Ink, LLC :: Arizona Oddities is published by Aker Ink.