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Blue River Cowbelles Founded

Blue River Cowbelles were organized September 25, 1954 at Beaver Head Lodge. Photo shows all the brands registered

photo id: 71


Founding Officers

Blue River Cowbelles founding officers: Rose Richardson-Secretary/Treasurer; Flora Burke-President; Elaine Marks-VP

photo id: 72


Foot Bridge for School

In March of 1960 community members build footbridge for the school: Joe Parker, Frank Lyons, W.H.McCool, Bill Marks, Donald Thompson

photo id: 73


Blue School

1961 Easter event at the Blue School House

photo id: 74


Blue Post Office On the Cover

July 21, 1963 Blue River Post Office on the cover of "Arizona Days and Ways" The Republic Magazine with an article on page 7

photo id: 76


Big Snow

1967 Snow storm lasted for 12 days. Snow depth ranged from 4 to 6 feet. Phones and electricity were out. Disaster for livestock. Snowbound ranches were not dug out by road equipment (3 CATS and 2 Blades) until Christmas Eve. Photo shows Jacky and James Brooks hauling hay out to livestock one bale at a time.

photo id: 77


Cowbelles Roundup

1972 Roundup to move cattle to winter range. Katherine Lee and Rose Coleman helping out.

photo id: 78


1972 Flood

1972 flooding on October 19 destroyed homes and most of the roads along the Blue River.

photo id: 80


Roads out in 1972

1972 flooding destroyed roads leaving the Blue River area accessible by horseback only.

photo id: 81


Blue Library History

The Blue Public Library opened in 1960 inside the Post Office with the permission of the postmaster, Marjorie Joy. The expenses were all covered by the Blue River Cowbelles. The first librarian was Elaine Marks and the second was Mabel Parker.

Later the Library obtained permission to move a line shack to the area behind the school to create a unique one room library run completely by volunteers.


photo id: 82


Flood Takes Out Bridge

Flooding in 1978 takes out bridge over Blue River.

photo id: 83


Blue Box Bridge

In 1987 The bridge over the Blue Box section of the Blue River was in the middle of a controversy between the Blue River community and the US Forest Service because of safety concerns.

photo id: 84


Historic School Burns

On February 14, 1987, the historic one room school on the Blue River burnt down.

photo id: 85


Blue River School Reunion

2003 Blue River School Reunion

photo id: 86


Cabin Dismantled and Moved

The Clell Lee line cabin being dismantled for a move. The new location was behind the Blue River School.  The purpose was to create a new library building for the Blue Public Library. Top Left ID: Judy Wolkins, Dick Youse, Marci and Mona Bunnell. Top Right ID: Mary Carol Joy, Judy Wolkins, Dick Youse, Marci and Mona Bunnell. Bottom Left ID: Mona Bunnell, Otis and Judy Wolkins, Mary Macnab, Mary Carol Joy. Bottom Right ID: Mary Macnab, Otis Wolkins, Tom Mauritz, Bill Bunnell.

photo id: 88


Petroglyphs

Petroglphs found on rocks near Marks Ranch along the Blue River

photo id: 89


The Blue Box

The Box on the Blue River.

photo id: 90


Rock Building Post Office

The Rock Building Post Office in an area first known as Whittum. In front is Mary Jones, postmaster in 1907.

photo id: 91


Greenlee County Livestock Raisers

Greenlee County Stock Raisers meet in Clifton, AZ, on February 1917.  *indicate Blue Residents: Front Row: 1*John C. Cosper, 2 C. F. Pascoe, 3*Hugh McKeen, 4 *Harvey Gatlin, 5 Frank Davis, 6 George Montgomery, 7*Fred Stacy, 8*Frank Hodges, 9 J. J. filleman, 10 Cleve Miller, 11Wade Hampton, 12Rocky John Smith, 13Ben Crawford. Second Row: 14 Bob Burns, 15*Bob Bell, 16*Robert Balke 17Harlan Walker, 18*Mid Gatlin, 19*John Cosper, 20 Vere Laney, 21*Barney Snyder, 22*Donald Thompson, 23*Jim Cosper, 24 Will Laney, 25*Fred Fritz, 26*Big Jim Cosper, 27 Ed Laney, 28 Bill Warner; Third Row: 29 Gene Schwab, 30 Johnny Fisher, 31 Bill Zumwalt, 32 Johnnie Thompson, 33*Toles Cosper, 34 Pat Sutherlin, 35 *Scott Marks, 36*Frank Balke, 37 *DeWitt Cosper, 38 George Sutherlin, 39 *George Balke, 40 Jo Terrill, 41 Unidentified, 42 Elmer Montgomery, 43 Robert Sutherlin, 44 Unidentified, 45 Virgin Leonard

photo id: 92


Coronado Trail Dedication

1926 Coronado Trail Dedication: Claire Cosper, Ada Saffell, Adolph Brown, Hettie Peery, Flora Burke

photo id: 93


CCC Camp

CCC Camp in 1933 kitchen staff. Camp was at the mouth of Johnson Canyon. Back Row: Unidentified, Pvt. Reed, ? Rutledge, Lt. Danbsy, ? Skinner, Lt. Mayfield, C.B. Daniels; Front row; C.B. "Friday" Estep, Loyd Barron, Unidentified, Frank Stark, Bob Tefford

photo id: 98


CCC Build Road

CCC building a road on the Blue in 1933

photo id: 99


CCC on Red Hill Trail

CCC working on Red Hill Trail 1933

photo id: 100


CCC Barracks Fire on Blue

CCC barracks on fire in 1933

photo id: 101


First U.S. Forest Service Ranger on Blue

Bailey Hulsey, riding Greyhound, at the P.S. Ranch on the Blue Range of the White Mountains in 1903. First Forest Service Ranger in Blue District

photo id: 102


Marrying Tree

The Marrying Tree is a cottonwood on the west side of the Blue River. Many of the Blue residents have been married under that tree. It has become somewhat of a tradition since the Jones Family (both Sam and Henry were married there) started it in the late 1800s.

photo id: 105


Turtle Rock

Turtle Rock located in the Blue River Area

photo id: 107


Cattle Drive

Herschel Downs' cattle going up Turkey Creek Hill on the drive to Alpine to be shipped out in 1949

photo id: 108


Wallow Fire

Wallow fire 2011

photo id: 109


Wallow Fire

Wallow Fire devastated the Blue area in 2011

photo id: 110


Aftermath of Fire

The aftermath of the Wallow Fire along the Blue

photo id: 111

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Susana Allen Noland

Susana Allen Noland Buckelew was the wife of Martin Van Noland, one of the original settlers on the Blue in 1885

photo id: 94


Henry Buckelew and Susana Allen Noland Buckelew

Henry Buckelew and Susana Allen Noland were married after Martin Van Noland died. Martin was seriously injured when their home burned to the ground in 1892. She married Henry Buckelew in 1896. They moved from the Blue in 1899.

photo id: 95


Noland Family

Widow Susana Noland and children in 1894. Back, Mary Margaret; Middle, Will, Martin, Widow Susana, Albert Frank, Maud; Front: Katie, Charles and Baby Tom

photo id: 96


Jernigan Family

Richard Aaron Jernigan family in 1901: Back Columbus Bruce Jernigan, George Washington Jernigan; Front: Mother Lou Ann Jernigan holding baby Lee Roy Jernigan, Thomas Aaron Jernigan, Ann Jernigan Jernigan and Father Richard Aaron Jernigan.  This is another one of the founding families of the Blue area.

photo id: 97


Henry Jones Homestead

Henry Jones at his homestead around 1895. Henry married Mary Keahy in 1895 under the locally famous "marrying tree", a large cottonwood tree in the Blue area.

photo id: 104


Sam Jones

Sam Jones, younger brother to Henry, was one of the original homesteaders in 1890s. Sam was married to Bertha Mae West in 1897

photo id: 106


Betsy Casto

Betsy Corbet Casto was the first women settler on the Blue. She was married to John Casto. She was an Ute Indian and they settled in the Blue around 1886

photo id: 112


John Casto

John Casto was married to Betsy Corbet Casto and settled in the Blue area in the 1880s.

photo id: 113


The Cospers

Joseph Hampton "Toles" Cosper and Lou Ella Flanagan Cosper were married in 1885. They settled in the Blue area on a ranch in 1897.

photo id: 114


The Fritz Family

Katie Knopp Fritz and Fred Fritz, Sr. came to the Blue area in the mid 1880s.

photo id: 115

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