tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582571784391063912.post7689629087540286033..comments2024-03-23T11:02:09.341-07:00Comments on History Adventuring: Phoenix, Arizona, successfully stopping freeway construction since the 1960sBrad Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00533083404576505634noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582571784391063912.post-67679213766844443962015-07-23T12:17:26.207-07:002015-07-23T12:17:26.207-07:00Hi JD - Great stuff! Thank you!Hi JD - Great stuff! Thank you!Brad Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00533083404576505634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582571784391063912.post-47667259706959934292015-07-23T11:31:17.401-07:002015-07-23T11:31:17.401-07:00PMPC (1-18-2014)
Terry Horn talk
At the time of st...PMPC (1-18-2014)<br />Terry Horn talk<br />At the time of statehood (1912) Phoenix was not seen as a good place to live. After WWII, Phoenix started to grow.<br />In 1959 the city of Phoenix acquired North Mountain and Squaw Peak. Prior to this, the main activity in these areas was mining. (Population of Phoenix at this time was about 350,000)<br />In 1963 Phoenix planning commission adopted an open space resolution. See the Van Cleve Report (in the reading room at North Mountain visitor’s center. Dotty Gilbert was very active in promoting this report. Also Ruth Hamilton (wheelchair bound). Also Maxine Lakin.<br />1972 Save Our Mountains Foundation was formed. Norm McClellen (Shamrock Foods) was president. Lou Grubb was also very involved.<br />1973 SOM realized they needed to raise funds. Prop 14 was passed in 1975<br />SOM is a 503c organization, and as such cannot be political<br />PMPC was formed (Phoenix Mountains Preservation Council). It is not 503c, they are very political.<br />Early 1980’s 350 tons of trash was hauled out of the North Mountain Visitor Center area.<br />Tice McClee – re: South Mountain<br />The Sonora Preserve has been added in 2013<br />JDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12758211170993112237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582571784391063912.post-58315486765127622472015-07-23T11:02:07.238-07:002015-07-23T11:02:07.238-07:00(Please forgive this long reply) Re: Grateful for ...(Please forgive this long reply) Re: Grateful for those who fought to make the Phoenix Mountains a preserve. I heard this story verbally after a long hike (I don’t carry paper and pencil with me, so this is my memory of what was said. In other words, not exactly history.)<br /> In the 1960’s (I think) there was a big push by developers to build roads and housing projects in the mountains. The people opposed to this idea included ‘the three Dots’ (three ladies all named Dorothy). They attended many, many Phx City council meetings, and did as much lobbying as they could think of, to oppose these projects. When it seemed like their efforts were totally in vain, they invited the Mayor to a fancy picnic lunch – on horseback – into the mountains. The Mayor accepted. They presented their arguments to the Mayor again, and asked him to sign a proclamation designating the mountains as a preserved for posterity area. The Mayor’s response was: ‘Well, now, my dear ladies, you simply do not understand the economics of progress, blah, blah, blah.’<br /> They finished their luncheon of petit four sandwiches, ice cold lemonade, and many delicacies, all of which the Mayor ate wholeheartedly. When they finished, they calmly loaded the remains of the luncheon, the fancy tablecloth, the embroidered napkins, etc., packing it onto the third horse. Then they mounted their horses, ready to leave. The Mayor realized there was no horse for him to mount. ‘Wait, how am I to get out of here?’ he cried. (There are many places in the mountains where no vestige of civilization is readily apparent.) They whipped out the proclamation: “Sign here”. The Mayor signed.<br /> Now isn’t that the most delightful ‘this is Arizona, there must be a way to get this done’ story. I am grateful to these ladies!<br />JDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12758211170993112237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582571784391063912.post-55628111707299927462015-07-23T11:01:32.547-07:002015-07-23T11:01:32.547-07:00Also an additional story (also heard verbally at t...Also an additional story (also heard verbally at the North Mountain Visitor Center).<br /><br />The third 'Dot' was confined to a wheelchair, but very actively opposed development in the North mountains. When their efforts had failed, and construction of a housing project was set to begin, she got up in the pre-dawn dark, managed to get to the construction site, and parked herself in front of a bulldozer. And stayed there until after dark in the evening! She did this day after day until the bulldozers were removed!<br />JDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12758211170993112237noreply@blogger.com