Cave Creek Museum
6140 E. Skyline Drive
Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (Physical Address)
P.O.Box 1, Cave Creek, AZ 85327 (Mailing Address)
Feature Article:
Florencio Molina Campos By Stephanie Bradley
Featured in the Ansbaugh Auditorium are works by artist Florencio Molina Campos. He was a ‘city boy,’ born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on August 21, 1891, but often visited his family’s estate where he came to love the pampas landscape that would become the setting for his works. He loved the excitement and action of the gaucho lifestyle that he also favored in his work.
After the death of his father in 1907, Campos began drawing. His work was first shown in 1926 at the Central Hall of the Argentine Rural Society. After seeing the exhibition, Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear, the President of Argentina at the time, named Campos art teacher of the Colegio Nacional Avellaneda.
In 1930, Fabrica Argentina de Alpargatas, a shoe manufacturer, commissioned Campos to create illustrations for a calendar. (Alpargatas is the Spanish word for the footwear made with a sole of jute or hemp; espadrille is the French word for the same style.) The calendars were so popular that Campos received commissions for the next 12 years.
In the 1930s, with the prospect of war and wishing to thwart the influence of Axis powers in South America, President Roosevelt enlisted Walt Disney to serve as a “Good Neighbor” ambassador to South America.
He was asked to produce films portraying South Americans favorably. In 1941, Disney arrived and met Campos. Disney recognized that working with Campos would boost Argentine acceptance of Disney’s film venture. The two became friends. Campos participated in creating short, popular cartoons. In the 1940s until the mid-1950s Campos was a creative artist consulting for Disney. Together they worked on the creation of characters for one of the most famous American cartoon productions: the 1942 film Bambi. He also contributed in the creation of inexpensive package films, containing collections of cartoon shorts that portrayed South Americans in a positive way.
During war times, Canson art paper became unavailable, so he painted on ravioli boxes that had similar characteristics. He sold his pictures at low prices. Throughout the country, and especially among gauchos, one would find Campos prints, displayed and well-worn on the walls of homes, barns and sheds.
Campos passed away November 16, 1959.
Top Photo: "Going to Town" By Molina Campos Bottom Photo: Disney and gaucho painter working (1941)
Cave Creek Museum Presents
~
Cell Phonetography Saturday, February 18
Discover all you and your phone can create. Professional commercial photographer Anthony Nex guides you to the tricks of the trade.
Two sessions are offered:
12-18 Year Olds - Come 9:30-11:30 a.m., ready to shoot with phone or camera.
Adult Session - Join us from 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Cost: $25. For more information and to register click HERE.
February Events
* Feb 11 (Sat 10:00am -11:15am):AZ GOLD MINING EXPERIENCE - ClickHEREfor info & tickets. (reservations required) * Feb 12 (Sun 2:00pm - 4:00pm): Kiwanis Family Fun Days - "Fun & Games for Arizona's Birthday" InfoHERE.(reservations required) *Feb 18 (Sun 9:30am - 11:30pm): Cave Creek Museum Presents - "KIDS Cell Phonetography Workshop with Anthony Nex" InfoHERE.(reservations required) *Feb 18 (Sun 2pm - 4pm):Cave Creek Museum Presents - "Cell Phonetography Workshop with Anthony Nex" InfoHERE.(reservations required) * Feb 25 (Sat 10:00am -11:15am):AZ GOLD MINING EXPERIENCE - ClickHEREfor info & tickets. (reservations required)
Click HERE for additional information and more
Cave Creek Museum events.
Buy your tickets NOW for this fun and lively Miners’ Dinner! ClickHERE.
History
The First Cave Creek Post Office By Kraig Nelson, Cave Creek Museum Historian
Cave Creek was founded in 1870, but it took the town’s post office 92 years to acquire the name Cave Creek Post Office. For most, this is a startling statement. Moreover, in the area from Cave Creek to the Phoenix Mine (today’s approximate entrance to Spur Cross Conservation Area), there were a total of five named post offices: Overton, Liscum, Edith, Cavecreek, and Cave Creek.
By the 1860s, miners had arrived in the area. General George Stoneman, Jr. visited on October 2, 1870, in pursuit of a shortcut to Fort Whipple in Prescott. It was not until 1877, when Jeriah and Amanda Wood built the first adobe home near today’s Rancho Mañana, that Cave Creek Station was born. This was the true start of the town of Cave Creek. The first post office was created in the fall of 1880 with Jeriah Wood assuming the role of postmaster. Its name was Overton. Cave Creek historian, Francis C. Carlson, tells us the post office lasted about one year, closed in 1881, and the name was lost to the ages.
In 1878, three fellows from Phoenix were prospecting about three miles north of Cave Creek Station and found large specimens of gold. This was the beginning of the nationally famous Phoenix Mine. In1894 a 100-stamp mill was constructed. This was the largest stamp mill in Arizona and was regularly reported in New York and San Francisco papers. In 1881, a mining town developed around the Phoenix Mine, called Marion, with around 100 workers and families.
By 1890, a school opened, along with saloons, a general store, and a post office, called the Cave Creek Post Office. This was the first Cave Creek post office.
Not far from Marion, Judson Todd, another prospector, established a separate mining camp. Tucson’s Arizona Weekly Citizen, November 21, 1885, stated “…for about six months in 1888 his [Todd’s] camp had a post office under the name Edith.” That’s all we know about Mr. Todd and his mining camp.
By 1896, the Cave Creek post office closed and moved to Cave Creek Station. The new post office was known as the Cavecreek Post Office. Author Byrd Granger, in her book, Arizona Names, tells us, “When the [Cave Creek] post office reopened at Cave Creek Station in 1896, its name was spelled as one word, “Cavecreek,” possibly to get around the postal department’s rule against reopening post offices once they had been discontinued….”
Meanwhile the hamlet (everything a town has except a church) of Marion shutdown and in 1897, Phoenix pioneer William Christy purchased the Phoenix Mine and renamed it Liscum. Yes, soon the Liscum Post Office opened.
In 1962, the town of Cave Creek changed the name of the post office from Cavecreek to Cave Creek and a 92-year journey came to an end.
Letter from the Board President:
A dedicated committee comprised of board members, staff and community have been working hard on the creation of a Three-Year Strategic Plan (SP), which will enable the Cave Creek Museum to advance its mission. As staff and board engage in the process, we commit to measurable goals, approve priorities for implementation, and plan to revisit the strategy on an ongoing basis as the internal and external environments change. Dr. Tammy Causey, Vice President of the CCM Board, is chairing the SP Committee and will also serve as the SP Accountability Officer moving forward. At every board meeting, Board and Staff revisit the plan and make adjustments if circumstances change. An SP serves as a “roadmap” to guide the Museum toward its stated goals but is adaptable; if there is an obstacle ahead, we need to have strategies to circumvent the rockslide (to stay within the analogy), not drive straight into it and grind to a halt.
Claire West of Claire West Consulting has been leading non-profits through the process for years, and as our consultant, she has been surveying and leading focus groups to learn how the Cave Creek Museum is seen by our community and what we can provide to be a better partner.
We are so grateful to you, the membership, Cave Creek business leaders, community, and Town of Cave Creek personnel who have generously donated time from their busy lives to meet and share their thoughts regarding the Museum. This input is priceless to the Board and SP Committee as we approach the final stages of drafting the SP. In essence: what do we want the Cave Creek Museum to look like on January 31, 2026, and how do we get there?
A summarization of the Strategic Plan will be included in the Cave Creek Museum’s Annual Report and posted on our website.
I’d like to remind all community members that we are currently taking applications for CCM Board seats that will be vacated May 9, 2023. Do you believe you have a skill or knowledge-base that would contribute to Cave Creek Museum and take it to “next level”? Do you have a passion for Cave Creek and what makes our Town unique, and understand that preserving our past shapes our Town’s future? Then please reach out to the Chair of the Nominating Committee, Tom McGuire, at cavecreektom@gmail.com.
We have many projects shaping up at the Cave Creek Museum and we are excited to share their progress with you.
Best regards, Darlene Southern, President
Cave Creek Museum Board of Directors
Letter from the Desk of Evelyn Johnson:
January is the month in our fiscal year when the President of the Board of Directors selects the nominating committee to identify volunteers for Board positions. By February the committee will be actively looking for new candidates to fill vacant seats on the Board. Terms for Board members vary from one, two or three years.
One might ask what a board member does. Board Members are responsible for the fiduciary duties of the organization, governance, and policies and procedures. The guiding documents for the Board are Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, and Code of Ethics.
The nominating committee will be looking for people with specific talents to provide strength in various areas. If you are identified as a potential Board Member, please consider it a compliment and give consideration to serving so as to keep the Cave Creek Museum a strong and vital part of the wonderful community we live in. If you would like to be considered for a Board position, please contact me and I will refer you to our nominating committee.
Serving on the Board is but one way to help the museum. We have many excellent and varied opportunities for people to explore. All our volunteers, who generously serve the museum, provide critical and vital assistance to advancing the museum into the future. Thank you for all you do.
~Evelyn Johnson, Executive Director
Yeee Haw! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The 2023 Cave Creek Rodeo Days Parade is March 18.
Let’s “Strut the Museum’s Stuff”
The Cave Creek Rodeo Days parade is Saturday, March 18. This year's museum entry is entitled "History on Parade" and we are seeking volunteers to help bring our history to life! Lend a hand in decorating our flatbed float, preparing parade flyers, fun and easy props, and joining the museum contingent along the two-mile route either on the float or on foot. Our theme highlights the full scope of how we interpret our region's history - from family programs to adult lectures. We would love to have your kids, grandkids, and all other kids help us represent those programs in the parade.
Cowboy and Cowgirl Up and join us on Tuesday, March 14, at 10:00 a.m. for our parade workday. Email Buck Columna by clicking HERE
and join the parade!
A Membership Reminder
Have you renewed your membership? Now, more than ever,
the Museum appreciates your financial support.
Please, send your tax-deductible
membership donation
to ensure a great year ahead.
ClickHEREto renew your membership.
To make a donation to your Cave Creek Museum click HERE.
Museum Store News:
Look What's Happening
at the Cave Creek
Museum Store
in February
The ONLY "bookstore" in town is at
the Cave Creek Museum!
As Cave Creek's ONLY book store, the Museum Store offers histories of Cave Creek, the Desert Foothills and the State of Arizona, along with a wonderful selection of fiction! Choose from Jim Fergus’s series that was kicked off by the international bestseller One Thousand White Women, or Tucson native Nancy Turner's fascinating trilogy based on the life of her pioneer grandmother, or how about Dreaming in Indian, an anthology of stories by contemporary Native Americans? And of course, we have guides galore, children's and YA titles, and oh, my goodness---the cookbooks, from healthy to decadent, we have your recipe.
Come visit us for your book-buying needs. Open even when the Museum isn't!
Remember, we don't charge sales tax and members get an additional 10% off purchases. Come and see us!
We're in the News:
Album of Events:
Docents Carolyn Ciriello (left) and Audrey Rada are always cheery and eager to share the museum with visitors. ~
Kiwanis Family Fun Day was definitely “for the birds.” Bird Rescuers from Wild at Heart brought feathered friends and youngsters together for an afternoon of discovery and creativity. ~
Photo 1: More than 30 curious collectors brought in their treasures to Antique Appraisal Day with expert Sean Morton. Photo 2: Sean Morton channels Sherlock Holmes as he assesses a 1920s vintage
Minnie Mouse.
The museum features an exhibit onthe history of Cave Creek Rodeo Days in the mini-wing. Volunteers are wanted to represent the museum in this year’s parade on Saturday, March 18. Be part of the fun! Contact Buck Columna by clicking HERE.
Bored? 'Looking for something fun to do
in the new year? Discover the Riches in Volunteering!
Volunteer opportunities abound at the Cave Creek Museum. Do you enjoy talking about history? Being a docent could be perfect for you? History, however, isn't your only option. Volunteer opportunities at our Cave Creek Museum abound! Which of these areas is calling YOU?
* Event Planning
* Hospitality
* Maintenance
* Technology
* Museum Store
* Education
* Office Assistant
* Exhibits / Collections Management
* And MORE At the Cave Creek Museum, there’s a spot for you!
Become part of a lively, engaging community of volunteers passionate about supporting our Cave Creek Museum while making new friends and giving back to our community.
For more information, view the volunteering page on our website HERE.
If you've missed any of our Nuggets newsletter OR would like to enjoy reading some of our past issues, simply clickHERE.
