Cave Creek Museum
6140 E. Skyline Drive
Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (Physical Address)
P.O.Box 1, Cave Creek, AZ 85327 (Mailing Address)
Dear Museum Friends,
We are traveling so this “Fall” issue combines October and November articles, details about upcoming events, new exhibits and other items of interest. For the most up-to-date news, visit the Cave Creek Museum website and watch for email bulletins on fundraisers and special events! See you in December.
Stephanie and Nina
Feature Article:
Beth Zink: Nature Artist By Shea Stanfield
The Museum is pleased to present selected works by award-winning local artist Beth Zink, on view now through mid-January. Enjoy an enchanting and detailed array of paintings capturing the intricacies of Nature, displayed in the Ansbaugh Auditorium.
Beth grew up in North Scituate, Rhode Island, where she was inspired by Nature's four seasons. She left New England for the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, earning her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine Art at Bethany College, located in West Virginia. Beth went on to study drawing and painting at the graduate level before moving into her art career, marrying Jon Zink and raising their two sons. Beth is proud to say, "Jon and I have been together since 1976 and happy to say we have our family 'Team Zink' all living in the Phoenix area."
Beth and Jon are happy to open the studio anytime during the year by appointment. The first time you visit the Zink Studio, you will be captivated by the rich, profound, and unexpected color combinations that wash over Beth’s wall-size botanical canvases. The images of our Sonoran Desert flora appear in dramatic close-ups filling the entire room with energy and excitement.
Beth explains, "I am captivated by the beauty of Nature, and interpret that in my paintings. Bold, imaginative color and attention to detail. The creative experience is joyful.”
Beth’s palette also incorporates our lavishly colored sunsets, mountain scenes, and woodland landscapes. The entire collection represents a bold statement for our most precious resources in Nature.
Beth has been featured in Southwest Art, American Art Collector, Images Magazine, and Phoenix Home and Garden, where she is recognized as Best Artist/Artisan in the 2022 Reader's Choice Awards. Her paintings hang in private and corporate collections across the United States, as well as, in hospitals, restaurants, and private clubs. This past year, she had exhibitions in the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic Hospital in Scottsdale. Beth Zink is a juried member of the Women Artists of the West (WAOW), the Sonoran Arts League, and Celebration of Fine Art. She is also an industry partner and member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).
To see more of Beth's beautiful work, be sure to check out theBeth Zink Art webpage.
Photos: Supplied by Beth Zink Top - Beth Zink at work Bottom - "Full Bloom" &
"Beauteous" (to be displayed at the Cave Creek Museum)
Fall Events
* Sept - Nov 8: Buy Raffle Tickets for 2-nights in Sedona - InfoHEREand more info in this newsletter, as well. *Oct 1 (Sat 1-4:30pm): Museum opens for its 2022-23 season. InfoHERE. *Oct 1 (Sat 1-4:30pm): Cave Creek Museum welcomes Cave Creek Auto Show participants - InfoHERE. *Oct 8 (Sat 10:00-11:15am):AZ GOLD MINING EXPERIENCE - ClickHEREfor tickets & info. (reservations required) *Oct 9 (Sun 2-4pm): Kiwanis Family Fun Days - "Become a Desert Explorer" InfoHERE.
*Oct 12 (Weds 5:30-7pm):Carefree*Cave Creek Chamber Mixer & Presentation of Local Landmarks Plaque to Cave Creek Museum - InfoHERE. *Oct 15 (Sat 2 - 4pm): - Cave Creek Museum Presents: "The Dust Never Settles-Stacey Goodman" ClickHEREfor tickets & info. (reservations recommended) * Nov 4 (Fri 6:30-9pm): Cave Creek MuseumPresents: “Cave Creek’s Haunted History” (reservations required) - Info and tickets HERE. *Nov 8 (Tues 4-7pm):Spaghetti Western Dinner & Sedona Raffle Drawing - ClickHEREfor tickets & info. (reserve for a discount - walk-ins also welcome) *Nov 12 (Sat 10:30-4:30pm):AZ GOLD MINING EXPERIENCE - Click HERE for tickets & info. (reservations required) *Nov 12 (Sat 7-11pm):Museum's "Tennessee Whiskey" Band Concert-Fundraiser @ Harold's Cave Creek Corral - Click HERE for tickets & info. (reservations required) *Nov 13 (Sun 2-4pm): Kiwanis Family Days - "Thanksgiving on the Dude Ranch" - Click HERE for tickets & info. (reservations required) *Nov 19 (Sat 9-2pm): Kiwanis Family Days "Desert Discovery Days" (Jewel of the Creek) - Click HERE for info. (reservations not required) *Nov 23 (Weds 6:30-10:30): Thanksgiving Eve at Janey's (Museum Fundraiser) Info HERE.
* Dec 10 (Sat 7:30-11pm):Museum's "The Boys of D63" Band Concert-Fundraiser @ Harold's Cave Creek Corral - Click HERE for tickets & info. (reservations required)
Click HERE for additional information and more
Cave Creek Museum events.
Reserve YOUR spot at the Cave Creek Museum's Annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser by clicking HERE!
History:
The Sun Telegraph By Kraig Nelson, Cave Creek Museum historian
Fort McDowell was garrisoned in September 1865, just east of today’s Fountain Hills. Its purpose was to protect miners, ranchers, and pioneers in the new Arizona Territory (February 24, 1863). Historian Francis C. Carlson indicates this fort was the catalyst for the establishment of Phoenix and eventually surrounding towns including Cave Creek.
In 1870, the first Commander of the Department of Arizona, General George Stoneman, Jr., departed Fort McDowell (Camp McDowell then) searching for a shorter route to the territorial capital in Prescott. On October 2, 1870, he and his troops stopped for a few hours near today’s Rancho Mañana Golf Resort, near a stream called Cave Creek. That day, in 1870, was the founding date of the town, Cave Creek.
By 1886, Fort McDowell possessed new technology which was an important tool in changing American history, and led to the capture of Geronimo, the feared and elusive leader of the Chiricahua Apaches in southern Arizona. This monumental event was the end of the Apache Wars in America. The new technology was the Heliograph, wireless communication before radio.
The heliograph was an instrument incorporating a movable mirror on a tripod, positioned near mountaintops, which could blink sunlight into dots and dashes (Morse Code), to the next mountaintop, and then to forts, communicating Apache movements.
Samuel F. B. Morse invented the telegraph in 1844; however, the telegraph lines were easily cut by the Apaches. The Sun telegraph couldn’t be breached. The heliograph communication technology helped 5,000 troops from the 4th U.S. Cavalry led by General Nelson A. Miles, Commander of the Department of Arizona at the time, to track the weary Apaches, and force them into submission on September 4, 1886. Lieutenant Charles B. Gatewood negotiated the surrender.
Heliograph comes from the Greek words Helio (Sun) and graph (write). The use of reflected sunlight to communicate can be attributed to the Greeks using bronze or silver plates around 2,200 B.C., according to John Langellier, Ph.D., in military history. The 1869 invention of the widely accepted heliograph belongs to Sir Henry C. Mance, a British engineer who, while serving in the military in India, positioned a five-inch, round and swiveling mirror on a surveyor’s tripod.
General Nelson Miles was introduced to the heliograph while on duty in Montana in 1878 and 1879. The U.S. Army Signal Corps changed the British mirror from five inches to eight inches and made the mirror square, collecting twenty-five percent more sunlight. This larger mirror could use moonlight. Once in Arizona, Miles set up 27 heliograph stations, 25 miles apart, spanning about 900 miles. This system extended into New Mexico. The stations were operated by a mirror operator, two observers with a telescope and binoculars, and two guards.
Fort McDowell’s heliograph was aimed at two mountains for message relay. The first mountain was Mt. Ord located in the northeast corner of Maricopa County, elevation 7,128 feet. The other mountain peak was Granite Mountain, about nine miles northwest of Prescott, elevation 7,626 feet. A 25-word message could travel through the entire 900-mile mountain system in four hours.
Dr. Langellier states heliographs were used in the European trenches during WWl before their military use came to an end.
- Kraig Nelson
Cave Creek Museum Historian
Letter from the Board President:
All of us at the Cave Creek Museum are excited to welcome everyone back for our 2022-2023 Season. So much appreciation goes to the many who made last season such a success—especially our volunteers, old and new, without whom the Museum could not function.
Thank you to our Board Members Bill Oelman and Frank Tyrol, who retired from the Board, as did Reg Monachino, who ably fulfilled the role of Board President in the first “fully-opened” year after a tumultuous 2020-2021 and has left big shoes to fill.
Thanks to Executive Director Evelyn Johnson and Administrator JoAnn Stuckey, who gave up well-deserved retirements to lead the Museum back to life. And, of course, to our members, community and visitors, whose support led us to record-breaking attendance last year. Thank you!
Thank you and best of luck to Debbie Israni, who has resigned from the Board. Their move to Cave Creek full-time has been delayed by a new opportunity. We wish her and her family well!
I’d also like welcome to the Cave Creek Museum Board of Directors, Mr. Buck Columna. Buck is a newer volunteer to the Museum but has a long and varied career in non-profit management and marketing. He is going to be an amazing board director. He is already an awesome team member---if you hear the bustle of productivity and lots of laughter, you know Buck is in the house. Buck is chairing our annual Spaghetti Dinner, rebranded as “Spaghetti Western: Dinner with a Side of History.” Be sure to buy your tickets. Last year was a sell-out and wait until you see what Buck has planned for this November 8th!
When you visit the Museum this year, you will find enhanced exhibits in the History Wing, a refreshed and reorganized Archaeology Wing, and all new art in the Auditorium, thanks to local artists Beth Zink (October to January) and Jerry Sieve (January to May).
The Feast of Rocks is back with all new “dishes” to delight visitors. Our amazing and engaging AZ Gold Mining Experience returns every 2nd Saturday of the month. If you haven’t seen this program, you must put this on your “to-do” list. During each presentation, we educate and entertain 100+ guests, so be sure to visit our website and pre-purchase your tickets. To make sure everyone enjoys the best experience, we must limit attendance and require reservations. Yes…it’s that fun and popular!
Be sure to check out our calendar on the CCM website for details on Kiwanis’ Family Fun Days and Cave Creek Museum Presents. (Insider Tip: Stephanie Bradley WILL be presenting her SRO Geology talk once again!)
I’m honored to have been elected President of the Board of the Cave Creek Museum and happy to be part of a board that is an assemblage of some of the smartest, most experienced, and highly motivated individuals you could hope to work with. I know I speak for all the members of the 2022-2023 Board of Directors when I say we all appreciate this opportunity to serve to the best of our ability the Museum, the membership, and our community. Viva Cave Creek Museum!
Darlene Southern, President
Letter From the Desk of Evelyn Johnson:
In May, we launched a “call for Volunteers campaign.” The response was enthusiastic, and I am pleased to announce that we have added 20 volunteers to the ranks. Training will be an excellent time for you to meet and welcome these new members of the Museum.
Staff and volunteers have been busy with exhibits, calendar planning, trimming and sprucing up the grounds, along with some major pruning, and much more! We are ready for another season beginning with the Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day on September 17! Our Pre-Season (sneak peek) Reception is also planned for the evening of September 17. Watch for your invitation. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at these and other events.
Plans are underway for the much-anticipated “Western Spaghetti Dinner” chaired by Buck Columna. (It’s not too early to mark your calendar: Tuesday, November 8.) If you can help, please watch for the signups coming soon.
Look forward to the return of our featured artist exhibit this year in the Ansbaugh Auditorium. We are excited to announce that Beth Zink and Jerry Sieve are our selected artists this season. Some of their work will be available in the Museum Store during their exhibition dates. What could be better – adding to your art collection and supporting the Museum.
I cannot stress enough how important you are to us. Your support of and attendance at events are vital to the museum. I encourage you to check our website for event dates and times regularly, send us an email, and share your thoughts and suggestions. Our newsletters will continue to come to your Inbox as well as special events that we want you to know about. If there is a better way to communicate with you, please let us know. You can send me an email by clicking HEREor just give us a call, 480-488-2764.
If you did not receive our Annual Report for last year and you are interested in receiving one, find it HERE on the museum website.
Did you know that all things museum can be found on the website? You can renew your membership, purchase tickets for an event, secure your reservation for programs and of course reserve your place to see the amazing Arizona Gold Mining Experience, which is the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m.
I’m looking forward to an awesome season with you.
Evelyn Johnson, Executive Director
Special News
Four Peaks Questers Donate $10,000
Four Peaks Questers, a chapter of the nonprofit International Questers, is dedicated to keeping history alive by supporting preservation, restoration and education. The group found a target to fulfill its mission: the historic Tubercular Cabin at the Cave Creek Museum. The TB cabin, the Museum’s stellar exhibit, has shown its more than 100 years. With boards shrinking, walls listing, doors askew, and painting and propping in order, the funding is now in place, thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Four Peaks Questers from Fountain Hills.
On July 14, members of the group ventured from Fountain Hills to the museum where they met with museum staff and board members and presented a check for $10,000. The funds are being used to repair the TB cabin, following guidelines provided by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). Don Fredericks, a local builder, has already begun the renovation.
Pictured: Board member Chris Kempster, Executive Director Evelyn Johnson, Questers’ President Alice Helton, Board members Molly Tufts and Pam Di Pietro, and builder Don Fredericks
There are 4 simple ways to purchase your raffle ticket(s).
* On the Cave Creek Museum website (Simply clickHERE) * Stop by the Museum
* Call 480-488-2764
* Attend the Cave Creek Museum’s Annual Spaghetti Western: Dinner with a Side of History where you can buy your ticket, enjoy a great plate of food, have lots of fun AND be there for the drawing of the winning ticket. (Winner need not be present to win.)
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 you membership or make a donation.
Museum Store News:.
Look at What's Happening
at the Cave Creek Museum Store
for this New Season
Your Cave Creek Museum Store
is Here for YOU!
Welcome back to our wonderful Cave Creek Museum Store! Our store is available to you during museum hours. You can find eclectic and creative items for you as well as gifts for friends and family - items like jewelry, books, clothing, and artwork. Watch for updates on new and special items we will highlight in future newsletters.
So - Don't be shy! Stop in - Browse. We know you'll find that perfect something! Enjoy tax-free shopping along with your member discount of 10%
Album of Events:
Evelyn Johnson recognizes retiring Board President Reg Monachino at the May annual meeting. ~
Harini Tulasi volunteered some of her summer time to help with exhibits. Harini is a senior at BASIS School and hopes to help out at the museum next summer. ~
Dave and Diana Huber, Dream Team members, received their Millman Certificates on May 10, 2022, so they can man (or woman) all stations of the stamp mill campus. ~
Sarah Ziker puts finishing touches on the exhibit of carved birds created by the late Thelma Casanova.
Volunteer Tina Nunnally takes a break from her dedicated summer tasks.
In Memoriam…. Corky Cockburn, longtime member and one of the original “mothers” in the energetic “Mother’s Club,” passed away July 12, 2022. Corky was CCIA chair (precursor to Cave Creek town government), was deeply involved with the library and other civic affairs. Her contributions were remarkable, as apparently were her ‘desert parties,’ featuring drinks and fare from area cactus and shrubs! Corky celebrated her 96th birthday on June 29.
Bored? 'Looking for something fun to do? 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.) or feel free to call the museum with any questions (480-488-2764).
A Smile for Our Museum
Did you know that AmazonSmile is a program donating 0.5% of your eligible purchases on Amazon to a charity of your choice? Do consider your charity of choice to be the Cave Creek Museum. This donation is made at no extra cost to you. The only difference is you'll need to select your charity at smile.amazon.com and, then do your shopping at smile.amazon.com. The donation may be only a small percentage of your purchase, but those small amounts add up when many of us make this same choice. Then, quarterly The Cave Creek Museum will receive an electronic transfer of our accumulated donations. What an easy way to join together to support our museum!
If you've missed any of our Nuggets newsletter OR would like to enjoy reading some of our past issues, simply click HERE.
