Archive for the ‘Events and Things To Do’ Category

Bird Watching In Cochise County

January 15th, 2013 by Mike Hug

The San Pedro as it leaves the northern boundary of the San Pedro National Riparian Conservation Area

Some of the best birding in the United States is found in Cochise County. There are locations in the County from the sky islands to the San Pedro River that have great birding at different times through out the year. Approximately 400 species of birds can be found with approximately 250 that use the San Pedro River on their migration in the spring and fall. The San Pedro River is the last free flowing river in Arizona. It flows all year around and originates in Mexico, flows north through St. David and Benson to end at the Gila River in the near Superior and Globe. Depending upon the time of the year the river may not be surface water north of Saint David but will become an underground river. The San Pedro National Riparian Conservation Area encompasses the San Pedro River from the Mexican border to the south end of Saint David. At the northern end of the San Pedro National Riparian Conservation Area is the location of Down By The River B and B a centrally located San Pedro River BnB with access to the San Pedro River and the great birding that can be found there.

Birds also use various locations in the county to stay the winter. A good example is the Sulphur Springs Valley, where the Sand Hill Cranes winter at White Water Draw and at the Willcox Playa. Other water birds are at these locations during the winter. These two areas have large areas of water during the winter but in the summer the lakes are small if there at all. During the winter at White Water Draw you will find raptors including owls that inhabit an old barn that is on the site. As spring weather comes so do the flycatchers.

Thousands of San Hill Cranes, along with other birds, winter in White Water Draw.

The sky islands of the Huachuca, Dragoon, Mule and Chiricahua Mountains all have different birding areas. The foothills going to these locations will also have birding opportunities. During the winter, some of these areas may be closed or restricted due to snow. The sky islands have peaks from 8,000 to over 10,000 feet in elevation. In certain areas access can be with by a normal car but some of the back country treks need a high clearance vehicle.

Birding can be done throughout the year in this area with different venue that become available during the different seasons. So if you are an avid birder or are just starting out learning about birding,

The Dragoon Mountains offer many opportunities for birding and hiking.

Cochise County offers a lot for all types of birding enthusiasts. Down By The River B & B is also known as the Lodging Hub of Cochise County and offers you a great place to stay while enjoying your time bird watching. Try us out and see what we have to offer. You won’t be disappointed.

Tags: bird watching, birding San Pedro River, Cochise County Birding Areas, Cochise County BnB
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Read Old Tombstone Newspaper Stories

January 4th, 2013 by Mike Hug

Back in April 2012 I wrote a piece concerning Tombstone near, our B&B, about the Tombstone Archives. The Archives have a lot of items and papers in their possession about the town of Tombstone. However they don’t have the day to day happenings of the town. A little more research is needed for that.

Partial article written in 1881 about the shootout at the OK Corral

Recently our friend Bob, who works at the Benson Visitors Center, showed me a website that opens up a whole new way to find out information. The website is from the Library of Congress and it has many newspapers from all over the United States with copies that range from 1836 to 1922. Not all the newspapers nor all the issues of a newspaper are there but you can search for names, events or just what was reported on a certain date in a certain town or state. They may not show up in the specific paper that you think would have the information but may be in others.

Now just about everyone who has knowledge of the Old West knows that there was a shoot out at the OK Corral. Tombstone, the gunfight and Wyatt Earp have been glorified in many movies, TV shows and books over the years. But have you ever seen a written account from that time period that gives you the newspaper report? I hadn’t seen one until I did the search of the Library of Congress website. On the website I found a long article about what happened and what led up to the fight. The article is a copy of the one written up in the Tombstone Nugget which was a daily paper that was printed in Tombstone during that time period. The article was reprinted in a Tucson paper, The Arizona Weekly Citizen, on October 30 1881 4 days after the shoot out happened. I have copied a portion of the article here but if you would like go read the article in the Citizen then click on the link. The article is at the start of the seventh column.

Now if you want to visit Tombstone you should consider where you are going to stay. There are many things to see in Tombstone including the Graveyard at Boot Hill where the McLaurys and Clanton are buried. Spend the day and watch the gunfight reenactment at 2 PM daily. Down By The River B and B is less than a half hour drive to Tombstone. The San Pedro River BnB is centrally located to many different historical locations, birding sites, wineries and also State Parks and National Monuments. For a peaceful and relaxing stay visit our website and see what great destination Down By The River B&B is for your lodging experience.

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San Xavier Mission – Part of a Loop Trip

December 28th, 2012 by Mike Hug

San Xavier del Bac Mission

Down By The River B&B is centrally located for various day trips to places throughout SE AZ. The San Pedro River B and B Lodging is perfect for loop trips to see this part of Southern Arizona. One all day loop trip we like to make is driving to Tucson and then taking Interstate 19 south with a stop at San Xavier Mission, then on to Tubac. Leaving Tubac head south to Nogales with a possible stop at Tumacocori Mission State Park on the way. At Nogales take Highway 82 east to Patagonia and finally stop at Sonoita and Elgin to do a little wine tasting. From here we take 82 east as we head on home. This loop trip can be done in reverse or it can be a detour on the way to or returning from our southeastern Arizona BnB.There are even some alternates that can be used to shorten the loop.

There are people that have never heard of the San Xavier del Bac Mission, or White Dove of the Desert as it is also called. Some people have stopped and some others may have seen it in the distance as they traveled on Interstate 19. I first saw in the 1970s when I came to Arizona. Barb was there during the restoration and saw the work that was being done. So I am going to tell you a little about this landmark when you make this loop trip. Each year 200,000 people from all over the world stop to view the finest example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the United States.

The Main Altar

The history of the mission started in 1692. Father Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit missionary, established the San Xavier Mission just south of present day Tucson at the Tohono O’odham Village of Wa:k. That is spelled correctly. The church was named after the patron saint San Francisco Xavier, pronounced ”Havier”, “del” is Spanish for of the, and the word “Bac” comes from the way Father Kino wrote down the word Wa;k. Visits by missionaries to the village were sporadic until finally in 1752 the first church building construction was started under the tutelage of Father Espinosa. This church still stands adjacent to the east side bell tower. The building now houses the museum and gift shop. The actual construction of the large church began in 1783 and was completed in 1797 under the Franciscan missionary Father Velderrain. Father Velderrain accomplished this with the help of the village population and monetary loan of a wealthy rancher in the State of Sonora in present day Mexico.

The mission has been under many jurisdictions since it was established. Originally, this part of Arizona was under the authority of New Spain. When the Mexican people gained independence in 1821, San Xavier became part of Mexico.

Last Supper Mural

With the Gadsden Purchase of 1854, the Mission joined the United States as part of the New Mexico Territory. The territory was later split and San Xavier became part of the Arizona Territory and then in 1912 the territory became a state. As to the Catholic Churches jurisdiction; San Xavier was in the Diocese of Durango when the mission was first established. It changed to be a part of the Diocese of Santa Fe when it was established in 1859. In 1866 Tucson became a diocese and regular services were again held at the Mission. A school was started at the Mission in 1872 by Franciscan nuns. In 1963, The Mission was listed as a National Historic Landmark and it has the distinction of being the oldest intact European structure in Arizona.

The original construction was made with low-fire clay brick, stone and lime mortar, the entire structure is

Lady Of Guadalupe

roofed with masonry soaring vaults, which is not found in any other Spanish Colonial buildings within the United States. The artwork and decorations on the interior of the church are from unknown artisans. The belief is that they were from Queretero and were created in guild workshops and then transported to the mission by pack animals. After being placed in the church then local craftsman finished the work using gesso, a gypsum product, and then adding paint. The Franciscan Cord can be found throughout the interior and exterior of the church. There are many mural paintings and statues throughout the mission

Over the years the mission started to deteriorate through normal wear and tear and in 1859 the first repairs were made to the church. In 1887, an estimated 7.6 earthquake in Mexico damaged the mission. This earthquake was about 60 mile south of Douglas, AZ and was felt up to 120 miles away. The quake also changed the flow of the San Pedro River and you can read what the Tombstone paper wrote about the earthquake here. In 1905 Bishop Granjon began

East Side Chapel

major repairs on the mission and again more restoration was done in 1939 after a lightning strike affected the west tower. Cement was one of the repair materials used during these times. As it turns out this would later cause more damage to the artwork on the interior of the church.

In 1989, excessive leaks were found in the walls and forced emergency restoration. Major conservation began in 1992 with a five year effort to preserve the interior of the building. I remember seeing the building in the late 1970’s. The murals and statues looked worn and drab. This was caused by all the years of candles being burned in the church. Because of the smoke and water damage the work was critical to maintain the artwork. There is an ongoing effort to preserve the church when the money is available. Funding sources have been harder to get due to budgetary restrictions by grant and state organizations. To help with the preservation of the Mission, a group of community leaders formed the Patronanto San Xavier in 1978. You can read about their efforts on their website.

To reach the Mission drive south on Interstate 19 about 9 miles, take exit 92 (San Xavier Road) and follow

West Side Chapel

signs to the Mission. Visiting the Mission San Xavier is free of charge. During the year there are special events that are held at the mission. It is definitely worth your time to take a look at a part of history that help to shape this part of the Southwest. This mission and Tumacocori are the inspirations for us to name one of our guest rooms the Mission Room.

San Xavier Side View

Tags: San Pedro River B and B, San Xavier Mission
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Willcox Wine Region of Cochise County

December 14th, 2012 by Mike Hug

Petit Syrah Grapes on the Vine at LDV

Down By The River Bed and Breakfast is centrally located to many attractions in Cochise County and in particular to the two wine regions here in this part of Arizona. That is why we are recognized by our guests as the “Lodging Hub of Cochise County“. The last blog was about the Sonoita area wineries and how they are working with the Knights of Columbus Charity Golf tournament. The golf tournament proceeds go to the University of Arizona Cancer Research Center and to a High School Scholarship fund for graduating seniors. This is the 7th Annual event and Down By The River B and B is one of the sponsors for this golf tournament. You can read about the special we are offering for guests that “Stay n Play” during that weekend at the bnb. After that blog was published Angie and I went over to the other wine region here in Southeastern Arizona and visited a few of the wineries in this part Cochise County. Actually many of the grapes that are processed for the tasting rooms in the Cottonwood area are grown in the Willcox – Sulphur Springs Valley. Many of the wineries help us out with the charity tournament over the years and we are most grateful.

We started our trek by heading to Zarpara Winery. They are located in Kansas Settlement, south of Willcox but we took a short cut through Texas Canyon and got off the Interstate to save some time. This route takes us past the Amerind Foundation which is a wonderful museum that was established in 1937. I will talk about it in a future blog. So back to what I was originally talking about.

Zarpara Tasting Room is in the middle of the vineyard

Zarpara Vineyards has only been open since January. The tasting room is located in the middle of the vineyard and it must be beautiful during the summer with all the grapes hanging from the vines. We were there in December when the leaves have fallen and the plants are dormant. The nice thing about Zarpara is that the owners Rhona and Mark are there to greet you as you come in the door. Besides their own wines, the tasting room also has 5 other wineries that they represent. They have wines from Sierra Bonita in Graham County north of Cochise County, Gold Rule Vineyards, Sand-Reckoner, Arizona Stronghold and Gallifant. They don’t’ have tastings of all of these but we did get to sample a few and found many to our liking. We did leave a little lighter in the back pocket at the end of the tasting. Zarpara has agreed to be a T Box sponsor this year for the tournament.

Keeling Schaefer Tasting Room is in down town Willcox

We then drove into Willcox and our next stop was in the downtown area where Keeling-Schaefer and Carlson Creek have their tasting rooms. The downtown area of Willcox is home to the Marty Robbins Museum and the Rex Allen Museum. Carlson Creek’s tasting room is on the south side of the railroad tracks. Keeling-Schaefer is on the north side right across from the Railroad Park where The Willcox Wine Festivals are held in May and October. Check out our events page for the dates of these events. Both of these wineries have some great wines and if you park at one location you can walk to the other. The owners weren’t there but again we were greeted by hostesses who were very knowledgeable about their product and thus enhanced our experience. We also took some time to stop by our friend Rodney at his Cajun-style restaurant near the museums. Rodney serves some great catfish sandwiches and we also like the gumbo. Big Tex Barbeque is also nearby. The restaurant serves barbeque pork, brisket and chicken to name a few things and it is located in a train car at the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Maley St. (Route 186). Try it during the week or Saturdays but they aren’t open on Sundays.

Our last stop was at Coronado Vineyards located on the east side of Willcox. Coronado has been a sponsor of the golf tournament almost from the start. We enjoy going to see Terry and Jacque when we get to Willcox. Coronado has a kitchen and at certain times will serve items while you are tasting wine, thus giving you a chance to pair food to wine. This is a nice concept and you can see how the food and the wine blend to make your tasting so much more enjoyable.

We didn’t get to the Laurence Dunham Vineyards because Curt and Peggy were up in the Fountain Hills tasting room and they were getting ready for their Christmas Event. The winery and tasting room in Cochise County is south in the area of the Chiricahua National Monument and they do events at various times of the year also. LDV was a T Box sponsor last year for our tournament. Another winery we didn’t get to because of time and distance was the Bowie Winery in Bowie, AZ. This tasting room is about 20 miles east of Willcox at the town of Bowie. If you go to the Fort Bowie Historical Site then you are close to the tasting room. After hiking at Fort Bowie you may consider taking a break and stopping for a little wine tasting. They also have pistachios and pecans for sale.

Now you have heard about both of the Southeastern Arizona wine regions and have been told about the central Arizona wineries Cochise County connection. So plan your visit to take in some of what the wineries have to offer and when you do thank them for their civic contributions to the charities that they work with. If you are looking for a wine country b&b, then consider that you want to find a nice place to stay during your visit and reserve your room at Down By The River B and B for a comfortable stay and wonderful breakfasts.

Tags: Willcox winery, wine country b&b, wine tasting Cochise County
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Sonoita Area Wineries

December 11th, 2012 by Mike Hug

Down By The River Bed and Breakfast is centrally located to many attractions and because of this we are short

Arizona Wines Are Prize Winners

distances throughout Cochise County and parts of Santa Cruz County. That is why we are known as the “Lodging Hub of Cochise County“. Southeastern Arizona is known for birding and more recently wine tasting. SE Arizona has some of the best of both of these pasttimes and Down By The River BnB is close to both with birds out our back door at the river and the wine regions of Sonoita and Willcox a short drive. Some of our birdwatching guests have told us that a B&B with wine tasting nearby is the perfect fit for their adventure.
Angie and I took a little time to go to the Sonoita area wineries to ask the vintners to again be sponsors for a Charity Golf Tournament. We wanted to let them know about the Knights of Columbus Marie Lovell/ Barbara Hug/ Paul Padia Memorial Golf Tournament that will be held on February 23, 2013. Yes this is the Barbara that started the B and B with Mike. The tournament proceeds go to the University of Arizona Cancer Research Center and to a High School Scholarship

Charron Vineyards allows you to sit on the patio and overlook the vines while you sample the wine.

fund for graduating seniors. This is the 7th Annual event and Down By The River B and B is one of the sponsors for this golf tournament. You can read about the special we are offering for guests that “Stay n Play” during that weekend.
Many of the wineries help us out with the charity tournament over the years and we are most grateful. Mike was lucky enough to win a free wine tasting in the raffle last year so we were able to do some wine tasting at the same time. We also took some time to go to the Willcox area wineries to talk with the different vintners about sponsorships. We will discuss that in a blog next week.
We didn’t get to all the wineries in Sonoita but we did get to stop at 8 of 11 tasting rooms. We took time to enjoy the conversation with the people that were wine tasting and got re-acquainted with many of our vintner friends. Angie and I have always found that wine

At Dos Cabezas you can walk into the store room where they wine is stored in oak casks.

people are usually happy and like to talk to each other. You get to know something about them as they tell you about places that they have been where they took time to taste wine. You can put that in the back of your mind for later use if you plan to travel to another area of the country.
Because some of the wineries are only open on weekends, we chose a weekend to make our loop trip. We started our tour by taking I-10 to Vail and then Arizona 83 south to make our first stop at Charron Vineyards. We were able to talk with Susan and a little with Milton while viewing the area off the porch at the tasting room.
We continued down 83 to Sonoita but the next two places we stopped at the owners were at a wine festival in Phoenix so we didn’t get to talk with them. one of these wineries was Dos Cabezas near the

Hops and Vines has recently opened and intends to be a microbrewery along with being a winery

intersection of Arizona 82 and 83. After some discussion with the staff people and customers there we headed east on 82 to Hops and Vines.
Hops and Vines may end up being a little unique once they get everything finished and running. They currently do wine tasting but will be growing hops and then have a microbrewery at the same location. We haven’t heard of wine and beer tasting at the same locations before. Might have some potential for a diverse palate.
After leaving Hops and Vines, we proceeded across to Lower Elgin Road via a dirt road that wasn’t too bad in comparison to some tracks we have been driving on in Cochise County. We stopped at the Wilhelm Family Vineyard and spoke with Karyl. Karyl is a great lady and you just get taken over by the conversation and her knowledge of wine. She is always so up beat and we enjoy going to her tasting room to hear about what she has been doing. She

Kief-Joshua is a popular winery in the Sonoita area.

works with wounded warrior project and other charities including ours.
After that we stopped at Keif Joshua. Keif was gone to the Phoenix Festival also but as always the place was very crowded. We didn’t stay to talk but left the information and headed over to Rancho Rossa since Sarah was closing early that day. We would have loved to taste her wines but time was running short but we got to talk a little and then left for Lightning Ridge Cellars. Ann makes Italian style wines and they go great with the pasta dishes we make to treat ourselves every once in a while. A little story about the first time we went to Lightning Ridge. We were coming from Dos Cabezas and were headed to Rancho Rossa but we missed our turn on Elgin Road. I made this mistake

Lightning Ridge Winery produces Italian style wines.

because we were coming from a different direction than normal. I figured out that I had made a mistake after a little while and just before I was going to turn around I saw the wine tasting sign. So we stopped in and met Ann and her Great Dane.
There were other people in the winery tasting and they said “Oh you got lost too!” It was a good mistake I have to admit.
Our last stop was at Sonoita Winery and it was almost closing time for them. Sonoita was the first winery in the area. They have many types of wine that range from semi sweet to dry. There is a good selection of the various types and will be diverse enough so that everyone in your group should find something that fits their taste.
We ran out of time and there were three other wineries that we didn’t have a chance to stop at but we will

Sonoita Vineyards is the oldest winery in Southeastern Arizona

make another effort later. These wineries are Callaghans, Canelo Hills and Village of Elgin Wineries. Being able to touch base with 8 wineries in less than 6 hours and to put in driving time on top of that is a lot and makes you keep moving.
For those who are interested, the different wineries also have events during the year and we try to keep these noted on our website events page. So check back to see what is going on in the Southeastern AZ wine country and our B and B. When you go to taste wine in Sonoita there isn’t anyway that you can do it all in a day. It will take multiple trips so consider Down By The River B & B. Since there are also wineries to the east in Willcox, you would be able to do both areas from a single base. The Willcox wineries have some offerings which are also very good. But more on that later.

Tags: BnB near AZ wineries, SE AZ Wineries
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Stay ‘N’ Play

November 20th, 2012 by Mike Hug

Stay ‘n’ Play

Charity Golf Weekend

Down By The River B and B

The Knights of Columbus has scheduled their 7^th Annual Marie Lovell/ Barbara Hug/ Paul Padia Memorial Golf Tournament for February 23, 2013 and the San Pedro Valley Country Club. This tournament is a shotgun best ball start with most of the proceeds going to The University of Arizona Cancer Research Center and to the John Lodzinski High School Scholarship Fund.

Marie, Barbara, Paul and John were all victims of Cancer and were either married to Knights or were Knights. Barbara with her husband Mike were co-owners of Down By The River B and B. Mike has worked on the Tournament Committee since its inception and the B and B has contributed to the Tournament in various ways. Nearly 100 golfers played last year and because of the sponsors, and golfers, the tournament was the most successful ever.

This year the tournament is offering a $10,000 hole in one shot, The Dixon Golf Challenge, longest drive for

Golf on Benson’s Course

men and women, closest to the hole for men and women, raffle tickets, auction prizes and 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place prizes. The tournament includes cart, green fees and lunch for $45. Last year’s raffle prizes and auction items included Diamond Back Tickets, U of A / UCLA basketball tickets, and wine tastings to name a few. We don’t know what this year will bring.

This year Angie and Mike decided to offer a Stay ‘n’ Play weekend at Down By The River for golfers who wish to participate in the tournament this year and stay at the B and B. Because of the early start on Saturday morning, a two night stay is required. Saturday night Mike and Angie will serve dinner for those guests taking part in the golf weekend, free of charge, as a thank you for your participation in the tournament.

A non-refundable charge of $45 will be taken for each golfer via credit card to reserve your spot in the Tournament at the time you reserve your room. The room charge will be at the multi-night discount rate and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Breakfast on Saturday will be early so that the guests are at the golf course prior to play.

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John Slaughter Ranch Museum

November 9th, 2012 by Mike Hug

In my last blog I wrote about a recent article, dated October 28, 2012 in the Phoenix Republic. Mrs. Daley from Camp Verde wrote about her favorite place to visit in Southern Arizona. The place she referred to was the John Slaughter Ranch Museum just east of Douglas about 15 miles and is what is left of the 65,000 acre Slaughter Ranch. This ranch is located in the extreme southeast section of Arizona on the border of Mexico and within about 5 miles of the New Mexico border. To get to the ranch you have to drive to Douglas, Arizona and take 15th Street east. This turns into a dirt road called Geronimo Trail, named after the Apache warrior who fought the US Army until his surrender in 1886. The Geronimo Trail leads to a white gate with a big Z over it. The Z was Slaughters cattle brand.

The area was on the route used by Father Kino in the 1690s on his ventures into Arizona because of the water

John Slaughter Ranch Looking Toward Mesa

View from the ranch house looking toward the mesa that is the high point on the property.

it contained. In 1773, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza came to the area and the Spanish established the San Bernardino garrison around 1775. The ranch originated from a Spanish Land Grant that was purchased by Ignacio Perez in 1822. After 10 years, Perez quit using the land because of the Apache raids. Slaughter purchased the ranch in 1884 from the Perez heirs. With the Gadsden Purchase, the ranch lands were divided with one third in the US and two thirds in Mexico. After Slaughter’s death, the property was later sold and what is left in the US is now a National Historical Landmark. 130 acres of the original property was purchased by The Johnson Historical Museum of the Southwest, The US Fish and Wildlife Service owns the rest of the property in Arizona, now known as the San Bernardino Wildlife Refuge.

Historical Picture of Texas John Slaughter

Slaughter was born in Louisiana in 1841 and died on his ranch in 1922. During his life he fought in the Civil War, was a cattleman, Indian fighter, lawman and gambler. He served with the Texas Rangers and was elected Cochise County Sherriff in 1886 and served until 1890. He helped rid Cochise County of outlaws after the Shoot Out at the OK Corral. There are many stories that you can read about John Slaughters life at the Ranch Museum. John Slaughter is one of the people that tamed the Old West and brought law and order to the Arizona Territory.

The Museum has many different things on display. The buildings were restored in the 1980s and furnished with items from the era. There may be some items that can be traced back to Slaughter but most are not. The property contains an icehouse, wash house, main buildings, granary, commissary and a garage that houses a vintage car. On the mesa above the ranch are the remains of a US Cavalry camp. The inside of the main house is open to visitors from 10 until 3. The property also has a spring fed pond and the ranch site is located at the head waters of the Yaqui River. During the droughts that affected the west in the 1900s, the cattle herds survived because of the water on the property. The small amount of acreage is all that is left of the only remaining great Arizona 19th century cattle ranch.

The pond has wildlife visit during the day. When Angie and I were there we saw deer and large swans. At first

John Slaughter Ranch House and Museum

I thought that they were props since they didn’t move. Finally they got bored looking at me and went about eating again. This is a pleasant spot to bring a picnic lunch after you have taken the loop trail into the refuge. It is about a 2 ½ mile loop and has many birds in the area. You can even make a short visit to the Gadsden Hotel in Douglas and roam around the mezzanine and view the stained glass. If you have enough time in your day and the Sand Hill Cranes are wintering in Arizona, you can head north to Whitewater Draw and take in the birds in this area also. Both places can be seen during the same trip.

The Museum is about 1 ½ hours and Whitewater Draw is about an hour away from Down By The River B and B, the lodging hub of Cochise County. The San Pedro River bnb is a great location to visit all of Cochise County’s many attractions.

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New Years Eve at the River

October 26th, 2012 by Mike Hug

Sometimes we do get snow at the B and B but it doesn’t last very long. It is usually gone before noon.

Down By The River B and B has a tradition on New Years Eve. We celebrate the New Year with all of our guests and pop some Arizona Sparkling Wine at 12 AM. Every year we invite the guests that are staying with us and we invite some of our old neighbors and friends to attend.We celebrate the end of the old year and look forward to the next one which we always hope is better. The best part is that we don’t charge our guests any extra for the evening although there are some restrictions.

The tradition actually goes back before Barb and I started the BnB. We would have an open house with our neighbors and friends. After Barb and I had moved into the B and B, we decided to keep the tradition going. It has been over 20 years now that we have celebrated New Years Eve in this fashion. Our old friends and neighbors still make their way down to St. David every year to ring in the New Year at our southeast Arizona B&B with Angie and me. It is fun to make new memories and remember the old ones.

New Years Eve we provide a variety of snacks for our guests to enjoy

This year we decided to advertize the affair. and give people a chance to come join us. We have always had guests here on New Years Eve. Prior to this year, we would inform the guests when they make their reservations for that time of the year and ask them to join us. We start the festivities at 9:00 PM. There are munchies to eat and we have music on until close to midnight. At that point when we turn on the TV and watch the ball drop from Times Square. Last year we had guests in all the rooms from as many states along with our friends and neighbors. Karl brought a Yule Log for us to eat. It was mighty tasty. We had other items to taste like meat balls, shrimp, cheese and crackers and much more. We always find something enticing.

This year we decided to give out the information for perspective guests who are looking for something to do

Yule Log was brought by our friend Karl

on New Years Eve while visiting Southeastern AZ. Some of our guests have come to Arizona to root on their Alma Mater at the Fiesta Bowl and have extended their vacation to visit this part of the state. They have chosen us because of our central location to all the great things that make up Cochise County. So if you want to celebrate NYE at an Arizona B&B that is the Lodging Hub of Cochise County, consider Down By The River for the unique experience of ringing in the New Year.

The only requirement of the guests is to bring their own drinks and be in a cheerful mood. We also require that the reservation must be for a minimum of 2 days at the normal room charge. The use of discounts, certificates or gift cards are not allowed during the stay. Reservations are first come first served and the full non refundable charge will be taken at the time of the reservation.

Tags: New Years Eve BnB, New Years Eve Lodging, NYE B&B
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Holy Trinity Monestary – Saint David

October 19th, 2012 by Mike Hug

The Holy Trinity Monastery in St. David, AZ has a festival coming up on the second weekend of November. The festivals always have the unusual things that may work for the hard to by for Christmas Present. If you decide to come to the Festival consider lodging with us at the Southeastern Arizona B & B, Down By The River B and B. I am also going to give a little background about the monastery and how it came to be located in St. David, AZ.

The Holy Trinity Monastery at St. David, Arizona was founded on September 3rd, 1974 by Fr. Louis

The Church at the Monastery is built in the shape of a cross

Hasenfuss, O.S.B. A priest of the Diocese of Tucson, Fr. Clark Moore, was running a children’s residential program on the 92-acre property. When he was unable to meet the mortgage payments, he suggested to Fr. Louis, who was in Tucson giving a retreat, that the Benedictines establish a retreat center. When Fr. Louis returned to his monastery at Pecos, New Mexico, he presented the idea. Abbot David Geraets approved, and Fr. Louis arrived with two associates, Maxine and Larry Lee and Marty Martinez to begin a new monastery. Ground was broken for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on December 12th, 1974, and Bishop Green presided over its dedication on June 24th, 1981.

Besides providing facilities for retreats, the Monastery has built a library of 70,000 volumes, not all of which are cataloged. In keeping with the tradition of the Benedictine Monks, the property also has a museum. Check with the Monastery for times that the facilities are open. An RV park is used for the vehicles brought by winter volunteers who are instrumental in helping the community.

Holy Trinity Monastery is affiliated with the Olivetan Benedictines of Monte Oliveto in Italy. It is unique because it includes lay people in addition to the monks. Residential oblates choose to live, pray and work in community with the monks, and live in their own manufactured homes on the grounds. The monastery’s mission is not restricted to the local area. Fr. Henri Capdeville, the current Prior, also ministers to and works with oblate groups in San Diego, CA and El Paso, TX. He came to the community in 1976, became a monk in 1979, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1993.

The Monastery now consists of 150 acres, and has been built up over the years mainly by volunteer labor. The site includes the church, monks’ cloister, offices, dining areas, bookstore/gift shop, bakery, pecan orchard, gardens, ponds, and cemetery. With the help of the Bureau of Land Management, a 1.3 mile bird sanctuary trail was dedicated in 1992. The San Pedro National Resource Conservation District presented the monastery the “Conservation Cooperator of the Year” award in 1993 for the trail, which runs along the San Pedro River. Many bird-watching groups are often on site when the community arrives at church for morning prayers.

The festival in Spring and Autumn attract many people to view the things that vendors have on display at their booths.

The Monastery is self-supporting, utilizing multiple fundraising projects. During the year, there are various group retreats booked on weekends, as well as longer individual stays. These are a source of income, but it doesn’t stop there. Other sources of funding come from the Monte Cassino RV Park, sales of pecans, breads and pies; the gift shop, Benedict’s Closet thrift store, mass stipends and general donations. Two large arts and crafts festivals are hosted in the Spring, the second weekend of May (Mother’s Day), and in the Fall, the second weekend of November (just in time for Christmas!) A monthly e-mail newsletter, The Holy Herald, is published by the Monastery and sent to readers.

In the late 1970’s, Fr. Henri came up with the festival idea. It started as a carnival type activity, with quarter and half-dollar games. Over the years, it has turned into a vendor show with up to 150 artisans selling handmade crafts. The festivals also provide local entertainment, which usually includes the Phoenix Tongan Catholic Community. The dining room serves an ever-popular BBQ plate, but other food venues are available as well.

The festival events are staffed by volunteers from the Knights of Columbus who work at the entrance, a Police Explorer Troop which manages parking, the Sheriff’s Assist Team is also on hand, along with the St. David Fire Department and local Ambulance Service. Numerous other volunteers help with the food prep, dining room, raffles, and general operations. Fr. Henri stated “Without the wonderful people who give their time and efforts, the Monastery would be hard pressed to be able to meet its goals.” The festivals have fallen on hard times recently, due to the lagging economy, but better times appear to be around the corner since the last Spring Festival was an improvement over the year before. The Monastery is located on Arizona Highway 80 between mileposts 302 and 303. The address is PO Box 298, St. David, AZ 85630. A committee now runs the planning for the festivals, and if you are inclined to help out, you are encouraged to call (520) 265-2827 and leave a message.

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Gadsden Hotel

October 5th, 2012 by Mike Hug

Gadsden Hotel was opened in 1907

Down By The River B and B is just the right location as an anchor site for lodging when you plan short day trips to different parts of Cochise County. There are a lot of things to do in Cochise county. Centrally located with access to the major highways that cross the county, Down By The River is the southeastern AZ bnb lodging that has it all. One of the locations that we have within a short distance is the City of Douglas. There are two particular things to see and do in Douglas. One thing to do is to stop and see the Gadsden Hotel. The second is to visit what is left of the San Bernardino Spanish Land Grant that is now the site of the John Slaughter Ranch and Museum. The ranch is located to the east of Douglas about 15 miles. I will be writing about that in the near future as it is a neat place to see.

On December 30, 1853, The United States purchased the land south of the

The Gadsden Hotel Lobby is large and open with glass panels in the ceiling.

Gila River in Arizona and New Mexico from Mexico by ratifying The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The person spearheading this was James Gadsden who was appointed by President Franklin Pierce as the Minister to Mexico. Gadsden had an ulterior motive for the purchase. He owned a railroad and with a group of investors had learned that the only southern rail route to the west cost of the United States would have to run through a portion of Mexico. After working for a short period of time Gadsden was able to persuade President Santa Ana of Mexico to sell the 45,535 square miles of Mexican territory to the US for about 33 cents per acre.

The Gadsden Hotel, named for the Gadsden Purchase, is located in Douglas, Arizona and is within a mile of the Mexican border. The hotel was first opened in 1907 and has had many dignitaries and famous people have stayed there. Eleanor Roosevelt, most of the Arizona Governors and movie stars including Lee Marvin and Shelley Winters have been guests at the hotel.

The 5 story hotel was state of the art when originally opened. The lobby is large with tall columns that support the roof. Each of the columns are painted in 14k gold leaf which at the cost was $20000. The ceiling of the lobby is decorated with stain glass panels that run the length of the lobby. The mezzanine is also home to an original Tiffany

Greek Warrior statue at the start of the stairs.

stain glass mural that covers over 40’ of wall space. The desert scene in this glass mural is beautiful to behold. An original oil painting by Audley Jean Nichols is located below the windows while two Greek warrior figures are positioned on the posts at the start of the staircase banisters. The hotel still has the original 1929 telephone switchboard, reportedly the first of its kind to be installed in Arizona, and has one of the oldest manually operated elevators west of the Mississippi. The switchboard isn’t used anymore but does make a fine display behind the front desk. The Hotel was placed on the National Historical Registry and was proclaimed a National Historic Site in 1976. It fell into disrepair and was purchased in 1988 by the present owners. They have since brought it back to the beautiful state that it is in today. The dining room and the barroom are located off the lobby. The meals served at the dining room are quite good and we have eaten there and found the cuisine to our liking.

Stain Glass Ceiling Panel

Some Trivia about the hotel is told by the staff. This includes a list of movies made on the premises including “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” and “Terminal Velocity”. One of the items of gossip is that Lee Marvin was almost in a barroom brawl at the hotel. It is reported that Pancho Villa rode his horse up the staircase of the hotel to the mezzanine. Critics say that wasn’t possible since Pancho Villa was killed in 1923 and that the hotel had burned down and was rebuilt and opened in 1929. However, the hotel management point to newspaper accounts that indicate the Italian white marble stairway survived the fire and that Pancho Villa did the ride before the hotel had burned. There are staff members and guests at the hotel that state that the hotels is haunted backing it up with accounts of the sightings. The mezzanine has glass cases with memorabilia on display. There is also pictures on the walls of the old town of Douglas and the events that happened. It is interesting to spend some time there and look at the grandeur that is on display.

The original Tiffany Glass window spans over 40 feet of wall area and is 8 feet tall.

Tags: Historical Sites, Stain glass
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