Location, Location, Location! Southeast Arizona!

     The Historic Willcox Commercial building is for sale.    

        The oldest store in Arizona is for sale.  Asking price is $190,000.   For information email John Seidel at willcoxcom@yahoo.com or call 575 682 6362.

The Willcox Commercial opened in this location in 1880.

Railroad Avenue

          

     This building has been the cornerstone of this town for more than a century.    It has been an integral part of the area.   

1912 Railroad Avenue

      The Norton-Morgan Company sold everything needed by the settlers and ranchers.   It was the center of commerce and transportation. 

The balcony in back has blankets displayed on the railing. 

      The gold mine in Dos Cabezas was supplied through the store.    A livery was here too for folks’ travel needs around the area.     

      Groceries, dry goods, feed, etc. was all here.    The story has it that Geronimo shopped here, buying his sugar in one pound bags as he felt he could trust that measurement.   

This 1936 picture shows the drawers to the right that are in an earlier post of the current day store.    Also notice the deep set windows and the balcony. 

      There are unique and interesting places in this area both of historical and natural significance.  On this post I will focus on the ones that are in or really close to Willcox (Ten miles or less).   

    Across the street  is Railroad Park with the Rex Allen Statue, play structure, picnic pavilion and giant cottonwood trees.  .       

 

War Memorial in Railroad Park

Historic Site Plaque in Railroad Park

     Our side of Railroad Avenue is home to the Rex Allen Museum, the Marty Robbins Museum, the Willcox theater, an old west mercantile and two winery tasting rooms.   A walk around the block will take you past the Chiriachua Regional Museum, several restaurants, a coffee shop, several second hand/antique shops, the “Friendly Book Store’ run by the friends of the library and several other businesses.   

     

 Just a scenic walk from the Willcox Commercial is the Pioneer Cemetery. 

  It has many old tombstones.

 

     The cemetery is the final resting place of Warren Earp, brother of Wyatt Earp.   Warren was killed in a bar one block from the Commercial.    

      Also on the edge of town is the Twin Lakes Golf Course and the Bird Viewing area.    It is an excellent place to golf, catch the sunset, go for a short bike ride or enjoy the mountains reflecting on smooth water.  

     Sand hill cranes winter in this area and can be observed flying overhead. 

They can be seen on the ground at the Bird Viewing area at Twin Lakesand at a bird viewing area maintained by the SSVEC Power plant on the west side of the Willcox Playa.

Twin Lakes

SSVEC Viewing Area

SSVEC Viewing Area

     The Willcox Cattle Auction is on the edge of town.   Many times I have seen the cowboys as they ride their horses to move the animals into the auction ring.

   

      I have seen long horn cattle and Brahma cattle as well as other colorful beef cows in the pens.  

     It’s a favorite place for my young nephew and I to bike ride past.  

     The Willcox Playa is an ancient dry lake.    It has been used as a bombing range by the military and artifacts such as bullet casings can be found there.    It’s a fun place to ride a 4-wheeler.     

The Willcox Playa, commonly called the "dry lake".

Dry Lake

    A short way north of town is the Circle I Mountains.   This area is excellent for hiking.    There are Indian drawings and grinding pits in the rocks.   The boulders are dramatic and the views are panoramic.    I personally have seen javalina in this area.  

Circle I Mountains are north of town.   

Back of the smooth hills are amazing boulders.

Spring bloom of poppies! 

Pronghorns running away from us south of the Circle I mountains.

     Willcox is the center of the Sulfur Springs Valley.   The nearest towns with commerce are 35 and 40 miles away.    Tucson is 80 miles away.   Willcox is the gateway to some pretty amazing places.     Next post I will travel a few miles out of town to show you the wonders of this region.   To whet your appetite for more explorations of the area here are links to a couple of overnight bike rides in this area ….   http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Eyespring2013   a trip through the valley to Cochise Stronghold and http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/oldwesteye2012  a trip to the Chiricahua National Monument.    Please check them out.