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| Area History |
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| Ancestors of the Zuni and Hopi Indian Tribes, known as the Mogollon people, originally occupied this area. The Casa Malpais (means house of the badlands) prehistoric site provides evidence of their civilization. The site built between 1250 and 1380 was occupied for approximately 200 years. The land provided water, timber and wild game in abundance. At about 1400 A.D., the inhabitants mysteriously abandoned the area. |
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| Recorded history shows the Spanish as the first settlers, arriving in what they called Valley Redondo (Round Valley). Then Anglos arrived in Round Valley. One of the first was a fellow named Bill Maxwell, who passed through the area in 1848 after his service in the Mormon Battalion ended. In 1869 Tony Long, a scout for the Federal Army during the Civil War was in the Valley, his job to stop the Confederates from shipping gold to California. At just about the same time, several other men were traveling through taking supplies to what became Fort Apache. Due to severe weather, the men had to stop and build a dwelling, the first in the valley. Soon a blacksmith shop was built, as well as a saw-mill and a fort in the Little Colorado area. Some years later a grist mill was established near the fort. |
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In 1875, Henry Springer, a trader from Albuquerque, New Mexico, opened a store in the western part of the valley. That same year Julius Becker and brother Gustav came to the valley and also established a store. Soon others came and these early pioneers farmed, raised dairy cows, made cheese and butter, traded produce and game and lived off the land. |
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| The first settlers to arrive welcomed and took in newcomers. In 1877, the Peter Jensens took in the William Walter Eagar family. In turn the Eagars welcomed the Slades into their home until the Slades could make other arrangements. William Walter arrived in the area with his brothers, Joel and John and the Robertsons, and they eventually took up homesteads (in the present site of Eagar). They soon began the building of canals, ditches and reservoirs. In 1888, the Eagar family donated land to develop a townsite. The town was first called Union, then Eagarville and finally Eagar. |
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| The Round Valley was largely uninhabited at this time and was an ideal hiding place for outlaws running from the law. A famous gang, the Cavanaughs (also known as the Snider gang) were killed in a fight just between the nine of them on the hill back of what is now the Eagar cemetery. The Clantons, famous for their fight with Wyatt Earp in Tombstone, lived in several areas adjoining the Valley. Members of Billy the Kid's gang were known to hideout here also. According to what is written, some buildings in Springerville still standing from that time, carry bullet holes made during shoot outs. It is said that Bishop George Crosby, speaking in church in 1887, told the brethren to keep their guns well loaded and at hand to protect their families and their property. |
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| These "bad guys" could be civil at times. For a few summers the Eagars and Jensens lived near the New Mexico border. The Clantons were regular customers of the families, paying visits for milk, butter and eggs. It is said that they treated the women and girls with respect and paid good prices for the produce, no doubt paying with stolen money. |
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| (Research for much of Eagar's history was obtained from an article entitled "Town History" written by Clarcia Eagar. Clarcia had much more to tell, and to read her full account, visit the web site www.elks.net/eagar.htm. It's truly worth it!) |
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- Original Eagar Family Homestead
- Located on Ranch
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Innkeepers |
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| Harold and Ruth Blakeslee came as caretakers to the ranch from Pennsylvania in 2001. The Blakeslees operated a bed and breakfast in the mountains of Wellsboro before coming out west. |
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| As is on most ranches, there are several "pets in residence" at the White Mountain Escape Bed and Breakfast. There is Luke, The Hiker Dog, our part Aussie, Specs the Dalmatian, Cassie the Italian Cat, Pepper the African Gray Parrot and horses, The Babe, Blazer Boy and Knotty. |
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