Wickenburg, Arizona, Lives the
Wild West
Named a 2008 Top Town By True West
Henry Wickenburg
struck gold 135 years ago—1863—at the Vulture Mine.
The gold has
played out, but locals have found a new treasure: visitors who come to see the
preserved heritage of Wickenburg, our Number 8 Top True Western Town of 2008.
The announcement
comes in the January/February issue of True West Magazine, one newsstands
January 15, 2008. The Number 1 Town is St. Joseph, Missouri.
Among the
Wickenburg sights: the Vulture Mine is open to the public (alas, thereÕs no
gold to be found nowadays). ThereÕs the original Santa Fe Depot, which brought
the world to town in 1895. The Jail Tree is still around, some 200 years old,
once used to hold lawbreakers who were chained to the mesquite before a jail
building was built in the 1880s. And most of the downtown buildings date back
to the 19th century, too, preserved by citizens who care about
WickenburgÕs past and future.
ÒWickenburg is one
of the great Western towns, and itÕs been a hidden gem for years,Ó says True West Executive Editor Bob Boze
Bell. ÒBut the townÕs ongoing tourism efforts mean that more and more people
are finding out just how special it is.Ó
Several
preservation efforts are ongoing. The Old Texas Hotel was renovated last year.
The restoration of the old Santa Fe Depot (which now houses the Chamber of
Commerce) continues. And folks are constantly working to maintain the Old West
look and feel of downtown Wickenburg.
Past top town recipients: Helper,
Utah (2007) and Sheridan, Wyoming (2006).
True West editors
determine winners for this annual award based on criteria demonstrating how
each town preserves its history through old buildings, museums and other
institutions, events and promotion of historic resources.
The feature includes Towns to
Watch for their good works in historic preservation and several legendary
locales folks should know.
True West magazine is
in its 55th year of leading the way in presenting the true stories of Old West
adventure, history, culture and preservation. For subscriptions and more
information, visit http://www.twmag.com or
call 888-687-1881.
Contact: Mark Boardman
765-491-4063 mailto:mboardman@twmag.com