08/01/2026
Pleasant Valley War: This is an important story in Arizona’s history. Zane Grey, the famous Western Novel author, built a remote Lodge just below the Tonto (Mogollon) Rim, 21 miles NE of Payson, AZ in 1918. The lodge burned down in a forest fire a dozen years ago and currently there is a State Trout Hatchery close to former Lodge’s location. Grey chose this location to able to interview the residents of the nearby remote Town of Young, AZ. He wanted to write novels about an ”Old West” late 19th Century feud that happened there between two warring factions of cattle rustlers. One faction was led by the Graham family. The other was led by the Tewksbury family. In the beginning, factions stole cattle from the big ranches together, until an argument caused a very bloody war between them. This feud became known as the “Pleasant Valley War.” At least 50 men were brutally killed. This feud made Arizona look barbaric to government in Washington D.C. and prevented Arizona’s Statehood for over 20 years until 1912. Unfortunately for Grey, he discovered that the residents of Young did want to talk to any strangers about the feud, especially an arrogant, wealthy Easterner with a pompous attitude from Ohio. Until recently, that remained to be their attitude. This resulted in Grey writing a novel about the Pleasant Valley War, and other cowboy novels about the Tonto Rim without any factual interviews from locals. Today, although the folks of Young, AZ are a little bit more friendly, it is notable that access to their town is only by miles and miles of bumpy winding, Forest Fire Access Roads. One 20 miles from the North, the other 60 miles from the South. This is because the residents of Young, AZ resist the State of Arizona’s efforts to build a paved road to their town from the North or South. KJ
