History of Sky Hi Retreat
Quick Silver
Hi retreat.
My Dad and I purchase two lots backing the National Forest in Sky Hi
around 1963-64 when I was eighteen years old. We bought the lots sight
unseen and it only took two trips to find the developement. The first
lot was purchased for $800.00 and the second was almost twice as much
at $1,500.00. In hind sight, that seams like it was a good
investment.
Sky Hi Retreat had its lake own and I considered it a gated community,
that is if you could call the cattle guard a gate. I believe at the
time we purchased the lots, Pinetop Lakes didn't have any lakes and
they used the rectangle, Sky Hi Retreat lake for its advertising
commercial.
Besides the beauty of the meadow, the surrounding tall pines and the
view of Pat Mullen's Mountain, we had elk standing at the tree lines,
bugling on the cold, fall mornings, a steam locomotive chugging arcoss
the meadow with smoke stacks billowing and if lucky, we could even
hear a toot from the whistle.
Our family did enjoy hunting and fishing all around Arizona and
especially in the high country which made Sky Hi Retreat extra special
for us. Some of our relatitives had cabins in Lakeside and White
Mountain Summer Homes, so my Dad was familar with the White Mountains
and loved to fish Big Lake and Rainbow Lake. I have many a fond
memories of Sky Hi Retreat and adventures we had in the White
Mountains. Some day I may scribble a few out and share them with those
interested in such tales.
I wish a great summer to all. As AZ. Gov. Williams used to sign off
his weekly radio program he would say something like "Its a beautiful
day in Arizona, leave us enjoy it!"
Billj
Thanks for your history of Sky Hi Retreat. It brings back good
memories of our early days in Sky Hi.
My Dad bought the house on the corner of Sky Hi Drive and Aztec Circle
in about 1968. My kids were just little, and would go down to the
railroad tracks early in the morning and wait for the train to come
through. They would wave, and the train would blow its whistle. The
train was not carrying lumber any more, but was a site seeing ride. It
would make it's return trip back in the afternoon.
We remember the pond in the meadow, and even have some old pictures of
the kids fishing in the pond. ( In fact our house is built on the
block where the pond used to be.) When we get back to Gilbert, I'll
try to scan some of the early pictures I have, and post them.
My Dad tried to plant some aspen and oaks at his house, and they were
quickly eaten. We blamed the innocent bovine that sometimes were in
the area, for eating our trees. We held to this belief until we
planted hundreds of dollars of trees at our house, only for it to
become the salad bar for hungry elk. We caught them "red hooved" ,
jumping our fence and helping themselves.
There weren't any homes in the meadow at that time, the only one I
remember was Bill and Dorothy Raugh's home at the edge of the meadow.
The meadow supposedly was at one time a potato farm, but I guess it
didn't do real well, probably the elk's feeding ground. Can't you just
see the elk, digging up potatoes and munching on them? What a site to
behold!
Sky Hi Retreat is a wonderful place to live. It's like the "Olden
Days" (my kids hate that phrase), when people cared about their
neighbors. Let's keep it that way.
Bill and Brenda Jordan
Quick Silver
I enjoyed hearing a little more history of Sky Hi Retreat. The is the
first I heard about the potato farm. I did a little research trying to
find out about Pat Mullen and his family history. Do you know anything
about Pat? I would apprecate hearing about it.
Another mystery is the little rock lined path North of Sky Hi. My wife
and I ofter cross it in our hikes through the forest. Some of the
trail has been destroyed when the forest service was thinning the
trees. We always say we would like to follow it as it winds to the
Northwest and crosses the ATV trail, but we usually head Northeast and
vow to follow it another time.
We are prime examples of being creatures of habbit. We enjoy our early
morning hikes traveling close to the same route time and time again.
Three weeks ago we decided to come back a little differnt way and
stumbled on one side of an elk antler. We were both excited at the
find since we have be looking for those trophies for years. I know you
can buy them at various places for a pretty hefty price, but we always
wanted to find them in the wild. We know many are found near Young, AZ
and other lower elevations where the elk migrate during the winter
months and didn't think many were shed in our area, but we finally got
one that we are proudly displaying. Seveal weeks ago we spotted a half
dozen racks running around the Sky Hi meadow, but the owners didn't
seam willing to give them up. I think they were just looking for some
more of those fresh aspen leaves.
Thanks for your history contribution.
Larry Wagner