Terrie Frankel Speaks to Rotary Club of Sedona, Arizona

Cottonwood: The Heart of Arizona Wine Country

Old Town Cottonwood

Cottonwood, Arizona

Heart of Arizona Wine Country

By Kyla Allen, City of Cottonwood

The city of Cottonwood, once a sleepy town which travelers passed through when visiting the nearby communities of Sedona and Jerome, is now a tourist destination. In the heart of Arizona, nestled in a green valley near the base of Mingus Mountain, Cottonwood—once one of the best kept secrets in Northern Arizona—is now a successful bustling destination.

Cottonwood was one of the few communities in Northern Arizona where the commercial industry actually grew during the recent recession. That is directly attributed to a forward thinking City Council, a visionary City Manager and an Economic Development Director who had what it takes to get it done.

Focusing on the Old Town, city staff made it a goal to revitalize the area, with the first milestone being the wooing of entrepreneur Eric Jurisin, the owner of the Old Town restaurants Nic’s Italian Steak & Crab House and The Tavern Grille. These two establishments gave Old Town the credibility needed to court other businesses. Then, seeing the potential of this diamond in the rough, local wineries began opening wine tasting rooms and retail establishments followed. 

With natural destinations such as the Verde River, state parks, national monuments and wilderness areas, plus the added attraction of Old Town Cottonwood with its historic feel and wine tasting rooms—serving award winning wines produced right here in the Verde Valley—Cottonwood now attracts thousands of visitors each year.

The city of Cottonwood also recently went through an extensive rebranding process and is now known as the “Heart of Arizona Wine Country,” with a new logo and renewed commitment to the community. Cottonwood is the economic heart of the Verde Valley. With an array of businesses, county offices, a transit system, major hospital and numerous medical facilities. Cottonwood also opened a new Recreation and Aquatics Center with state of the art equipment, a dance studio, indoor leisure pool, community events hall, gymnasium, climbing wall, and electronic game room for the entire family. This facility attracts visitors from throughout the Verde Valley and is a quality of life attraction for those looking to relocate. In addition to this facility, the outdoor pool was also renovated and is now an Arizona Interscholastic Association officially sanctioned venue for state swim meets.

Annual events include the Old Town Main Street Holiday light show, the Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza, Walkin’ on Main Street community event, Thunder Valley Rally motorcycle event and the Tilted Earth Wine and Music Festival. Other annual events included the Brian Mickelsen Memorial Marathon, annual Easter Egg Hunt, Verde Valley Fair, Verde River Day, Farmers’ Market & Jamboree, and the annual Chocolate Walk and Christmas Tree lighting.

One of the lesser known facts about Cottonwood is that it was once the bootleg capital of Arizona. In the 1920s Cottonwood was known as the “biggest little town in Arizona.” Speakeasies lined Old Town Main Street, and underground tunnels ran below the street allowing nefarious activities to go on unseen. Though the tunnels have long ago been sealed, many of the structures remain and the colorful history is ever present. Galleries, antiques, shops, amazing cuisine, an olive oil tasting business, wine tasting rooms and the Cottonwood Hotel line Main Street, providing a wonderful ambiance in the Old Town historic district.  

Cottonwood is a diverse, growing community nestled in the beautiful high desert of Arizona. We invite you to come and explore the many benefits Cottonwood and the Verde Valley have to offer.  To learn more, visit www.cottonwoodaz.gov, or http://cottonwoodchamberaz.org/, http://www.vvwinetrail.com/.

Groundbreaking Planned for Verde Valley Military Service Park July 22, 2015

Volunteers from the Verde Valley Detachment of the Marine Corps League 1176, VFW Post 7400, American Legion Posts 25, 93, and 135 and the City of Cottonwood work on plans for the Verde Valley Military Service Park planned for Garrison Park, 100 Brian Mickelsen Parkway in Cottonwood. Planners, from left, are Dave Boily, Alan and Linda Brecher, Dave Blauert, Larry Stover, Alice Stattman, Keith Vogler, Ron Luce, Ed Martinez, Geoff Ball, Doug Evenson, Terrie Frankel and Mayor Diane Joens. Other committee members include Richard Faust, Jim Strande, Ray Goff and Milt Cruver. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for Wednesday, July 22 at 2 p.m. The Military Service Park will serve all Verde Valley veterans and military.

Planners of the Verde Valley Military Service Park are ready to break ground with a public ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at 2 p.m. The groundbreaking will be held at Garrison Park, 100 Brian Mickelsen Parkway in Cottonwood. Committee member Larry Stover has been working on a sign that will provide information about the park and will be installed during the ceremony. The Verde Valley Military Service Park will honor military veterans of the United States of America who live in the Verde Valley now or in the past or any military veteran having Verde Valley connections.

The first step of the Verde Valley Military Service Park is the installation of a 65 foot tall flag pole flying the American flag. The next steps are to place Marines, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force flags in the areas that will be developed for each branch of the military. All phases will be built on a pay-as-you-go basis and the committee is actively seeking donations.

 

Phase two of the park will be the military areas. Honorably discharged veterans or those currently serving in the military and live-in or have Verde Valley connections are eligible to have their names inscribed. The fee for inscription is $75.00. There will be an endowment fund for veterans that want to be included but do not have the funds. Keith Vogler of the Marine Corps League, who is leading the effort, said, “The planning committee wants to make sure that anyone who wants to be recognized will have the opportunity.”

In kind donations totaling at least $30,000 have been made by construction engineer Luke Sefton of Sefton Engineering Consultants, Heritage Land Survey, architect Jonathan Schoch of Caddworx Studio and project manager Keith Newton of High Performance Buildings. The Cottonwood City Council voted to donate the land. 

The committee is made up of volunteers from the Verde Valley Detachment of the Marine Corps League 1176, VFW Post 7400, American Legion Posts 25, 93, and 135 and the City of Cottonwood. Other members include Dave Blauert of Sedona who was instrumental in the creation of military service parks in Durango, Colorado and Sedona. City of Cottonwood’s Community Services General Manager Richard Faust has also been a great support for the project. Other citizens from throughout the Verde Valley are also actively working on the project.

Vogler plans to visit city and town councils in Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Jerome and Sedona to seek participation in the Verde Valley Military Service Park. “This park is for everyone in the Verde Valley,” Vogler said. “We want to be all inclusive.” He has worked with Yavapai County Supervisors Chip Davis and Thomas Thurman because the park, although on city land, is right next to the Yavapai County Cottonwood Annex.

For more information contact Keith Vogler at (928)301-7358. The website address is www.verdevalleymilitaryservicepark.com and the Facebook address is https://www.facebook.com/VerdeValleyMilitaryServicePark. Checks may be made to the Verde Valley Military Service Park and mailed c/o Marine Corps League #1176, P.O. Box 2286, Cottonwood, AZ 86326-2286. 

Media release written by Diane Joens

Media Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Keith Vogler

Email: keithvogler@gmail.com

Old Town Civic Center and Gateway to the Verde River celebrated with Ribbon Cutting Events

COTTONWOOD—The city of Cottonwood sponsored a ribbon cutting and grand opening for the Civic Center parking lot improvements in Old Town Cottonwood. This project replaced the gravel surface with fresh asphalt, installed a sidewalk to connect the Civic Center’s ADA accessible ramp with the sidewalk along Main Street, and installed improved site lighting with historical period lights. The city hosted a grand opening of this improved facility on June 26 at the Civic Center located at 805 North Main Street in Old Town Cottonwood. Participating, from left, was City Manager Doug Bartosh, Mayor Diane Joens, Engineering Assistant Martin Smith, Cottonwood resident Johnny Russell and Vice Mayor Karen Pfeifer. Not pictured was Public Works Manager Morgan Scott.

Once that ribbon was cut, the participants took a short walk through Old Town to the Gateway to the Verde River. At 1053 North Main Street the city held a ribbon cutting celebrating the completion of the picnic area addition to the Old Town Jail parking lot and picnic area. This project was  designed to provide a sidewalk from Main Street to the Jail Trail. The picnic area includes an ADA accessible sidewalk, concrete slab with safety railing and new picnic tables with inlaid game boards. Recently completed was a kiosk with information for hikers who want to hike the Jail Trail and follow the trail back on Pima to return to Old Town. Residents and visitors are encouraged to enjoy the beautiful Gateway to the Verde River and the Arizona State Parks Jail Trail. Participating in the ribbon cutting, from left, were Emerald Dillon and Christina Williams of the Wild Rose Tea House, Jail Trail hikers Elizabeth, Erik and Kelly Molique with friend Cassidy Evans from Scottsdale, Mayor Diane Joens, Public Works Manager Morgan Scott, Vice Mayor Karen Pfeifer, Engineering Assistant Marty Smith and City Manager Doug Bartosh. Kyla Allen made all of the arrangements.