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Forest Lakes Arizona Homes
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Forest Lakes
Homes and Real Estate for Sale in Arizona
History of Forest Lakes
The area that is now Forest Lakes began as mining claims filed by Reed
Denison in the late 1939 and early 1940 era. Reed Denison was the brother
of Alvis Denison who initiated the present settlement of the area with
Bill Wheeler Denison and Bob Williams.
Reed Denison was killed in an auto accident in 1949. At this time Alvis
became highly involved and continued to develop the mining interests of
the area. The principle metal involved was manganese. The United States
government was purchasing the metal and stockpiling it.
The main cabin was built before 1955 when Alvis and Marie Denison, his
wife, who was the sister of Bill Wheeler. Denison and Ted Wheeler moved in
permanently.
An ore separation plant was designed by Alvis and constructed where the
Dump area is now located. The water well for the plant was the first water
well drilled in the area. Two large diesel generators were installed to
furnish power for the plant.
Bill and Alvis conducted the mining with the help of two Caucasian miners
and five Indian families from the Zia Indian Reservation located northwest
of Albuquerque, New Mexico. When the ore was washed out, it was
transported to Show Low, Arizona and loaded into gondola cars at the
railhead. The ore was then railed to the smelter at El Paso, Texas for
stockpiling. The U.S. Government ceased to stockpile manganese in the
early 1960’s and the operation turned to some logging and the idea of
developing a recreation and summer home area began to materialize. Unit
Number One was layed out and the first sign announcing the availability of
Lots was erected on the south side of the road. The improved highway was
built later. The lots began to sell and some of those original buyers now
have houses and still occupy them, some on a permanent basis. Although
Alvis Denison died on July 22, 1964, the area continued to prosper and
grow under the management of Bill Wheeler Denison and Bob Williams.
The first ‘water department” was a single faucet near the turn-around in
front of Marie and Alvis’s house. The newcomers filled their water cans,
jugs, pans, etc. and hauled it to their new mountain retreats. A
homeowners association was formed, the Forest Lakes Owners Association.
The first principle function of this organization was to secure
electricity for the area from Arizona Public Service. The power at that
time ended at Christopher Creek. The Owners Association had to guarantee
A.P.S. that it would use $35,000.00 worth of electricity per year if A.P.S.
would bring the power up the face of the rim and into the subdivision. The
first year was a success.
The next project for the Forest Lakes Owners Association was water.
Getting water for the property owners was more of a problem. In 1967,
there were about 150 lots that had either a cabin or a trailer on them. It
was soon realized that the subdivision was growing faster than the water
supply. The well at the Denison house would only supply about 15 g.p.m.
Merz and Bill Denison gave the Owners Association 1/4 acre of land on the
southeast corner of Merzville Rd. and Old Rim Rd. They also had a well
drilled and installed a 5,000-gallon storage tank. People who belonged to
the Owners Association were issued a key to a lock box on the front of the
well house. In the box was a hose bib and 25 feet of hose. The lines to
get water, at times, created a long wait. Some people had 500-gallon water
tanks mounted on trailers, while others used 5-gallon water cans.
The Owners Association obtained a 1947 ton and a half truck, from the
Denisons, on which was mounted a 1,000 gallon tank. The Callahans
delivered water for 1 cent per gallon to those who had water tanks. In two
years there were approximately 150 lots that had water tanks mounted on
stands.
The Owners Association, sensing a need for a water district, began to
circulate a petition to form a water improvement district. By 1972 water
lines had been installed to each lot. It wasn’t too far after that that
water began flowing to each lot.
The dump originally was in an old assessment hole on lot 38N. It soon
filled up and could no longer be used. The only land acceptable to the
County for a landfill was at the old mill site, which was owned by Ted
Wheeler. To help solve the garbage situation, Ted Wheeler donated the use
of the old mill site to be used as a landfill, which was used for several
years. Then it was decided by Coconino County that the landfill was too
close to one of our water wells. The County requested permission to
install and operate a compactor, and an agreement has been made for this
operation. As the compactor filled, all the trash and garbage would be
hauled off to the Lone Pine landfill northwest of Show Low.
With all of the people coming up on weekends and during the summers, along
came fires, accidents, heart attacks, etc. The nearest hospitals were in
Show Low and Payson. Ambulances were available at both locations, but it
took 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours to get them here.
It seemed that most of the fires would start up on Sunday nights after all
the people went back “down the hill”. The old 1947 Chevy water truck was
the only water we had for fighting fires. The old truck, with help from
almost everyone here, put out a lot of fires and prevented many major
catastrophes. None of the lots had been cleaned up so there was a
considerable amount of fuel for the fires to go racing off into the
forest.
It got to where there were so many accidents with chain saws and people
falling off roofs that when we got the people to the hospitals, they would
say, “another one from Accident Acres I”. There were and still are a lot
of heart attacks mostly from over exertion and people not used to our high
altitude of 7600’.
In 1974, a petition was circulated to form a Fire Improvement District.
The first several years there was not much tax money coming in. The Owners
Association obtained an old military 6 x 6 from the County Civil Defense
and paid $13,000 to have it converted to a fire truck. The truck had a
front mount 500 gallon per minute pump and a 1,000-gallon water tank on
it. An old ambulance was bought with tax money and donations and
refurbished. The fire department had about a dozen people trained as
E.M.T.s.
The community has continued to prosper and expand its services. This
positive action did not come gratis. Good leaders were selected and they
continue to serve with the cooperation of the citizens of the area.
Despite minor opposition (which is to be expected in any venture of this
magnitude) the character of the people will prevail.
FOREST LAKES HOMES
38 miles east of Payson on highway 260. One-acre parcels with tall pines
on top of the Mogollon Rim at 7700', close to the Five Rim lakes -
fishing, hiking and hunting with an abundance of wildlife. Forest Lakes
has cabin rentals and ski rentals in the winter, a lodge, a steakhouse,
post office, two "general" stores and a gas station in the summer months.
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