Honoring Pima’s founders, the annual Pima Heritage Days were spread over April 22 to 23rd. There was a barbecue dinner on Friday at the Pima School cafeteria, and a sizzling hot cowboy breakfast Saturday morning at the Carter Farm Museum. Commemorating Pima’s 137th birthday, family fun filled the two day celebration. There were class reunions, commemorative coins, and heritage cookbooks. A colorful quilt show event was hosted in the LDS Recreation Hall on Highway 70, and multiple raffle drawings.
On Saturday morning, kids volunteer to be subject to a different type of ice-bucket challenge. Placing their feet in the buckets of ice, they are given some experience as to what it felt like to walk to Pima in the deep snow covered mountains as pioneers. Luckily the day was still warm, and as soon as the story was done they could rush off to get warm again.
During the Cowboy Breakfast, the band band Tribute entertained the crowd. Singing famous country songs with a delightful melody, any onlooker could see and hear the crowd singing along. One of the last songs they sang was, “I’m Proud to be an American,” by Lee Greenwood. With the sizzling-good food and the great music, everyone enjoyed their breakfast thoroughly. Distant family came together while out of towners toured the local museums and mused over the times of times gone by. Pima may seem distant to Safford or Thatcher, but it was the beginning heartbeat of our Gila Valley. The town and its history definitely deserves every bit of respect that can be given. So here’s to you, our founding heartbeat: Happy Birthday!