AZ League Connection

The League's Monthly Online Newsletter

Issue 170: June 2017

City Snapshot: City of Show Low
Named by the Turn of a Card

Have you heard the legend about how Show Low got its name? Marion Clark and Corydon E. Cooley owned 100,000 acres. They decided to play a game of cards, with the winner to take the ranch. The game lasted all night. When the last hand began, Cooley needed one point. Clark told Cooley “SHOW LOW and the ranch is yours.” Cooley turned the deuce of clubs, thereby naming SHOW LOW. The main street became the Deuce of Clubs.

With a legacy this colorful, you know the city is rich in history and lore. This tale so captivated the Reader’s Digest that Show Low was a finalist in a nationwide America’s Most Interesting Town contest. Nestled in the beautiful White Mountains of northeastern Arizona, Show Low is a mix of a small western-hometown feel and big-city amenities. Our 11,096 full-time residents welcome newcomers and tourists from across the globe.

At 6,400 feet elevation and temperatures averaging 25 degrees less than Valley cities, Show Low boasts an enviable four-season climate. It is home to some of Arizona’s finest recreational areas, drawing seasonal residents who spend the summer or winter months in this energetic community. The city sits in the nation's largest stand of Ponderosa Pine, surrounded by two million acres of scenic national forests and mountain landscapes. This outdoor-lover’s paradise provides world-class fishing, hunting and miles of trails for hiking, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, skiing and snowboarding.

Show Low is the largest city and the economic and health care hub of the White Mountains. Tourism, health care, forest products and manufacturing are the pillars of our economy. The city is strategically located at the crossroads of highways 60, 260 and 77 and near I-40. Other industries—including aviation and business services—have discovered our locational advantages. Our regional airport offers daily commuter service to and from Phoenix. We are partners in an award-winning rural transit service that connects Show Low with Holbrook and I-40 to the north and Pinetop-Lakeside to the south. Show Low is a community filled with business start-ups and entrepreneurial activity.

The streetscape along the Deuce of Clubs features wide, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, attractive landscaping, public art, and places to sit and relax, drawing visitors and customers to stroll and shop. Show Low plays host to popular annual signature events, including celebrating the city’s anniversary in conjunction with a nationally-sanctioned BBQ competition, the Show Low BBQ Throwdown, in May; farmers’ market & art walk, the largest in the region, every Saturday from May through September; Show Low Days in June, a family-friendly event with an arts and crafts festival, soapbox Derby Down the Deuce and kids’ activities; Fourth of July FreedomFest, with a parade, concerts and magnificent fireworks; the Halloween-themed Spooktacular Festival in October; Show Low Shines for the Holidays in December, when the city is bejeweled with sparkling holiday lights all month long and revelers enjoy holiday events; and the award-winning Deuce of Clubs Drop on New Year’s Eve featuring our famous deuce of clubs card.

If you have never visited Show Low, we invite you to our beautiful neck of the woods. If you are a returning visitor, we welcome you back.

 

azleague.org

Follow us:

League of Arizona Cities and Towns
1820 W Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Phone: 602-258-5786
Fax: 602-253-3874
Email: newsletter@azleague.org