45 Year Scenic Drive Heritage Timeline

    Scenic Drive Heritage

    In a 1966 report to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, the late Vince Thelander hoped that the effort related to creating the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive “might serve as an inspiration to other communities to take ACTION IN THE PRESERVATION OF natural beauties in their respective areas.” He continued, “… almost everyone in the Cave Creek-Carefree area became involved in this civic enterprise. Included were grade school and high school boys and girls who assisted in painting, several business men who worked often and long in routing, sawing, constructing thesigns, installation along the route, cleaning of the plant types and sites around them, the  local lumber company that provided material at cost, and the numerous individuals who gave financial assistant. This is truly an outstanding example of a community doing things for itself with a minimum of government assistance.” It is an example that lives on because Scottsdale residents continue to take action.

    Scenic Drive plant exhibit created by volunteer "plant parents"

     

    Here is a timeline of actions that comprise the Scenic Drive’s story up to 2007. It’s a story that many people can take pride in.

    Setting

    In 1955, the tiny communities of Cave Creek and Carefree were separated from Scottsdale and Phoenix by a vast expanse of mostly vacant, saguaro-studded desert.  In 1956, Scottsdale Road was extended north from Scottsdale to Cave Creek Road. Carefree, one of Arizona's first planned communities, was established in 1957. Cave Creek Road was paved in 1961, easing the trip from Phoenix to the once remote communities. The same year the Pinal Pioneer Parkway (US 89) was opened by the Arizona Highway Department as a scenic drive through a relatively untouched expanse of desert between Florence and Oracle Junction. The highway department acquired scenic easements along the parkway to create a highway nature preserve. Small brown plant identification signs were used to identify various species of fauna next to the road and roadside rest areas were established. [Read More] 

    Early 1963.  Cave Creek resident Corki Cockburn has an idea. "It was a moonlit evening. My husband and I and another couple were making the lonely, quiet drive home through the tall saguaros and thickets of jumping cholla. We spoke of our fear that the roadside would become lined with neon-lit gas stations and motels like Apache Boulevard in Mesa where we had been earlier in the day. Creating the Scenic Drive was our way of preserving the desert.” Corki brought her idea to the Cave Creek Improvement Association (CCIA).  

    Scenic Drive plant exhibits have always been maintained by volunteers

    March 1963. CCIA petitions Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to take action to preserve scenic right-of-way along Scottsdale and Cave Creek Roads. [Read More] 

    August 1963. Vince Thelander, chairman of CCIA’s road committee, states the main objective of the Cave Creek-Carefree group is to preserve and enhance a section of “living desert” that is particularly endowed with a variety of native Arizona fauna. K.T. Palmer, developer of Carefree, emphasizes that property values will increase along the scenic route. [Read More]

    October 1963. The Black Mountain News states that if businesses are allowed to border the proposed scenic routes, tourism will suffer. The newspaper says there is already ample commercial frontage to meet future demand. [Read More]

    November 1963. The Maricopa County Planning & Zoning Committee votes to forward their report favoring a scenic setback ordinance to the board of supervisors. Residents speaking in favor of the measure included Carefree founders K.T. Palmer and Tom Darlington. Scottsdale resident Orian Steen Jr. presents a petition signed by 12 property owners along Scottsdale Road requesting help in preserving natural desert beauty.  [Read More]

    Late 1963. The County Board of Supervisors approves larger setbacks for the scenic route. In ensuing months, residents meet with federal land management departments and the county parks commission and develop agreement for leasing two-five acre sites as roadside parks and entrances to the drive. It is hoped that additional turnoffs and special viewpoints can be acquired. 

    July 1964. Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approves 19 mile Desert Foothills Scenic Drive along Scottsdale and Cave Creek Roads. [Read More]

    1964. A botanist selects plants along the route to be used as exhibits. The Black Mountain News announces that work on plant identification signs has begun “and it is hoped when the call goes out for volunteers to help paint and set them in place,” residents will respond. They did. 

    Diagram identifying location of Scenic Scenic Drive plant exhibit created by volunteers (Click to enlarge)

    December 1964. The Black Mountain News states that work is progressing on signs for the Scenic Drive. “At the time of this writing, large ‘Entering the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive’ signs are about ready to be installed. Residents are urged to volunteer their time to work on signs at Cave Creek Building Supply.” [Read More] 

    May 1966. The Maricopa County Planning Department issues a report describing regional benefits of the Scenic Drive, calling for large entry signs at entry points on Scottsdale and Cave Creek Roads. The monument signs are built.  [Read More]

             1968. Picnic tables and bathroom facilities are installed near the Scenic Drive monument sign on the east side of Scottsdale Road, just south of Jomax Road, and tour busses begin stopping at the area. 

    1964 - 1969. CCIA volunteers, called “plant parents,” maintain the plant exhibits. Several travel magazines publish stories about the Scenic Drive. [Read More]

    1970-1979. Volunteers continue to maintain plant exhibits. Tour busses regularly stop at the monument area just south of Jomax. Postcards tout the Scenic Drive to tourists.

    Volunteer Horst Berkner created replica of original Scenic Drive entry sign and other volunteers created visitor exhibits

      1984 - 1986. Phoenix and Scottsdale annex areas that contains Scenic Drive. City of Phoenix designates northern part of Cave Creek Road as a "Scenic Corridor. City of Scottsdale designates northern part of Scottsdale Road a "Scenic Corridor."  Interest in maintaining plant exhibits diminishes among Cave Creek/Carefree "plant parents" [Read More] 

    1986.  Scottsdale residents living near the Scenic Drive obtain three legal petitions (the only time it’s been done in Scottsdale history) causing a developer to withdraw his application that would have changed zoning of 600-acre parcel on the Scenic Drive from residential to commercial. Plans called for a motion picture production studio, hotels, and high density housing. In a show of support for the Scenic Drive, the Scottsdale council downzones the one small piece of the parcel that has commercial zoning. 

    1990. Jo Walker, CCIA President who championed the Scenic Drive for years, publishes a comprehensive report about the area’s scenic corridors. [Read More   PDF 3.4 Megabytes] 

    1993. Scottsdale residents successfully oppose a developer’s effort to change zoning of parcel on Scenic Drive from residential to commercial. At neighborhood meeting, City Manager Dick Bowers indicates initial interest in restoring and enhancing the Scenic Drive.  

    December 1994. An informal group of residents for several neighborhoods (Desert Foothills Homeowners Coalition), which later incorporated a

    Volunteers regularly clear 13 miles of roadside of litter

    s Friends of the Scenic Drive (Friends), supported by Scottsdale City Manager Dick Bowers, Mayor Herb Drinkwater, and the Scottsdale City Council, propose a plan for restoration and enhancement of the Scenic Drive. [Read More] 

    1995. Friends with the support of the Scottsdale Pride Commission launches litter cleanups along the Scenic Drive.  

    1995. Friends submits a successful proposal to City of Scottsdale Tourism Commission for Scenic Drive enhancements. Using funds from the city, GPPA, and businesses, the enhancement project starts.  

    February 1995. Friends holds a celebration to mark restoration of plant identification signs, and the posting of small metal “Scenic Drive” signs along Scottsdale Road. Corki Cockburn, drive founder, and Mayor Drinkwater attend. [Read More]

    November 1995. The monument sign, located south of Jomax, is enhanced and the original wooden entry sign is donated to the Cave Creek Museum. [Read More]    

    June 1996. Friends, with the help of the Scottsdale Pride Committee and Outback Steakhouse, organizes the first Cookout at the Ranch at MacDonald’s Ranch. 

    Summer 1996. Scottsdale Magazine publishes the article "Discovering Desert Foothills Scenic Drive" by Les Conklin. The article describes the origins of the Scenic Drive,  scenery, and local history.  [Read More   PDF 4.1 Megabytes]

     1996. Residents living near the Scenic Drive push to have proposed high voltage lines buried. In subsequent actions, property owners vote in favor of their paying assessments to help bury lines, and the first and only successful improvement district in Scottsdale’s history is adopted. The project, along Scottsdale Road from Jomax to Dixeleta, is completed in 1998. [Read More] 

    Poles before property owners near Scenic Drive voted to assess themselves to help pay for undergrounding of poles and lines

    1997.  Volunteers shift location of plant identification signs to accommodate widening of Scottsdale Road to four lanes. The city relocates exhibit plants to their new locations along the Scenic Drive. [Read More] 

    1997. This Web site is launched to educate the public about Scenic Drive’s history. 

    October 1997. Residents celebrate a $30,000 donation for creation of visitors exhibit and new drive entry signs. [Read More]   

    1997. Friends helps lead a prolonged, successful effort to eliminate the weekend real estate signs that blanket area roadsides.   

    October 1998. Scottsdale’s preserve commission approves Scenic Corridor Guidelines and Scottsdale City Council directs staff to implement recommendations.[Read More] 

    1998. Friends and residents, with the support of the Scottsdale City Council, initiate a voluntary ban of political signs along the Scenic Drive. Years later, this action is reflected in revision of city’s sign ordinance. 

    1998. New Scenic Drive entry signs and exhibit are installed. [Read More]

    Political signs on Scenic Drive before Friends initiated and policed voluntary ban supported by Scottsdale City Council

    1999. Friends, residents, and the city cooperate in an effort to hydro-seed and re-vegetate areas where the power lines were buried. 

    February 1999. Mayor “Sam” Campagna and Scottsdale City Council honor Scenic Drive as “Scottsdale Place.” [Read More] 

    2000. Scottsdale voters pass $27 million Bond 2000 program for enhancement of Scottsdale Road and Scottsdale Road Scenic Corridor. The intention is to have enhancements serve as examples for other scenic corridors. 

    2000. Friends introduces, organizes, funds, and completes a project to paint all utility boxes along the Scenic Drive dark brown (a first in Scottsdale history). 

    Utility boxes before Friends painted them to blend into environment

    2000. Developers of The Summit donate native trees, cacti, and small plants valued at $25,000, which residents use to begin re-vegetating the corners of major intersections along the scenic drive. 

    2001. Friends introduces, organizes, funds, and completes a project to paint the posts and backs of traffic signs dark brown. Friends works with the city to have traffic light supports painted the same color. 

    June 2001. Cookout at the Ranch VI held at MacDonalds Ranch in support of Scenic Drive and community preservation efforts and 475 attend [Read More]

    May 2002. Friends marks the 40th anniversary of the Scenic Drive by adding “Plant Parent” plaques, identifying supporters, at the exhibit area [Read More]. 

    2003. Friends undertakes a campaign to reduce the number of off-site development signs on the Scenic Drive. Several years later, the city’s ordinance is revised accordingly. 

    2003. Friends receives Community Leadership Governor’s Pride in Arizona Award. [Read more] 

    Traffic poles and sign backs before Friends painted them to blend into environment

    2004. Friends works with the city to install a turn lane into exhibit area. 

    2005. Friends works with the city to complete two projects: 1) trees are transplanted to block access to a desert area that is located east of exhibit area and is used for illegal dumping 2) some plant exhibits are shifted to accommodate the city’s new water line. 

    2005.  Friends funds replacement of plaques that are “ripped off” Scenic Drive exhibits. 

    2006. Friends donates replica of original wooden drive entry sign to Cave Creek Museum to replace original that was destroyed by a storm. 

    2006. Friends supports Proposition 106 to protect land on Scenic Drive that voters have indicated they want included in Scottsdale’s preserve. 

    2007.  Scottsdale unveils draft streetscape master plan and design guidelines for enhancements that address the entire 27-mile length of Scottsdale Road. The guidelines divide Scottsdale Road into six districts. The northernmost district, from Happy Valley Road to Carefree Highway, is designated as  the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive.

    New exhibits planned for Scenic Drive exhibit area

    2007. Friends organizes Cookout at the Ranch XII, more than 400 guests attend, including Mayor Mary Manross, the Scottsdale City Council, and Congressman Mitchell. 

    2007. Friends conducts regular schedule of litter pickups along Scenic Drive for 12th consecutive year.  

    2007. Friends proposes a series of exhibits along Scottsdale Road (Memory Parks) to provide information about local history. Friends project to create new history-related exhibits for Scenic Drive.  

    2007. Friends continues to maintain plant exhibits as Scenic Drives nears 50th birthday. 

    2007. Friends anticipates utilizing Bond 2000 funds and donations input from residents to realize the Scenic Drive’s promise.