MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release: October 9, 2006

Replica of Historic “Desert Foothills Scenic Drive” Sign to be presented to Cave Creek Museum on Wed., Oct. 11

Microburst destroyed original sign in 1996 -- Friends of the Scenic Drive to present new replica sign during Carefree-Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce Mixer 

(CAVE CREEK) -- A replica of the historic “Desert Foothills Scenic Drive” sign will be presented to Cave Creek Museum on Wednesday, October 11 during the Carefree-Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce Mixer from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Museum, 6140 Skyline Drive, in Cave Creek. Volunteers created the original wooden “Entering Desert Foothills Scenic Drive” sign in 1964. The sign was donated to Cave Creek Museum in 1995, but a microburst destroyed it a year later. 

“We’re very grateful to the Friends of the Scenic Drive and especially volunteer Horst Berkner who re-created the sign from a photograph,” said Evelyn Johnson, Cave Creek Museum executive director. 

Johnson said the sign will be a permanent part of the Museum’s outside exhibit. 

“Many people do not realize the significance of this sign,” she said. “Thanks to the people behind this effort – the Friends of the Scenic Drive -- the drive continues to remain beautiful.”  

Corkie Cockburn, a long-time Cave Creek resident, conceived the idea and rallied support from residents in 1963. Fearing that neon-lit motels and gas stations would sprout up in the open desert, the group of friends sought to create something of value that would “draw a line in the sand” by placing more than two dozen plant identification signs along Scottsdale and Cave Creek Roads. The original 19-mile scenic drive is a loop beginning at Pinnacle Peak and Cave Creek Roads in Phoenix traveling north to Carefree Highway, then east to Scottsdale Road and south to Jomax Road in Scottsdale. 

Today, the signs along Scottsdale Road are maintained by Friends of the Scenic Drive, a division of the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association (GPPA), which is a non-profit 501 (c) 3  educational organization founded in 1977 and incorporated under the laws of Arizona. GPPA is dedicated to desert preservation, wildlife conservation, and the protection of quality of life in the North Scottsdale Sonoran Desert.  

Les Conklin, GPPA president and editor of A Peek at the Peak, said help is needed to preserve the Scenic Drive. 

“The Cave Creek Road section of the drive needs to be restored and we need support from Phoenix residents who reside near that section,” Conklin explained. “We’re also concerned about the Valley’s rapid growth and how that will affect Scottsdale Road. We’d like to see the drive restricted to its current width which is four lanes.”  

For information about GPPA or the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive visit www.gppaaz.org and www.scenicdrive.org. For information about Cave Creek Museum and its programs, call (480) 488-2764, or visit www.cavecreekmuseum.org.