Another Cochise County pilgrimage

This Thanksgiving we took a trip to Cochise County. Ever since we found the hotel where my grandparents met in 1917 (and discovered that it is still in business) we have been wanting to go for a visit. But we went dirt-roading first, visiting the old Butterfield Stagecoach Station on the northern edge of the Dragoon Mountains, then drove into the mountains to check out Dragoon Springs. The Station was essentially a stockade with 10-foot unmortared stone walls and two teeny (5x5') rooms. It was really only used for 2 years due to the Civil War, Apache raids and the success of the Pony Express.

The temperature? 75 degrees (23.8 Celsius). What a lovely day!

Dinner at the Hotel Cochise was down-home delicious. The dining room was filled with local folks, the owner Carla's kids and a trio of bikers who had made the trip from Phoenix.

More photos can be seen on my photogallery at Flickr.

Here is my Aunt Margie's account of how grandma (Julia) and grandpa (Allan) met:

In 1917 Julia met a young man on the steps of the Cochise Hotel. Her father didn't want to introduce her and told her he was "some Eastern chap from Harvard." Brother Philip arrived late for his train and in his hurry his suitcase fell open with everything falling out. The young chap sprang to help repack and the introduction followed. Of course Allan proceeded to court Julia.