Cave Creek Museum preview draws enthusiastic crowd
by Jim Crawford

CAVE CREEK – A festive mood prevailed at Cave Creek Museum’s Sept. 27 welcoming reception for volunteers and patrons to thank them for their support and hard work.

About 125 folks were on hand throughout the evening perusing the various exhibits and displays, chatting and partaking of a generous buffet table in anticipation of the museum’s official re‑opening.

“I think we have a very nice small‑town museum,” board member Hugh Stevens said. “If people would take the time to look it over. A lot of people don’t have a clue as to the history of our area. Then don’t get out and don’t where they live. That’s a shame.”

Stevens said he moved to the Valley in 1982 from his native New York.

“It was a very nice change,” he said. “I’ve been involved with the museum since I came here.

 “Evelyn (Johnson, director) has truly been a real supporter of this organization. She’s a wonderful part of all of all this.  She works her head off and looks out for the whole operation.”

Archeology expert Grace Schoonover was beaming with delight–and relief–at the initial response to the newly redecorated archeology wing in the museum.

“After everything was in there, I could finally relax,” she said.

“I think most of the questions a novice visitor would ask have now been answered in the displays. It wasn’t bad before but everything was just on display. Now things are explained so the visitors will know something about what they see.

I counted them up and there are over 890 volunteer hours in the wing alone.”

The receipt of two grants helped make the wing remodel a reality, Schoonover said.

“One came from the Desert Foothills Women’s Club and the other from the Town of Carefree,” she said. “We would not be here if it hadn’t been for those two grants. Now I’m going to Mexico and I’m not going to take my shovel.”

Former board president Margaret Fox offered enthusiastic praise for the museum’s new look.

“I’ve been involved with the museum for 25 years,” Fox said. “It’s just all better. They’ve taken and done many of the same things only a lot more professionally. It’s all just beautiful what they’ve done. And they all worked so hard.”

Maggie Simpson, knower of all things Cave Creek, voiced her relief that the work was basically finished and she and her fellow volunteers can do what they do best.

“I’m glad we’re through,” she said. “Now I can go back to being a docent.”