This Month in History: April in Rim Country

A look back at some notable April events in Rim Country history.

April 1882: The first permanent settlers arrived in what would become Payson, drawn by the promise of good grazing land and abundant timber. The settlement was originally called “Green Valley” before being renamed for Senator Louis Edwin Payson of Illinois, who never actually visited.

April 1918: The Payson Ranger Station was established as part of the Tonto National Forest, marking the federal government’s first permanent presence in the area. The original station building still stands.

April 1959: Arizona Highway 87 (the Beeline Highway) was completed in its modern alignment, dramatically reducing travel time between Payson and Phoenix. Before the highway, the trip took most of a day over rough mountain roads.

April 1990: The Dude Fire, which would become one of Arizona’s most significant wildfires, was still months away but the conditions that fed it — years of drought and dense forest undergrowth — were already being noted by forest service officials that spring.

Know a piece of Rim Country history? Share it with us at editor@therimway.com.