Double Butte Cemetery

Tempe's first cemetery, named for the Buttes in the background, was established before 1900. It was located on 80 acres of high ground because lower areas were waterlogged. Members of Tempe's best-known families lie here, along with victims of hangings, ...

Butterfield Overland Mail

At this place, near midnight Oct. 8, 1958, Vislians greeted with an anvil salute, the first coach of the pioneer line to arrive from St. Louis. The Visalians' hearty welcome caused the only "through" passenger to remark "They ought to ...

Thomas Butterfield

"A Man of Great Courage"

Born: June 17, 1811 - Died: April 6, 1890

Thomas Butterfield, his wife Mary Jane Parker and little Mary Jane left their home in Farmington, Maine in 1869 to travel to Kirtland, Ohio to meet the Prophet ...

Bear Butte

Mountain of Plains Indians

This 4,422 foot high volcanic bubble rises 1,200 feet above the plains, a guide for centuries to Indians, fur traders, soldiers, cowboys, and travelers. It was visited or passed by Verendrye, 1743; Lt. G. K. Warren, 1855; ...

Bear Butte (Mato Paha) Indian Camp

This area, extending along Bear Butte Creek, was for centuries a select camp site for the Plains Indians, who found here mountain spring water, wood, protection from the bitter north winds, together with much game and wild fruit in season. ...

Butte des Morts

(Hill of the Dead)

In 1730 the French Government decided to destroy the Fox village on the shore of this lake because of the depredations of the Foxes on the fur traders. Capt. Morand came up the river with a large ...

Mesas and Buttes

This is Mill Bluff, one of many isolated and rocky castle-like hills which rise abruptly from the surrounding plain. This formation is properly called a mesa (Spanish for "table") if large and butte if small.

Mesas and buttes in this ...

Vallecito-Butterfield Stage Station

19 Miles

One of the chief remaining landmarks of famous old stage line. Coaches and spring wagons carried passengers and mail. Stations were built at 20-mile intervals. The first stage on the line left St. Louis on September 15, 1858.

Marker is ...

Butterfield Overland Mail Route

This pass, puerta, between the desert and the cooler valleys to the north, was used by the Mormon Battalion. Kearny's Army of the West, the Butterfield Overland Mail Stages, and emigrants who eventually settled the west. The eroded scar on ...

Butterfield Mail and Stage Line

One of major horse-drawn transportation projects of history. Was authorized by Act of Congress on March 3, 1857. Contract for semi-weekly service overland to San Francisco, California, was awarded to company headed by John Butterfield; another stockholder in the $2,000,000 ...