[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24682]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        CONGRATULATING PAYSON, ARIZONA, ON ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY

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                            HON. RICK RENZI

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 18, 2007

  Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, today I want to recognize and honor the 
Town of Payson, Arizona, which is in my district. This year Payson will 
be celebrating its 125th anniversary October 3rd through the 7th.
  This beautiful mountain village community is known for its natural 
beauty and deep history. Surrounded by the rich ponderosa pine Tonto 
National Forest, Payson is located in Gila County at the base of the 
7,000 foot, 200 mile long Mogollon Rim, which defines the southwestern 
edge of the Colorado Plateau. Seven Rim Lakes are located in the 
vicinity, offering a wide array of outdoor recreation for residents and 
tourists to enjoy.
  In 1882 community leaders surveyed the current town site of Payson, 
originally calling the settlement Green Valley. The town changed its 
name after constructing its post office. In 1884 then postmaster, Frank 
C. Hise, renamed the town in honor of the congressional chairman of the 
Committee on Post Office and Post Road, Senator Louis Edward Payson, 
who was instrumental in establishing the post office.
  Payson will forever be linked to the American Old West. It was in 
1884 that the town held its first rodeo, holding it every year since, 
earning the title of ``World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo.'' Author Zane 
Grey, who idealized the ruggedness of the Old West, used Payson and its 
surrounding areas for the backdrop and inspiration for some of his 
literary works, including ``Code of the West,'' ``Under the Tonto 
Rim,'' and ``To the Last Man.''
  It was not until 1973 that Payson was incorporated, and since then it 
has grown to become a thriving community that anchors the area known as 
``Rim Country.'' I would like to applaud Payson for all of its 
achievements, recognize its distinct history, and congratulate it on 
its 125th anniversary. This community serves as a beacon for all other 
burgeoning south Western communities to follow, and is home to a people 
of deep community spirit and fervent respect for their environment.

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