In The Beginning
You see, I was raised in a small Iowa town 50 years ago by two incredible parents. But then, I up and moved to Arizona to become a photographer. This profession has been exceptionally good to me. Depending on the workload and the season, I reside in a number of spots: Nowhere, Tempe or Flagstaff, Arizona or Goldfield, Iowa or Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. As a part-time resident of the tiny village of Nowhere, I have a unique perspective on the folks who live and work in a place which time has passed by. And, I'd like to share this fascinating place with you. When I'm somewhere other than Nowhere, I'm likely on assignment either for a corporate client or Arizona Highways magazine. And, as this blog matures, I'll be presenting the photography and the stories behind the photography I've shot for the magazine since 1985. And with any technological luck, I'll be providing dispatches to this blog while I'm actually on current assignments. All along, you'll come to know Nowhere and its common people with uncommon problems and personal achievements. Early dispatches offer some background into the town itself while newer dispatches will reveal the character of the townsfolk. Enjoy.
Early settlers had moved here in the autumn and experienced nine months of delightfully pleasant weather. Subsequently, townsfolk agreed to call the new settlement Pleasantville. Yet, several summers of extreme heat left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth along with the need for plenty of deodorant. As the story goes, early resident Sid Popp was so upset with the unexpected summer heat that he sued the town, mayor and councilmen for misrepresentation and false advertising for using the name Pleasantville. Fearing financial ruin, the town decided to change its name. Like most American towns, no one could agree on a replacement name. According to a local newspaper story at the time, suggested names included: Plankton (yes someone forgot the W), Agua Caliente (already taken), Fountain City (no fountains) and Liberty (not bad). At a town meeting, an angry fellow who still favored Pleasantville, stormed out the door screaming that if the name was changed, we’d all be stuck in the middle of nowhere with nobody to visit and nowhere to go. Yup, the name stuck.
Life is good here.
BEST OF ARIZONA
- Spring skiing Flagstaff weekdays
- Fav Wildflower spots: Organ Pipe Monument, Hiway 60 before & after Superior, south side of Superstition Mountains.
- Kayenta (on road to Monument Valley): Wagon Wheel diner Navajo Fry Bread
- Az has four seasons in a 2 hour drive
WORST OF ARIZONA
- Lukeville: the Mexico border crossing coming back into Arizona. Up to 4 hour waits.
- Lukeville: this Chevron mens room makes Window Rock's shine.
- Window Rock: Chevron bathroom ugly since 1988
- Phoenix: Traffic anytime
WHACKIEST OF ARIZONA
- Tombstone: British tourists dress as cowboys...annually
- Northwest Az: only access is from NV or Utah
- The Thing: along I-10 west of Benson
There"s No Place Like Nowhere
copyright 2007-2008 Don B. Stevenson. All Rights Reserved. Photos and the blog itself may not be reproduced without written permission from Don B. Stevenson.
