Easily visible from Safford, Arizona, Graham Mountain is the highest peak in the Pinaleño Mountains, located in southeastern Arizona. Rising to approximately 10,720 feet (3,267 meters), it stands as the summit of Graham County and is a prominent feature of the Coronado National Forest.
This majestic mountain is renowned for its rich biodiversity, featuring unique flora and fauna that thrive in its diverse ecosystems, ranging from desert foothills to alpine forests.
The mountain was named after Lieutenant Colonel James Duncan Graham, a U.S. Army officer who surveyed the region in the mid-19th century. The area around Graham Mountain has a deep history of Native American habitation, particularly by the Apache people, who considered the Pinaleño Mountains sacred.
During the late 1800s, settlers arrived, and the region became known for mining, ranching, and timber activities. Today, Graham Mountain is valued for its recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, and wildlife observation, and is a focus for conservation efforts due to its ecological significance.
A vintage picture postcard sent from someone named Mary to Miss Anna D. Osborne in Partridge, Kansas, shows Mt. Graham in all of its 10,720-foot glory. The description on the backside of this postcard says that the mountain presents a motoring objective to those living in or traveling through Safford, with the town’s elevation only 2,914 feet above sea level.
Written in ink by Mary is a brief message,
“Feb 23 – 52
When we came to Phoenix these Mts had snow on them. I can talk a little more now – saw Harry & Celia last eve – they are both OK – Mary”
I have to assume that Mary was ill at one time, and perhaps had lost her voice while now slowly regaining it, with Laryngitis coming to mind. My research indicates that Mary was the daughter of Miss Anna D. Osborne and Dr. Worthington Hooker Osborne, with Harry being a son, and Celia, Harry’s wife, residing in Globe, Arizona, not far from Safford. Anna and Worthington Osborne had a total of seven children.
Anna’s husband was a physician who last practiced his trade in Nickerson, Kansas, as well as in Elsinore, Castleton, and Center Township. Not one to stay idle, after retiring from the medical profession, he became a farmer. Worthington Osborne died on March 16, 1932, at the age of 83.
One surviving family photo shows the couple and their many children. A portrait of Anna and Worthington also came to light. Anna Dean-Worthington died at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in December 1953, at the age of 92. She’s buried beside her husband in Partridge Cemetery.
For mere trivia’s sake and nothing else, the town of Partridge, Kansas, during the last census, stood at 209. The Partridge Quails won the Kansas State High School boys Class B basketball championship in 1954. They haven’t regained the title since, now going on 72 years. Perhaps this is the year that the Quail don’t fail.
I like to write junk... 