Stagecoach Days events combine heritage with a great cause

With luggage on top, passengers tucked safely inside, a driver and his partner riding “shotgun”, the Butterfield Stage once rolled to a stop right here in Maricopa. Combine that bit of history and Maricopa heritage with a good cause — the maintenance and upkeep of the Rotary community swimming pool, and you have the reason for the 48th annual Stagecoach Days celebration.

The Rotary community pool is located next to the library off the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway.

According to Vice-Mayor Brent Murphree, Maricopa Rotary Club’s incoming president, “Stagecoach Days has been a means of impacting the area and helping Maricopa have an image for almost 50 years. As Maricopa grows, the face of Stagecoach Days will grow. We are still in a transitional phase between the small-town western event we used to do and the destination event we hope it becomes in the next few years. We hope to partner with other groups in Maricopa to make this traditional event something that everyone can enjoy each year.”

Stagecoach Days began in the 1950s with a community effort to build a swimming pool in order to provide a safe alternative for children who had been using irrigation ditches for summer water fun. Unfortunately, some of those children drowned.

Local farmer and Rotarian John Smith donated the land for the pool, and, to fund its construction, the Rotary Club organized a Saturday of fun for Maricopa residents. The huge initial turnout led to various events over the years, like rodeos, horse races, roping and barrel racing.

Recently Stagecoach Days has featured an annual Barn Dance held at Sonny Dunn’s barn at 16450 North Porter Road (a right turn off the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway). This year the event will be held on Saturday, April 22, from 7 p.m. until midnight. The Almost Country Band will be performing for the enjoyment of all residents age 21 and over. Food and a cash bar will be available, and the cost is just $5 per person.

“As in the past,” explained Murphree, “all monies collected will benefit the Maricopa Community Pool and related summer activities. Eventually, responsibility for the pool will probably land in the hands of the Parks, Recreation and Libraries Department as we develop a new aquatics center with the city.”

Raffle tickets will be on sale at the dance. Tickets are $1 or 6 for $5. Prizes include a 32- inch color television, a DVD player and a digital camera with printer. The drawing will be held at 10 p.m. “Come out to a real barn for a real barn dance,” invites event chairperson Karen Friess. “It’s going to be a lot of fun!”