Those who’ve spent time on the eastern side of the valley have undoubtedly noticed the “Four Peaks” - the four prominent peaks visible in the Mazatzal Mountains. In the early 1900s, the Arizona Republican told stories of local residents visiting the ranch of John Jones in “Four Peaks country,” and James Jones was purported to have climbed the “third peak from the north” of Four Peaks. There was some public controversy as to whether Jones in fact summited the peak, an indication of the significance of the Four Peaks to area locals.
The Four Peaks are visible from all directions on a typically clear Arizona day, given that they rise more than 7,600 feet above sea level. On any given day, the sun rises above the Four Peaks to the east, as does the moon when viewed from the Phoenix area. Throughout the ages, the Four Peaks have served as the both a physical and psychological monument for residents of the Valley. Given their significance, it’s relevant to consider the history of the Four Peaks, including their value and relevance to various people who have called Phoenix home.
For native peoples of Arizona, the places where they have resided for millennia have special significance. “Our very existence is determined by land, and the how we operate within the world is through communication with the land. Land is physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual as we are,” said sociologist Vanessa Watts when defining indigenous relationships to the land. The significance of the Four Peaks to native peoples has been impacted by interactions with settlers and the U.S. government.
The Four Peaks are known as We-Ko-Pa by the Yavapai people, whose ancestral home ranges from the San Francisco Peaks to the Pinal Mountains to the confluence of the Gila and Colorado Rivers. The Yavapai understood how to live in the Sonoran Desert environment by migrating throughout the region annually from the saguaro, ironwood and palo verde harvest in the spring to mountains in the summer months where they harvested walnuts and manzantia berries in the summer and acorns, prickly pear, juniper and piñon nuts in the late summer and fall months. From late fall into early spring, game was hunted in the mountains. Ascents and descents of the Four Peaks were central to the lives of the Yavapai people. Snow that gathers on the Four Peaks during winter months is the primary source of the water in Salt River and was understood as the source of life for those in the Valley. That the Casino, Resort, and Golf Club was named We-Ko-Pa is an indication of the continued significance of these mountains to the Yavapai people.
Tragically, in 1872, a large number of Yavapai people were sheltered in a cave high in the Salt River Canyon. The U.S. Army attacked the people shooting into the cave, and killing many, including women with babies, boys and girls. According to those who escaped, they run up toward the relative safety of Saddle Mountain, crossed between two of the peaks, and made their descent. This history explains why the ascent of the Four Peaks is tied to the killing of their ancestors in what is now referred to as the Skelaton Cave massacre.
Early settlers in the valley also turned to the Four Peaks to restore their supplies of meat, as frequent hunting and camping trips to the area were widely reported in the local historical record. Similarly, the settlers noted snow on the Four Peaks with gratitude that it would “fill up the water bank” for the coming year. Despite some similar perspectives, the relationship of the Yavapai to this land was very different from that of the settlers in the area. Having lived in the area for centuries, the Yavapai understood the tenuous balance needed to maintain the ecological balance in the area. The Yavapai people cultivated a deep spiritual relationship with the land, animals and plants of the area considering themselves kin to the land and all other inhabitants of the place. One of the most poignant illustrations of this ethos is the belief of the Yavapai people that Kakaka, little tiny people who are ancient beings live in the Four Peaks country. Yavapai history is full of examples when the Kakaka imparted important wisdom and knowledge of future events, including a warning several days prior to the Skelaton Cave massacre. Contemporary Yavapai insist that the Kakaka still reside in the mountains.
During the past century, Euro-Americans have had a significant impact on the Four Peaks, and they have ascribed their own meaning to the area. Many settlers believed their fortune could be found within the mountains. There were widely publicized stories of the richest gold mine in the world within the mountains, though the gold was never found in any quantity. According to SRP, “Theodore Roosevelt Dam was originally constructed between 1905 and 1911 to control the erratic flow of the Salt River and harness the water for irrigation. It was the cornerstone of the new SRP water delivery system.” Roosevelt Dam is Arizona’s largest “lake”, it is located at the base of the Four Peaks. One of the world’s tallest masonry dams, it produces hydropower for 30,000 homes, acts to provide flood control, was built in Greco-Roman style, and also functions as a recreational area for boaters and fishermen. Over the years, the Four Peaks have also been used by advertisers to sell flour, beer, woolen underwear, fur gloves, and real estate among other things. In the 1950s Americans fell in love with the idea of wilderness, and The Wilderness Act of 1984 established the Four Peaks Wilderness area offering hiking and off-highway vehicle excursions.
We feel it is important to understand the significant history associated with our local landmarks, so we are able to approach them and the native people in our community with greater respect. In summary, the various perspectives people of Arizona have with regard to the Four Peaks are one indication that we can live in the same space with very different impressions of the places we inhabit. Thank you for taking time to learn more about the Four Peaks, and feel free to contact us with any updates or corrections.
#TheFourPeaksArizona #SacredMountains #WaterSource
Resources:
Mack, John. “Placemaking in the Mazatzals: A Human History of the Four Peaks.” The Journal of Arizona History. Vol. 64. No 1. Spring 2023. p. 5-24.
https://www.srpnet.com/grid-water-management/water-management/lakes/theodore-roosevelt-dam-lake#1
