San Manuel Arizona Historical Events Profile and Resource Guide, City or community of San Manuel, Arizona Historical Events and Facts, Information, Relocation, Real Estate

KEY TO THE CITY - USA City Directory Top USA City Resource Guide - Search Key to the City or anywhere on the web

Find information on any country in the world Advertise in every USA city Advertise in every USA city National Business Directory
Put your text link here
Find World Info
Today's Mortgage Rates
  

San Manuel, Arizona Historical Events


2004, January 10
Death of Mr. Kyle Erickson
A past city resident of San Manuel, Arizona. Mr. Kyle Erickson, age 38, was killed in a automobile accident Saturday evening, January 10, 2004, when a vehicle he was a passenger in lost control and went through the steel guardrails of the bridge over the All-American Canal. He was a past teacher in your school system and has a daughter named Sarah. His funeral was Friday, 16 January 2004 in Hayfield, Minnesota, where he graduated in 1983.
Submitted by Dawn
Email


1954, November 4
November 4, 1954, the first regular Baptist worship services were held in the home of Jody and Britt Towery, 202 McNab. The Towerys came from the First Baptist Church of Eustace, Texas to begin the church. They later (1957) went as missionaries to Taiwan, Hong Kong and eventually directed SBC liaison work with the China Christian Council.

The first building for the church at First and Nichols Avenue was dedicated in June 1955. At the time the smelter was in the process of being completed. A hospital was in place and the first shopping center taking shape. The Valley National Bank was the only bank and Robert Searcy was branch manager. Searcy, of Arkansas, was also the first deacon in the church.

The San Manuel Miner of June 21, 1955, announced a guest speaker for the First Baptist Church. He was Emmett McLoughlin, then superintendent of Memorial Hospital in Phoenix. A former Catholic priest-social worker, his book, "People's Padre" had more than 18 printings by The Beacon Press, Boston.


1954
My family and I were some of the original inhabitants of San Manuel, Arizona in 1954.
Submitted by F. Daniel Powell, now of Morgantown, West Virginia

1954
I worked in the mine engineering department in 1956 and the mine was producing copper then. The smelter was in full operation then too. My father-in-law, Roy Forsnas was the first San Manuel School superintendent from 1954 to 1972. He supervised the building of the high school and grade schools. All schools were in operation in 1956. My mother, Irene McGrew, opened the first beauty shop in 1956 and remained owner until 1993. She still resides there.
All the houses were completed by 1954, with the exception of a few of the upper level management houses.
Submitted by Ralph McGrew

1954+
Magma Copper Mine owned the town to provide homes for the miners. Magma had been fined for years due to the pollutionthat the smelter created. In order to survive and become more efficient, Magma decided to convert theiroperation from a standard furnace type operation, to one that used a method called "flashing". If Iremember correctly, Magma had to borrow $215 million for the demolition of the old furnaces, creation ofthe new "flash furnace", and the oxygen plant, required to make the "flash" part of the furnace work. Thebanks and other lending institutions would not loan the money to Magma unless it converted San Manuel from a "Company Town" to a private town. A deal was offered to those households that were renting homes from Magma so that they could purchase their house, or purchase another house there intown. Those who decided not to buy a home were given a specific amount of time to move out, so theirhomes could be put up for sale. The old "Townsite" rental office turned into a real estate broker's office,and the remaining unoccupied homes were put up for sale. Since most people did not want to buy ahome in San Manuel, that caused a problem that needed a solution. With the dismantling of the oldfurnaces, and installation of high-tech pollution capturing equipment, the air quality greatly improved. Itwas then decided to turn San Manuel into a "Retirement Community".

It was years later that BHP purchased the Magma properties (San Manuel, Superior, Pinto Valley,Az., Robinson Nevada, and several properties located outside the US. When the bottom fell out of thecopper industry, BHP decided to shut the plant down. It came at the conclusion of an $85 million retrofit,to increase the capacity of the flash furnace, with other improvements. The furnace was never re-lit. Theplant was mothballed.

Storage Facility

This page is for perpetual written accounts of historical events that have occurred in the city. Anyone who feels they have pertinent information may submit it. This includes all people in or out of San Manuel and could involve any interested adults or children with events or items that are of interest. Items may be submitted for publication on this page where they will remain as part of a historical archive for the city. Items of interest may include noteworthy events, special events of historical importance, information about area growth that pertains to the history of the city, and other pertinent notes. We hope to establish a large data base of information about the history of each city. Historical Societies are encouraged to open their own page on Key to the City for more extensive historical information.

Search Key to the City
Custom Search
Search All the Web
Custom Search

To learn how to submit USA City information to Key to the City, go to Publication Information Page
Advertise on Key to the City

Use your back button to return to the previous page
To go to a new state, choose the States page
Return to the USA City Directory - Top USA City Resource Guide

Thanks for coming! Don't forget to come back soon!!
Internet Marketing