Descendants of Spanish Conquistadors in New Mexico were the first Europeans who settled in the lovely valley known today as Nutrioso.  Nutri means otter, oso means bear and there were and still are plenty of those in the area. Today, not many descendants of the original families live in Nutrioso, but the community is currently experience a small boom.  The new settlers are devoted to the rural lifestyle and are combining their talents and energy to restore and preserve some community evidence of Nutrioso’s bygone days.  Nutrioso is a favored get away for local White Mountain residents and those coming from the desert cities of Phoenix and Tucson for it's cool summer temperatures. With it's clear mountain air and cool mountain streams, it's not uncommon for visitors to experience herds of elk or other wildlife.

Nutrioso

Location

History

Population

Major Industries

Recreation

Location

At an elevation of 7,671 feet, Nutrioso is located 45 minutes south of Eagar along US Route 191, high into the White Mountains. Nutrioso is approximately 5 hours from Phoenix, through the Mogollon Rim country, and is situated in the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine in the world.

History

James Colter from Wisconsin is said to be the first English-speaking settler in Nutrioso.  Arriving in 1875, he grew barley and sold it to Camp Apache to feed cavalry horses.  Colter described several encounters with local Indians and how he shared provisions with the friendly older men.  However, he said the younger ones behaved in a hostile manner, though the worst thing that happened to Colter was to have his leather harnesses cut up and stolen.

In 1879, Colter sold the land he had worked with the Spaniards to William J. Flake, who parceled out the land to several other Mormon settlers.  Two forts were built to shelter Mormon families-one in lower Nutrioso and the other on Lookout Hill in upper Nutrioso.  The names of pioneer families who sheltered in the forts were Noble, Wilkins, Mangum, Burk, Hamblin, Holliday, Peck, Jarvis, Lund, Greenwood and Brown.

The first post office was in use by 1883, with John Clark as postmaster.  By the late 1880s, Nutrioso had a brick kiln,  sawmill and a tannery.  The earliest solid houses in Nutrioso were built by Miles Romney, grandfather of a future governor of Michigan.

C. LeRoy and Mabel Wilhelm describe the hardships of those early days in their book, “The History of the St. Johns Arizona Stake”.  “In the year 1886 scarlet fever broke out and wiped out most of the young children of the town.  In the old cemetery there is a row of unmarked graves which are sad reminders of that tragic time.

The Wiltbanks also describe the capabilities of their ancestor Annie (Nan) Wiltbank, who was a shoemaker and carpenter, doing most of the construction of the family home.  Nan’s mother-in-law, Eliza Brace Lund from Denmark, taught the women to make soap from grease, cottonwood ashes and saleratus (baking soda).  The women spun wool, knit socks and wove carpets from the sheep raised by both the Anglo and Spanish settlers.

The settlers recorded good times and bad.  Settlers from Luna, Alpine and Nutrioso gathered for dances and potlucks, with music furnished by Maxwells, Slades, Lees, Lunds and Loves.  They celebrated holidays with pageants and cannons, flag drills, races and visiting.

During the periodic droughts, hungry timber wolves would come into town and eat calves, colts, lambs, dogs and cats.  But the worst drought to ravage the territory in many years came around the turn of the century, causing many settlers to abandon Nutrioso.

Population

Major Industries

Forestry, tourism and businesses supporting the host-related industries make up the primary economic base for Nutrioso.

Recreation

Numerous rough and developed campsites can be found in the surrounding Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Nearby Luna Lake is a wildlife refuge area where bald and golden eagles can frequently be seen. The nearby Coronado Trail Scenic Byway and Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area provide spectacular views of some the state's most scenic landscapes.