LLC SUMMER 2017
I
Full of History – Still Viable Today
By Aimee Staten
n an age when self-reliance was a valuable commodity and computerized robotics a distant dream, McGowen Machine Works was the place to go for the entire state of Arizona. Now, the machine shop on the corner of Oak and Pine is mostly still, but that doesn’t mean the stillness is a permanent state of affairs. Owner Mike Knuckey, who currently resides in Pearland, Texas, has a couple of different plans. One of Mike’s plans is to reopen the machine shop, produce steel parts and operate as a type of industrial museum. A machinist uses machines like lathes, milling machines and grinders to produce precision metal parts for a variety of uses. “It would be a working shop, but as one of the oldest and longest-running businesses in the state of Arizona, it would also be a good place for people to visit to find out how a historical machine shop runs,” he said. “Most of today’s machinists are computer operators, not machinists.”
Taliesin Project Page 25
Gila County Fair Page 28
McGowen Machine Works, Continued on page 41
Ranger Jen leads young explorers to the Lower Cliff Dwellings.
Miami Library Page 35
JACKFRUIT
You Won’t Believe It’s Not Meat By Patricia Sanders
Pulled pork is one of the great American summertime BBQ traditions. Nothing can replace the mouth-watering, succulent sweetness and spice of great slow-cooked pulled pork, whether it’s sandwiched in a soft bun or piled on a plate with cole slaw. But there is something that comes very, very close. Jackfruit “pulled pork” BBQ has become the rage among vegetarians and vegans around the country. It tastes so much like the real thing, parents have reported serving it to unsuspecting meat-loving children and it gets gobbled up without a question. Jackfruit is a tropical fruit with butter-yellow flesh and a mild flavor. But the first thing you’ll notice about jackfruit? It’s big. Jackfruit, Continued on page 38
Getting Kids Outside at Tonto National Monument By Hilary Clark, Chief of Interpretation ~ Tonto National Forest
“Being outside allows children to be imaginative, spontaneous, and carefree, and allows them to gather their thoughts. It’s also a lot of fun!” Those are the enthusiastic words of Jennifer Smith, a National Park Service educator at the Tonto National Monument in Roosevelt. ‘Ranger Jen’ as she is affectionately known helps kids of all ages explore the Tonto National Monument and learn about the outdoors and prehistoric culture.
Area Maps Centerfold
Getting Kids Outside, Continued on page 5
THE PINAL FIRE Page 6
Local News Highlights Page 30