Programs
Program Schedule for 2025
Carr House Visitor Information Center
1011 East Carr Canyon Road
All are invited to attend our summer program of presentations on the natural and cultural history of the Huachuca Mountains and environs. These presentations are offered free of charge at the Carr House. The topics are wide-ranging as illustrated below
Maximum occupancy of Carr House is 49 persons
Fire-Adapted/Dependent Animals and Plants, Sunday, April 6, 1:30 pm
What happens to life when forests go up in smoke? Local resident Glen Minuth will help us look into how certain plants and animals in our western forests handle fire regimes to thrive in the ash-laden leftovers in what was left of the forest. Both plants and animals employ numerous survival strategies. We will gain an understanding of fire adaptations that reflect the traits plants and animals use to help them survive wildfire or to leverage the resources generated by wildfire.
Yaqui and Mayo Easter Ceremonies, Sunday, April 13, 1:30 p.m.
Carr House Host Mike Foster will show videos and talk about the Yaqui Easter and Lent celebrations in the original 8 Yaqui pueblos of Sonora Mexico as well in Tucson. This will include the famous Deer Dance. The Mayo interpretation of Easter will also be covered in the pueblo of Jupare.
History of the Buffalo Soldiers in Southern Arizona, Sunday, April 20, 1:30 pm.
Charles Hancock, Vice President of the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers, will talk about the history of the Buffalo Soldiers in southern Arizona. The first African American soldiers to arrive in Arizona at Fort Huachuca were the Buffalo Soldiers in the l890’s, the 9th and l0th Cavalries and the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments. These units distinguished themselves in the Spanish American War and the charge up San Juan Hill. They were part of the Punitive Expedition into Mexico and were sent to Camp Naco, Arizona, Camp Little in Nogales and other locations in Arizona to guard the Arizona border during the Mexican Revolution.
Two Sister Nations, One Border, Sunday, April 27, 1:30 pm
Local artist Vianney Ramirez comments, “It’s incredible how through art we can express emotions and feelings that are conveyed through something artistic, in my case, painting. Bringing a story to canvas and capturing it in colors and strokes becomes a reality in our world. My presentation is about that: through creativity, I tell a story in a painting, representing my Mexican culture and how history unites two nations divided by a wall.”
Cochise College Students Field Trip to the Sea of Cortez, Sunday, May 4, 1:30 pm.
Travels from the Gulf of California near Bahia de Kino, Sonora, Mexico: Cochise College Friends of the Huachuca Mountains scholarship recipients will discuss their experience at the Prescott College Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies in Sonora, Mexico in March 2025. They will discuss experiences with waterbird monitoring, marine invertebrates, and desert plant ecology.
The Founding of Bisbee, Sunday, May 11, 1:30 p.m. Local resident Bill King will describe how Jack Dunn, a civilian tracker for the US Calvary, noticed evidence of precious metals in the rocks near Apache Springs in Tombstone Canyon and was the first person to stake a claim. Bisbee took on a life of its own after that. The city was founded in 1880 and attracts visitors from around the world for its charm and interesting history.
Hooray for Herps, Snakes, Lizards and More! Sunday, May 18, 1:30 p.m.
Tom Miscone will bring his collection of reptiles, amphibians and insects. Learn about the critters that creep, crawl, or slither throughout Cochise County, including reptiles like lizards, snakes, and Gila monsters. His many live specimens will let you get up close and personal with them. Always popular, be sure to come early!
Fireflies of Arizona, Sunday, June 1, 1:30 p.m.
Dr. Joe Cicero will talk about the three kinds of fireflies that occur in our state, the life cycles of these insects, how they communicate by way of luminescence, how their habitat is in jeopardy, where in Arizona you can see them, and what kinds of luminescing insects occur here.
Orchids of the Huachuca Mountains, Sunday, July 6, 1:30 p.m.
James Mustard, President of the Friends of the Huachuca Mountains. James will present a list of orchid species found in the Huachucas. He will discuss the impacts of climate change on these plants, their protection status, and why they are important to our ecology.
Migratory Birds of Southeastern Arizona, Sunday, August 10, 1:30 p.m.
August is when many of our Southeast Arizona birds are most active. The monsoons turn our area green. Food is abundant but many birds are getting ready for their migratory cycle. Trevor Lauber, naturalist and bird enthusiast, will present this program.
Gardening for Wildlife, Sunday, August 17, 1:30 p.m.
Doug Danforth will discuss native and arid adapted plants for our region and the wildlife that they attract. Low water use plants in landscaping is the way to go in our increasingly dry climate.
Cooking with Wild Plants, Sunday, August 31, 1:30 p.m.
Angeles Emory grew up near the Valle de Tehuacan where gathering wild edible plants from the hillsides was part of life. Living around the Huachuca Mountains, she has found some of the same plants and has discovered many more growing in this area. Angeles will show some of the methods used in preparing these plants to become more appealing to our modern taste buds.
The Turkey Vultures, Nature’s Purifiers, Sunday, September 14, 1:30 p.m.
Doug Danforth will provide a glimpse into the life of this amazing bird as well as other species which share its habitat. Vultures are vital to ecosystems as nature’s cleanup crew, preventing disease spread and recycling nutrients by consuming carrion, which is crucial for maintaining healthy environments and supporting biodiversity
Where Water Flows in the Huachuca Mountains, Sunday, September 28, 1:30 p.m.
Zach Farley will provide a hands-on look and approach to slowing water and building sediment. The use of “one rock dams” to slow runoff after heavy rains can help to restore eroded landscapes.
Pioneers of Carr Canyon, Sunday, October 12, 1:30 p.m.
Rosemary Snapp, a Carr Canyon resident and one of the founding members of the Friends of the Huachuca Mountains, has spent several years researching the lives of the early settlers in Carr Canyon. Come learn about the different families and personalities who lived in the canyon, including James Carr, the Todd-Sampson-Haverty families, Charles Biederman, and John and Ila Healy.
Binational Conservation in the Sky Island Region, Sunday, October 19, 1:30 p.m.
How do we successfully steward a landscape that is located within two different countries? Learn about Sky Island Alliance’s binational conservation program, why transboundary conservation is so important, and how to get involved! Zach Palma will present this program.
Day of the Dead, Sunday, November 2, 1:30 p.m.
Carr House Host Mike Foster will show how the Aztec/Catholic holiday is celebrated in cemeteries across the border in Sonora and further south in Mexico. Feel free to make altars and enjoy typical foods.
“Alien Spacecraft”, Sunday, November 23, 1:30 p.m.
Find Out “Weather” or Not an “Alien Spacecraft” Landed Near Carr House in this presentation by Glen Minuth. The Carr House is situated near what appears to be an “alien craft” but is in fact a “RAWS.” The Remote Automatic Weather Stations system is a network of automated weather stations to observe potential wildfire conditions. We will talk about RAWS inside the Carr House and then walk outside just a few easy steps east to examine the actual RAWS to see how it works so you will understand and see how weather data is collected in remote locations.