Historical Society

Cattle ranchers, a mountain war, and the family the roads are named for.

Colcord Mountain Estates and its surrounding region trace their name back to the pioneering Colcord family — early cattle ranchers who arrived in the Arizona Territory in the 1880s.

The Colcord family roots

Two brothers, a herd of cattle, and a claim in the territory.

Arrival & early labor

From Oklahoma to the Arizona Territory

  • 1885 — Brothers William C. “Bill” and Harvey Colcord moved to the Arizona Territory from Oklahoma, bringing a herd of cattle with them.
  • Early labor — Bill worked for the Babbitt Brothers Cattle Company in Flagstaff, while Harvey managed the family cattle.
  • Pleasant Valley era — The brothers later relocated near Pleasant Valley, living there during the turbulent Pleasant Valley War and becoming acquainted with both the Graham and Tewksbury factions.
Development of the area

From ranchland to a named landmark

  • 1894 — Bill Colcord married Carrie Stewart, daughter of local pioneer settlers, and farmed in Round Valley near Payson until 1910 — heavily involved in local civic and political life.
  • Naming of landmarks — The family's deep footprint in the region led to local landmarks being named in their honor: Colcord Mountain, Colcord Road, and eventually the mountain residential subdivisions.
  • Modern community — Sitting roughly 6,263 feet above sea level near Christopher Creek and Payson, Colcord Mountain Estates evolved from rugged pioneer territory into a quiet, scenic mountain neighborhood.
Building the neighborhood

From first cabins to today's subdivisions.

  1. Early 1960s

    First cabins and lot development mapped around 1961–1965, with individual cabin permits and property sales recorded as early as 1961.

  2. Location

    Situated off Colcord Road, roughly 4.5 miles from Highway 260, in Gila County.

  3. 1970s–1980s

    Subsequent units, including Colcord Mountain Homesites Unit 3, were developed through the 1970s and 1980s.

  4. Today

    A settled mountain community, still known locally as Colcord Mountain Homesites, near Christopher Creek and Payson.

The land

Pine country, then and now.

Pine forest road in Colcord Mountain Estates Deer crossing a mountain road Community landscape

Historical details and community background sourced from local archives, including Discover Gila County and the Payson Roundup. Have a photo, document, or story for the archive? Share it on the message board.