n April 1877 the Mormon Prophet Brigham Young called on several men and their families to leave their homes in Utah and establish new settlements in the Arizona Territory. William Jordan Flake along with his two wives, Lucy and Prudence left their home in Beaver, Utah in the fall of that year to answer their calling.

In what was one of the coldest winters in record, the Flake family along with other settlers arrived on the banks of the Little Colorado River near what today is Winslow, Arizona in the Spring of 1878. Unable to damn the river, Flake concluded that he must search for a better place to settle.

Flake and his brother-in-law A.Z. Palmer rode their horses into New Mexico and back into Arizona where they came upon the banks of the Silver Creek. They followed the creek to James Stinson's ranch and agreed to buy the ranch from Stinson for $11,000 worth of Utah grade cattle.

On July 23, 1878 the pioneers returned to the Silver Creek valley with their families and established a town based on civilization, education and culture. Many descendents of the town's early pioneers still live in the town and neighboring Taylor.

While established as a Mormon settlement, Snowflake has grown into a quite diverse community which respects people of all ethnic backgrounds and religions.

The town's naming

This monument located in front of the LDS church on Main St. in Snowflake depicts the September 1878 meeting between Mormon Apostle Erastus Snow and town pioneer Willaim Jordan Flake.

The two men's surnames is the reason for the town's name. While Snowflake gets an occasional snowfall, that's not the how the town got its name.

Originally "Snow Flake", the town's name was later changed to "Snowflake".

Snowflake Monument Plaque

Click the photo at left to read the text of the plaque which resides in front of the Snowflake Monument on historic Main St.

The plaque describes the meeting between Mormon Apostle Erastus Snow and Snowflake pioneer William Jordan Flake and tells the story about how the town's name came about.

Old Academy Building

Planned for renovation, Snowflake's Old Academy Building was established to provide eduction beyond the 8th grade for those who wished to further their education.

The building opened in 1901 and due to growing enrollment an addition was completed in 1910. Three months after that addition the building burned to the ground on Thanksgiving Day.

It was decided to rebuild and on November 13, 1913 the building opened for classes and served Snowflake and neighboring communities until 1924 when it was closed.

In 2001 the building was sold to the town of Snowflake. Restoration of the building is planned and upon completion will be the town's new library.

Snowflake-Taylor Chamber of Commerce resides in historic Freeman Home

Located in Snowflake's historic Freeman Home, the Snowflake-Taylor Chamber of Commerce occupies the dining room and kitchen.

The home is a typical example of an 1890's Mormon home featuring Gothic Revival architecture inspired by pre-Civil War homes in the South and Midwest.

Andrew Locy Rogers Cabin

Built in 1878, this small pioneer cabin was discovered within the smoldering ruins of a much larger house during a fire in 1988.

The cabin had apparently been converted into a small dining room when a home was built around it in the mid-1880's.

This is one of many pioneer homes included on a walking tour available in historic Snowflake.

Next (The Temple)