Programs
Program Schedule for 2024
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
Hiking Trails of the Huachucas, Sunday, October 6, 1:30 p.m.
Local hiking enthusiast Karen Flynn will talk about the trails of the Huachuca Mountains, more than 70 of them! And Karen has hiked them all. Come and see the beauty that can be found on these trails and find a hike or a place to take in scenic views that suits you. From easy to challenging, there are hikes in our mountains suitable for everyone.
Talk on Charles Biederman, Saturday, October 12, 10 a.m.
Rosemary Snapp, founding member of the Friends of the Huachuca Mountains, will give a talk about an illustrious early resident of Carr Canyon, Charles Biederman. Mr. Beiderman immigrated to the US from Germany in 1860 and enlisted in the Union Army in 1865. He left the Army at the end of the Civil War and eventually moved to Carr Canyon 1903. He was a world-famous horticulturist and entomologist, and rumor has it that he was one of President Lincoln’s bodyguards that fateful night at Ford’s Theater when the President was assassinated. Truth? Fiction? Join us and find out! After the program Mike Foster has offered to lead a hike to the ruins of the Healy home in the meadow below Carr House for those who are interested.
Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), Sunday, October 27, 1:30 p.m.
Mike Foster, Videographer and Carr House Host, will show how the Aztec/Catholic holiday is celebrated in cemeteries just across the international border and more extended places in Mexico. Learn more about this holiday through traditional breads and beverages with accompanying videos and discussions.
History of Mining in the Huachuca Mountains, Saturday, November 2, 9 a.m.
Bill Gillespie, retired archaeologist with the US Forest Service, Coronado National Forest, will discuss the history of mining in the Huachuca Mountains. Was there “gold in them thar hills?” Join us for this interesting program and find out!
Previous Programs of this Season
Biological Riches of Bahía de Kino, Sonora, Mexico, Sunday, May 5, 1:30 p.m.
Cochise College Friends of the Huachuca Mountains scholarship recipients Auttum Smith, Cassandra Montano Arellano, Cayla Lewis, and Kayla Mcleod will discuss their experience at the Prescott College Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies during a Cochise College biology class held in March, 2023. They will be discussing research related to marine mammals, population surveys of creosote, and waterbird monitoring in the Gulf of California.
Jaguars of the Huachuca Mountains, Sunday, May 19, 1:30 p.m.
A jaguar new to Arizona in the Huachuca Mountains was confirmed by trail cam imagery in January by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD). The event marked the second time since 2016 that a jaguar is thought to have entered the United States from Mexico via the Huachucas. Mark Hart, AGFD Public Information Officer, will examine the evidence that the Huachuca Mountains have become a new corridor of movement for jaguars from Sonora.
Water Harvesting 101, Sunday, June 2, 1:30 p.m.
Water is our most precious natural resource, and we’re running out of it. Trevor Lauber from the University of Arizona Water Wise program will discuss methods of active and passive rainwater harvesting as well as suggestions for water wise plants to use in conjunction with water harvesting.
Hooray for Herps-Snakes, Lizards and More, Sunday, June 16, 1:30 p.m.
Learn about the critters that creep, crawl, or slither throughout Cochise County, including reptiles like lizards, snakes, and Gila monsters. Tom Miscione, herpetologist, will help us learn not to fear these important members of the local ecosystem. His many live specimens will let you get up close and personal with a diverse number of snakes and lizards. Always popular, be sure to come early!
Dragons and Damsels of Southeast Arizona, Sunday, June 30, 1:30 p.m.
No, this is not a program about a new fantasy video game based in Southeast Arizona! Although it does sound like a catchy title for one, don’t you think? Doug Danforth, naturalist, educator, and author of A Field Guide to the Damselflies and Dragonflies of Arizona and Sonora, will show the many colorful species of damselflies and dragonflies in the southeastern corner of Arizona. It will also include damselfly and dragonfly anatomy, unique reproduction, habitats, and behaviors. We’ll also learn about recent discoveries of many interesting tropical species establishing populations within the state.
San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area and Resources, Sunday, July 14, 1:30 p.m.
Ron Stewart, President of the Friends of the San Pedro River, will help us explore the incredible wealth of natural and cultural resources to be found within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, including one of the few remaining cottonwood-willow forests in the Southwest as well as Native American sites dating back 13,000 years. This talk will describe these resources and help you enjoy the recreational opportunities of the Conservation Area, a 56,000-acre park on your doorstep.
Desert Landscaping, Sunday, July 28, 1:30 p.m.
Gain insight into how to garden in a way that is attractive and blends with the local environment, while minimizing the amount of water and personal time required from local resident Ted Mouras. Ted will talk about how to plan, create, and maintain a desert landscape/xeriscape appropriate for southeastern Arizona.
The Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society: Science, Conservation, and Community on the Sonoita Plain, Sunday, August 11, 1:30 p.m.
Join Ranch Director Steven Prager to learn more about the history, mission, and work of Elgin, Arizona’s 8,000-acre Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society (AWRR). Last grazed in 1968, and since dedicated to research, conservation, and public engagement, the AWRR plays a critical role in protecting and enhancing the grasslands of Southeastern Arizona for the birds, other wildlife, and communities that depend on them.
Bird Walk, Saturday, August 17, 8 a.m.
Take a bird walk at Carr House with FOHM Board member and Cochise College biology instructor Steve Merkley. First, we will observe the diverse hummingbird species, such as broad-billed and Rivoli’s hummingbirds, at feeders near the house. Next, we will take a short hike near the Carr House looking for other birds, such as bridled titmouse, Mexican jay, tanagers, and many more. Bring your binoculars!
Pollinators—Learn All About Them! , Sunday, August 25, 1:30 p.m.
Local resident Doug Danforth isn’t just an expert on Damselflies and Dragonflies, he knows a whole lot about pollinators, too! It’s not just bees and butterflies. There are other amazing animals that are important pollinators too. Learn what plants are essential for pollinators as well as the plants you can add to your own landscape that attract pollinators.
Ecological Restoration with Native Plants, Sunday, September 8, 1:30 p.m.
Borderlands Restoration Network (BRN) is a 501c3 that is dedicated to ecological restoration in the Madrean Archipelago ecoregion, a bi-national biodiversity hotspot. Perin McNelis, BRN’s Native Plant Program Manager, will give a talk about the role of native plants in watershed and habitat health and what our program is doing to steward this ecoregion with seed-based revegetation.
Plants of the Huachuca Mountains, Saturday, September 14, 9 a.m.
Join Mike Foster, our Carr House host, to learn more about the plants of the Huachuca Mountains. Mike’s presentation will start with a short video about many of the plant species in the Madrean Evergreen Woodlands surrounding Carr House and their uses by indigenous people as food sources as well as medicines. Following the video, Mike will lead a hike around Carr House, so we’ll have the chance to identify the plants introduced in the video.
Chili Peppers: Past to Present, Sunday, September 22, 1:30 p.m.
Presenter James Mustard will discuss the archaeology, history and ethnobotany of the chili pepper plant. From ancient Mesoamerica to the American Southwest, and as far as Europe and East Asia, chili peppers have been an essential ingredient to the cuisine of many cultures.