The 4th Annual Fall Gathering

There will be some very special attractions at this year's 4th Annual Fall Gathering Fundraiser at the Phippen Museum. Mike Oden, of the Oden Cattle Company will be donating their traditional Chuck Wagon to lend an authentic air to the event and we will be unveiling a new permanent exhibit: The Arizona Rancher and Cowboy Hall of Fame, LLC.

The Museum recently registered the city of Prescott with the state as "The Cowboy Capital of the American West," and registered the Phippen Museum as the official home of the Arizona Rancher and Cowboy Hall of Fame. This is all part of the Phippen Museum's ongoing efforts to preserve Prescott's Western heritage.

The Arizona Rancher and Cowboy Hall of Fame display will feature biographical information on notable ranchers, rodeo cowboys, and working cowboys from Arizona in separate categories with associated relics, such as chaps, bits and spurs.

Bill Gary, a Member of the Phippen Board of Trustees and the driving force behind the Hall of Fame, said the first group of Yavapai County ranchers will include Dan Fain, Harold James and Col. William Green. Rodeo cowboy inductees will be Chuck Sheppard, Everett Bowman and Mike Stuart. Jim Miller will be inducted as a Yavapai County entry in the working cowboy category.

"We started with the old ones," Bill Gary explained. "Western heritage is part of my life. About 15 years ago, as Prescott began to grow and get a lot of new people, they started calling it 'Everybody's Hometown' and the 'Christmas City,' and we decided we were losing our Western heritage and we needed to try to re-establish some of it instead of letting it completely go."

The Annual Fall Gathering commemorates the original grand opening ceremonies of the Phippen Museum in 1984 with a western barbeque dinner, traditional western music, raffles, door prizes and special events. The 4th Annual Fall Gathering will take place on the evening of Saturday, September 13, 2008 at the Phippen Museum. This year's festivities will begin at 5:30pm. Tickets to the Fall Gathering are $20 per person and space is limited so please make your reservation today. All reservations must be received no later than September 5, 2008. Tickets can be purchased at the Phippen Museum by phone at (928) 778-1385.