Hanging on to history

ver, as well as the surrounding cities of Cave Creek, Wickenburg and Prescott, have more Western character than Scottsdale,” he said.

If there is a “West’s Most Western Town” in Arizona, “it should probably be Tombstone,” he said.

Despite the changes, traditionalists aren’t about to turn over the slogan anytime soon.

City Councilman Bob Littlefield said the decades-old motto is part of Scottsdale’s cache, designed to lure visitors hankering for a taste of the Old West.

“What would the right slogan be? ‘Just another suburb of Phoenix’?” he asked. “Of course Scottsdale isn’t a Western town anymore, in the sense that we’re not riding around on horses and cleaning up horse poop. As I’ve said a million times, people come to Scottsdale because Scottsdale is different and better. If we’re just like Tempe, Glendale or Apache Junction, why would people want to come here?”

Indeed, it is not the first time Scottsdale’s slogan has come under the gun.

In 2008, Joe Beattie, chief cowboy at Wickenburg’s Kay El Bar Guest Ranch, wrote to the late Scottsdale City Councilman Tony Nelssen, asking him to turn over the sought-after title of “The West’s Most Western Town.”

“You have 13-story urban condominium towers. We have dude ranches,” Beattie wrote. “Whatever ‘Western’ that still may exist in Scottsdale doesn’t hold a candle to Wickenburg.”

Cave Creek is the latest Arizona town to jockey for the title. The Cave Creek Merchants & Events Association is talking of developing a “friendly” competition between the neighboring communities, which could take place just before Cave Creek’s Wild West Days in early November, said Fran Booth, membership director of the association.

The challenge poses the question, “Is Scottsdale still the West’s ‘Most Western’ city?’ ” Cave Creek Mayor Vincent Francia said.

Booth said, “Scottsdale wants to believe it is still living the Western dream, but Cave Creek already owns that mantra.”

The Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce first adopted the motto in 1947. It became part of Scottsdale’s official seal in 1951.

Changing the motto would require a change in the city ordinance that created the seal, which depicts the oft-repeated slogan underneath a cowboy riding a bucking bronco.

“Any citizen could petition the city to change it, and any council member could ask that the item be placed on an agenda,” said Brent Stockwell, Scottsdale strategic-initiatives director, adding that “to discuss (it) would require a majority of the City Council.”

Scottsdale also has trademarked the slogan, “and that would have to be changed or released, as well,” he said.

Mary Brown, who produced the National Festival of the West for two decades, said the Old West is alive in Old Town Scottsdale and through the traditions of the Parada del Sol parade and the National Festival of the West.

“I would certainly hate to see them disband the motto ‘ The West’s Most Western Town,’ ” Brown said. “It’s a tradition for the city.”

After 56 years in business, the Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse in far north Scottsdale has stayed true to its heritage with few menu changes and enduring traditions, such as a “no necktie” policy.

“There are plenty of new, kitschy, trendy restaurants around town,” Pinnacle Peak Patio spokeswoman Lisa Cyr said. “There are not plenty of historic old Western places where people can go and get a feel for the Old West.”

Scottsdale needs to hang on to its history, she said. And the motto is one way to do that.

“So many people who come here are looking for people riding down the street on horses, and they’re not looking for designer outlets,” she said. “They can get that anywhere. We need to offer them what they can only get here.”