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Historical
Harry Springer came to Round Valley in the fall of 1875, with merchandise from Albuquerque, to establish a store two miles west of Omer, across the Little Colorado River. The Mormons who had settled Omer and Amity in Round Valley, plus the Mexicans, and the outlaws were all potential customers. Springer, however, made the mistake of trusting the outlaws by supplying them with feed and seed on credit, not realizing that they, who made a profitable business stealing horses in southern Arizona, re-branding them in Round Valley, selling them in Northern Arizona, and vice versa, were not to be trusted. He went broke within a year. He got scant sympathy from locals, who chose “Springerville” as a name for the post office.
On August 20, 1876 Julius and Gustav Becker opened their first store, bringing in their goods by way of Belen and American Valley, New Mexico, the round trip taking sixty days. They continued using ox trains until about 1890, when they changed to horses and mules. After 1895 the journey was shortened by the completion of a branch railroad spur to Magdalena, New Mexico. Trucks were first used in 1918. Springerville was the county seat from 1880 to 1882, but when the Mormons moved from Omer to Eagar, the name of Omer changed to Springerville. Julius W. Becker was active in getting the transcontinental highway established through Springerville, and in 1910 A.L. Westgard drove through the town in the first automobile (a Pathfinder) to make the transcontinental journey. For many years Springerville lay on the only transcontinental automobile route.
Geological
Springerville is surrounded by the extensive forests of the White Mountains, 300 miles of trout streams, and game lands on which are bear, mountain lion, wild turkey, and several species of deer. The climate is cold in winter and bracing in summer, owing to the elevation.
Landmarks
In the center of Springerville is a statue of the Madonna of the Trail, dedicated by the National Old Trails Association and the D.A.R., on September 29, 1928. There are twelve such statues throughout the country, commemorating National Old Trails. The sculptor is August Lienback, who cast them in algonitestone, a composite of great density and durability.
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