Arizona Tourist Attractions

Popular Our Lady of the Sierras in Hereford, AZ, destroyed by Monument Fire

Built in 1991 by Gerald and Patricia Chouinard, transplants from Illinois, in response to their being led by their faith, the Our Lady of the Sierras Shrine, one of the more popular tourist attractions in the area of Sierra Vista, AZ, has been destroyed by the Monument Fire, started in the nearby Coronado National Memorial .

The Our Lady of the Sierras Shrine has been a popular tourist/religious attraction for over two decades and was opened to the public in 1998.  Residents of Sierra Vista, Hereford and Palominas could see the 75 foot Celtic cross gracing the chapel grounds for miles and at night, it lent a comforting glow to weary travelers; standing next to the cross, a 30 foot Madonna figure.  The shrine, which receives approximately 3,500 visitors and religious pilgrims each month, was at one point considered safe from the fire due to its being bypassed, some say miraculously.  However, this past Friday, the 16th of June, the winds shifted and the chapel was lost.

While the buildings on the grounds were burned by the fire, the cross and the Madonna figure still stand, almost as a testament to the faith, courage and resiliance of a community that has banded together in the face of tragedy.

The Chouinards are currently in seclusion and are refusing to speak to reporters but it is announced on their website they intend to rebuild the chapel. 

Monument Fire shows signs of abating

Now having consumed more than 19,000 acres of Arizona desert, the Monument Fire has become more manageable following two rough days of hot, windy weather.

With the Type 1 Management Team cautiously giving a 15% containment on the Monument Fire and the weather working with them, instead of against, in the form of reduced winds, the fire has begun to slow down and is currently primarily in the Miller Canyon area.  With only one reported injury, a firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation, the residents of the threatened areas have, for the most part, heeded the evacuation orders given by the Cochise County Sheriff's Department.  However, there were several residents refusing to leave and it is unknown at this time if they eventually departed.

Fort Huachuca Fire

Fort Huachuca, the Army's Military Intelligence training base, reported a fire early yesterday afternoon.  Initially, it was thought to be related to the Monument Fire but it was later discovered the cause was due to a bulldozer creating sparks and igniting the tinder-dry grasses around it.  With no recordable rainfall since December, 2010, severe drought conditions exist and the Coronado National Memorial, part of which abuts the fort, was closed to the public three days prior to the ignition of the Monument Fire.

Arizona tourist attraction at Wayfaring Travel Guide

Lake Havasu City is home to the famed London Bridge which crosses over to a small island in the Colorado River. Actually it crosses a 280 m long man-made canal that leads from Lake Havasu to Thompson Bay. It was bought for US $2.5 million from the City of London when the bridge was replaced in 1968. The bridge was disassembled, and the marked stones were shipped to Lake Havasu City and reassembled for another US $7 million. It opened in October 1971. Under the bridge there is an English Village of shops and restaurants. Like most resort towns Lake Havasu is chock-full of hotels, restaurants, shops and non-stop action. The city offers also all level golf courses, tennis courts, an ice skating rink and a movie theater and more. You can explore nearby parks by foot and bicycle. Sits on the shores of the Colorado River Lake Havasu City is one of the Southwest’s premier locations for water sports. Paddle boats, kayaks, houseboats, jet skis and other types of water sports equipment are available for rent on Lake Havasu.

Arizona in Your Future, The Complete Relocation Guide for Job-Seekers, Retirees and Snowbirds

Arizona For Dummies

Arizona: its people and resources

Frommer's Arizona 2010

Frommer's Arizona 2007