Dragoon Things to Do

Dragoon Springs was a stop on the Butterfield-Overland stage route that went through Arizona before Wells Fargo. The town of Dragoon, and the mountains, were named for the Third U.S. Cavalry Dragoons that patrolled the area. The stagecoach stop served travelers on their way across Arizona. Today, the site is preserved and can be viewed from behind a fence.

Talking to the locals is always one of the best things to do when traveling. Dragoon was no exception. This is Jim one of the locals participating in the gunfights and quick draw competitions. He was interesting to talk to.

The Historic Texas Canyon Cemetery, final resting place of many of the areas early settlers is located on the property of the Amerind Foundation. It is also within view of beautiful Texas Canyon. The founders of the Amerind Foundation are buried in the small femced off area behind the cemetery.

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In addition to the museum with the artifacts; there is a nice art gallery on the grounds. They have a collection of art from different parts of the world with an emphasis on Southwestern art. The site around the goundation is pretty and relaxing. Entrance to both museums is $5 for adults; $4 for seniors; $3 for children 12 to 18; and free for children under 12. Hours are 10 AM to 4 PM Tuesday through Sunday year round. The foundation is closed Mondays and all Major Holidays. Photography is not allowed inside either museum. Worth a visit.

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Dragoon is the home of the Amerind Foundation a non-profit anthropological and archaeological research center with an impressive assortment of exhibits about Native American Culture. The foundation was established in 1937, and dedicates itself to research and education about all native cultures. In keeping with the location, the main emphasis is on the Indian Tribes in the Souteast; but they have displays of cultures from the Arctic to the tip of South America running from pre-history to today. They also have an art museum on site. The site around the goundation is pretty and relaxing. Entrance to both museums is $5 for adults; $4 for seniors; $3 for children 12 to 18; and free for children under 12. Hours are 10 AM to 4 PM Tuesday through Sunday year round. The foundation is closed Mondays and all Major Holidays.

Photography is not allowed inside either museum. The main museum has a gift shop where you can buy a neat screensaver with photos of 38 of the best museum pieces. Worth a visit.

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Twice a year the Dragoon Women's Club sponsors an event like the Draggon Daze that was held on 3 November 2007. Draggon Daze consisted of a group of booths where area people sold arts and crafts, an educational booth from the nearby Amerind Foundation, and a booth for the Southeast Arizona Democrats. They also had live music, saloon girl dancers, the Tombstone Vigilantes gave a show, and some other locals dressed up in Western clothes and had gunfights and quick-draw contests. Food was available too. The festivities lasted from 9 AM to 4 PM.