The Hashknife Pony Express monument, celebrating 65 years of history that originated in Holbrook, will be unveiled at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at Gillespie Park. The 7-foot tall by 8-foot-long bronze monument created by artist Scott Rogers of Lehi, Utah, will epitomize the meaning of the Pony Express, depicting a cowboy on horseback racing with a bag of mail clutched in his hand. According to organizers, the monument has been completed and is in the process of being bronzed.
On the morning of the unveiling, a parade including Hashknife riders will travel down Buffalo Street to Gillespie Park. Then following the unveiling, the Hashknife Posse will be sworn-in in preparation for the 65th annual ride from Holbrook to Scottsdale beginning on Feb. 2 to take part in Scottsdale’s Western Week.
The monument will be placed where the marquee is currently located on the corner closest to Navajo Blvd. and Hopi Drive. The marquee is expected to be removed on Wednesday, Dec. 14, and will be done by Hurley Contracting of Payson at no cost and placed into storage until it is determined if the marque should be relocated and if the funds necessary to operate and maintain it will be available, as many of the parts have become obsolete.
The location selected for the monument has angered a number of citizens who took to social media last week to express their opinion that the decision should have been made by the community or at the very least by the council during a public council meeting.
The decision to place the monument in the marquee location at Gillespie Park was made after Hashknife Captain Mark Reynolds made the request to City Manager Ted Soltis. Although the plan to place the monument at the park was agreed upon many years ago, it was expected that the monument would be placed in the center of the park. An email to Soltis asking for clarification if he alone made the decision to locate the monument at that location was not answered as of press time.
The total cost for the monument is $80,000, with most of those funds collected by the generous donations from members of the community, and individuals, businesses and organizations throughout the state. With the effort to collect those donations spearheaded by Holbrook residents Mildred Foutz and Ofelia Lange.
The engraved bricks that will surround the monument and offered for purchase as part of the fundraising effort are no longer available but more donations are needed and will be accepted to cover the remaining costs. Since this is a non-profit fundraiser, all or a portion of the donation may be a tax write-off. Donation forms are available at the Holbrook City Hall and at the Holbrook Public Library. Send donations to P.O. Box 215, Holbrook, Ariz. 86025 for a return receipt for taxes. For those not seeking a tax credit, donations will also be taken at any Wells Fargo Bank by requesting it be deposited in the Hashknife Posse Monument bank account.
