Eastern Area Command

Sector One includes the Page Springs and Cornville communities. They are rural, suburban areas that serve as bedroom communities for the nearby cities of Sedona and Cottonwood. Both communities are situated along scenic Oak Creek, a tributary of the Verde River. Lower Oak Creek has been designated an important bird habitat by the National Audubon Society. Page Springs is home for the large Page Springs Fish Hatchery.

Big Park is more commonly known as the Village of Oak Creek, a community adjacent to Sedona. Tourism and service to retirees and second-home owners are the basis for the local economy. The community is set among the scenic red rock buttes and canyons. The Bell Rock scenic area adjoins the north end of the Village of Oak Creek and is surrounded by the Coconino National Forest.

The unincorporated areas of Sedona include Boynton Canyon, Long Canyon and Red Rock Loop. These areas are known for tourism and the draw of the spectacular red rocks.

Sector Two includes the unincorporated communities of Jerome, Clarkdale and Cottonwood, which include the Verde Villages and Bridgeport.

The Verde Villages are adjacent to Cottonwood and was developed in 1970. Clarkdale is formerly a mining town and is now largely a retirement community with an eye for the arts. Clarkdale is home to the Verde Canyon Railroad, a scenic excursion train that follows in part the route of the Verde Valley Railroad. Jerome also was a mining town named after the investor who owned the mineral rights and financed the mining, Eugene Jerome. Jerome was mined for silver and copper.

Sector Three includes Fossil Creek, Childs, McGuireville, Rimrock, Lake Montezuma and the unincorporated areas of Camp Verde.

Fossil Creek is a perennial river. The headwaters of the creek begin at Fossil Springs, a rare and powerful spring that produces upwards of one million gallons of water per hour. The high levels of calcium carbonate in the water cause large fossil-like rock growth now known as travertine. Plans were put into place to use the creek to generate electricity for the surrounding towns. Construction on the Childs Power Plant near the Verde River outlet of Fossil Creek began in 1908 under the authority of the Arizona Power Company (now Arizona Public Service – APS). APS closed the plant in 2006.

Located off Interstate 17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff are the areas known as Rimrock, McGuireville and Lake Montezuma. These communities are presently the fastest growing communities in Yavapai County. They are surrounded by the Coconino National Forest and are approximately 20 minutes from the red rocks of Sedona. Rimrock was named after a dude ranch that was located near the community. McGuireville was for many years called “The Station” due to the gas station Eugene McGuire offered to travelers on their way from Camp Verde to Stoneman Lake. Lake Montezuma was named after Montezuma Castle, a cliff dwelling of the Sinagua Indians, now a National Monument. Part of the monument is the Montezuma Well that adjoins Lake Montezuma and Rimrock.