They Protected Pinnacle Peak and More! – Introduction

They Protected Pinnacle Peak and More!
An Introduction

By Les Conklin

peak cover 2006This article was originally published in the September 2006 issue of A Peek at the Peak magazine. I wrote the article as a tribute to the founders of the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association – I had never met the Knights – and to summarize the interesting history of the Pinnacle Peak area that preceded the founding of the group. I introduced the article in the issue’s “Sneak Peeks” column as follows.

“Research for the article began in exactly the right place, the living room of Ralph and Nancy Knight. Ralph served as the first president of the Greater Pinnacle Peak Homeowners Association (GPPHA), and for the first 15 years of the group’s 29-year existence (ed. it’s now 37 years), the organization’s meeting were held at t he Knight’s home, not far from Pinnacle Peak.

“The Knights did much more than provide a meeting place for GPPHA. As a member of the founding group said, “I was impressed by the honesty and integrity of the Knights and their desire to work in a cooperative spirit with others, to use logic and persuasion to accomplish objectives, and their desire to work in a cooperative spirit with others, and their desire to do the right thing for the future of the community.”

The Knights did not act alone in creating GPPHA. They were helped by a close knit, dedicated group of early members, who set the direction and sense of community service that enabled the organization to accomplish so much during a very important time in our community history.

The history of the Pinnacle Peak area really is interesting, as is the story of our group’s founding. Enjoy the article and don’t take our unique natural environment and outstanding quality of life for granted.

Incidentally, if you find this subject interesting, in 2006, I wrote a book. “Images of America – Pinnacle Peak” for Arcadia Publishing that provides a photographic history of the area. A signed copy can be purchased by contacting our association, with proceeds benefiting GPPA.

Continued: They Protected Pinnacle Peak and More –
Part 1

Related Articles

They Protected Pinnacle Peak and More – Part 1
They Protected Pinnacle Peak and More – Part 2
They Protected Pinnacle Peak and More – Part 3

 

Author: Les Conklin

Les Conklin is a resident of north Scottsdale He founded Friends of the Scenic Drive, the Monte de Paz HOA and is the president of the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association. He was named to Scottsdale's History Maker Hall of Fame in 2014. Les is a past editor of A Peek at the Peak and the author of Images of America: Pinnacle Peak. He served on the Scottsdale's Pride Commission, McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission, the boards of several local nonprofits and was a founding organizer of the city's Adopt-A-Road Program.. Les is a volunteer guide at the Musical Instrument Museum.

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