Submitted photo
Cave Creek Museum’s Evelyn Johnson and Cave Creek resident and film maker Suzanne D. Johnson were the guiding forces behind the making of “Cave Creek Uncovered”, a 40 minute documentary on the town’s history. Two showings of the documentary are scheduled for 7 - 9 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church in Cave Creek.
COMMUNITY
NEWS
Cave Creek Museum to unveil documentary on town
MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR ~ 9/15/2011
As Arizona prepares to celebrate the state’s centennial the town of Cave Creek will celebrate its history, when they unveil a 40 minute documentary at 7 p.m., Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church.
The piece, “Cave Creek Uncovered” was a six-plus month long project put together by Cave Creek resident and film maker Suzanne D. Johnson with the help of Evelyn Johnson, the executive director of Cave Creek Museum.
“I’ve been here for 23 or 24 years and thought I knew Cave Creek pretty well, but I was blown away by the richness of our history,” she said. “We’re much more than cowboys. Cave Creek is the backbone of the true West. I hope this piece speaks of Cave Creek the way we think it does. Like the town the piece is not polished, a little rough, but truly Cave Creek.”
The idea for the documentary came when the Cave Creek Films and Arts Festival dissolved.
The non-profit, which had put on the festival, found itself with funds to disperse.
The group’s treasurer, Ralph Mozilo, said the board had to find non-profits to give its funds to.
“It hit me,” he said. “Why don’t we put together a film on the history of Cave Creek, being that it’s the 25th anniversary of the town’s incorporation,
so we gave the Cave Creek Museum $12,000 initially and then subsequently two more $1,000 gifts for the project.”
When she first was approached about the assignment Suzanne D. Johnson was told the idea was to come up with a 10 minute piece.
But after interviewing more than 30 old-time “Creekers” who shared their stories detailing their experience in Cave Creek, Suzanne, knew she had more to share than 10 minutes.
“Everyone was so supportive of this project,” she said. “I asked very broad questions and then let them tell their stories. The story of Cave Creek kind of revealed itself and we broke it down into seven chapters including prehistoric, mining times, cattlemen right up into modern times, first when the town incorporated and
then most recently the saving of Spur Cross.”
Suzanne said there were numerous contributors to the film including Cave Creek author and historian Bob Boze Bell who narrates the film, Marshall Trimble and the Desert Foothills Land Trust, which provided several photographs used in the production.
Evelyn Johnson said the film is a must-see, particularly for those that live in the area. “I consider myself a fairly good historian, but there were many things that I learned throughout the project about the town and the people,” she said. “I hope that when people see this film they will be spurred on to record or listen to the stories of families and ‘touch’ that sense of belonging to a community. One of my greatest joys is to watch people who have been touched by our exhibits that invoke a memory making moment from their past.”
Mozilo said following the debut of the film the Museum will show the film and that the town of Cave Creek will be able to use it as a marketing tool.
“It’s a beautiful piece,” he said. “They’ve captured the essence and flavor of Cave Creek. I think it’s very critical for us to understand our roots as a community. It’s what makes us who we are today.”