| We drove to Tortilla Flat, Arizona on Wednesday. It is located just east of Phoenix between Apache Junction and Roosevelt along Highway 88 near Canyon and Apache lakes. On the way we stopped to enjoy a beautiful view of Canyon Lake. Unfortunately is was kind of cloudy, but luckily it did not threaten to rain. | |
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Then we headed to Tortilla Flat where we sat down on the saddles at the bar for some lunch. On our way inside the restaurant, we saw one of the 6 people who live in Tortilla, a 7'4" cowboy named Dave - better known in Tortilla as "The Friendly Giant". He was all decked out in his cowboy parafinalia and was getting his picture taken with a little old woman. Right before they flashed the picture, he whipped out two pistols - one in each hand. |
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| Tortilla Flats was established in 1904 as a Freight hauller's
stop on the way to Roosevelt Dam. Prior to 1904, there was no road, and Tortilla Flats was
just a grassey spot along a creek. There are two stories as to why it was named Tortilla
Flats. One story states that there as a group of stranded cowboys who had lost all their
grub with the exception of flour in which they made tortillas. The other story is pretty
Much the same with execption that the John Cline made the toritllas and dubbed the place
Tortilla Flats. Some of the attractions of Tortilla Flats is the Food, ambience, and the Post Office. They make a great hamburger, and you can send a post card to your friends or relatives from the famous spot. The ambience comes from the Old West atmosphere. You will notice how on the inside of the buildings, the walls are covered with dollar bills and business cards. The story goes that a salesman offered the clerk a dollar if he could put his busness card on the wall where everyone could see it. That tradition has flourished until almost every nook and cranny is filled with business cards and dollar bills. Another interesting item is the large rattlesnake skin hanging on the wall over the entry to the gift shop. It must be pretty close to some kind of record. One could only imagine what the diet of such a snake would have been...Javelina?...tourists lost in the desert? Nestled in the midst of the Superstition Wilderness is the famous old authentic stagecoach stop of Tortilla Flat, Arizona. Six people live at Tortilla Flat, one of the last remnants of the Old West. Tortilla Flat has been serving adventurous travelers the best Old West style home-cooked food in the Salt River basin for over 100 years. The town has a restaurant, US Post Office, souvenier and gift shop, ice cream store and a convenience store. For the biggest burgers, hottest chili and the coldest drinks visit Tortilla Flat Arizona, just 18 miles NE of Apache Junction on Hwy 88. |
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