white mountain apache cultural center

I have to say upfront that I haven't been to Whiteriver since. 1983! I worked as a nurse at the Indian Hospital there. I loved it and made some very good friends whom I still communicate with. I am planning to visit this year (2015) to see my friends and to see how Whiteriver has changed--or not! The countryside is beautiful--I can remember holding a beautiful Apache baby in my arms and looking out the window at the beautiful yellow flowers that covered the hillsides. I lived in the government housing, but as I got to know some ladies I worked with, they took me on some tours to Cibecue etc. I ate breakfast at the hotel. My husband walked to the post office many days and met a relative of Alchesay. I only wish I could have stayed there longer. My husband couldn't get work there because the few jobs available other than medical were open only to Apache Indians. I think that was proper. It is their home, their reservation and they should get the jobs. I am very excited to go back and renew friendships and see Whiteriver once again.

GREAT!!! For all kinds of interests!!! Historical, geological sites, culture and traditions of Apache, hunting, fishing, renting a lake, rafting, .... on and on, even fine food and entertainment at HonDah Casino

This is a great place to get the feel of the community in the past and present..kindof in the middle of no where but very interesting..shows how the Apaches have evolved..local educated Apaches put together a great experience for foreigners..also in the same area are the homes the whitemen lived in when they took over the reservation..but don't wander the reservation...go to center and return..you get a feeling away from center you aren't so welcome...stop for fry bread before you leave!

If you are remotely interested in the history of the American Frontier then this Fort should be on your list of to do's. I was very surprised at the level the Apache people have worked to keep this Army fort alive. This era in history was shameful but the Apache have done a marvelous job telling the story of fort life, the scouts and skirmishes in the area. The museum is interestingly filled with Apache history and artifacts. The only building at the fort that was accessible to visitors was General Crooks cabin. It is filled with photos, maps and information from that era. Its obvious the remainder of the quarters were well cared for and restored, I was disappointed that we could not tour the remaining buildings. The CO's home was splendid in its Victorian Charm inside (what we could see through windows) and out. We spent hours at the fort walking around and looking at the buildings, the stable are is fascinating, again I wish we could have gotten in the sole remaining barn to see the horses and soldiers names in the stalls. The cemetery isn't in very good shape, all the US soldiers who were buried there were moved when the fort closed, but it seems they forgot to move the women and children with them. The Apache scouts were also buried along side the soldiers and they were left as well. There are modern burials at the sight as well. The Kinishba ruins were in terrible condition. While amazing to see they are in nowhere good of shape as other ruins in the state. They don't seem to be that significant to the Apache considering the amount of trash we saw that the ruins. If you're going to visit historical sights take your trash with you people! Its not that hard. My main gripe was there was no real definition or plaques to the individual sights of the ruins. We had the booklet that tells of the ruins, however plaques would have been appreciated where the number signs are. If nothing else this ruin should be cherished due to the history alone, it is peaceful and I would have loved to have been there when the creek had water in it so we could see the waterfall in action.

While this is not a place we would return to, we are glad we spent time in both the museum as well as a walk around the grounds. The small museum has some interesting items to view. The log cabin was open, (the only other site open to the public). While we bought a walking tour map for $2.50, there was really no reason to spend the money. There is a plaque in front of each building describing exactly what is in the tour map guide. We were able to talk with our daughter about the history of Reservations, and the effect this has had on Native Indians up to now.

We didn't realize that Fort Apache was located in this area. The museum was great, really enjoyable and informative.

If you're interested in history and the southwest I recommend making this side trip on your way from the White Mountains to Tucson or Phoenix. Several of the buildings are original some were rebuilt over a hundred years ago. It's interesting to see how the Fort was built and functioned. The original General's cabin has Indian photos and historical stories. Included in the fee is a visit to the Kinisba Ruins which again are very interesting but if you are looking for a Mesa Verde you will not find it here. What you will find is a very quiet, untraveled place where you can see the connection between the houses, the plaza and the surrounding areas.

The cultural center had interesting information on the Apache. Displays made a big point of loving the land. The entire town of Whiteriver and the surrounding areas were coverd in discarded plastic bags. Some love. Fort Apache has a cabin with the information on the fort history. The cabin was closed because a dog had taken up residence and torn the place up. The stewards don't show much interest in visitors learning the white man history in the area. The nearby Kinishba ruins had been restored in part in the 1930's under the leadership of an ASU professor. The Apache stewards have left the place deteriorate.

There were some of the original buildings from the 1800s that were in good condition. It gave you an idea of how the military lived here with the Apaches. There was a trail with signs about life in those times.The museum needs better lighting to see some of the displays.

The Apache Cultural Center is easy to find off of Hwy 73, and the cost to visit the center, walk around Fort Apache and visit the Kinishba Ruins is just $10/car. We stopped at the center first and found the displays, layout of the center, and the movie (inside a tent with seating for about 6 people and displayed on a TV monitor) very interesting and informative. It showed great pride and we spent a couple of hours walking through, looking at the wonderful exhibits of artifacts, baskets, pottery, pictures, clothing, and beadwork. We then went on a self-tour around the remains of Fort Apache. Each of the old buildings on 'Officers Row' was clearly marked with the date of the building, its purpose, and history. Only a few of the buildings were accessible to visitors, but the ones we could visit gave us a real sense of what it was like to live there when it was occupied as a military fort. We drove part way up the road that led to the cemetery, but the road was narrow (dirt) and not well kept, so we turned around. We then drove on to the Kinishba Ruins which was included in the price.