Thursday, May 15, 2025, history was made with the unveiling of the 2200 pound granite memorial featuring thirty-six names of men and women who sacrificed their lives in the performance of duty. The new solemn monument is standing tall under the shadow of the historic Mine Rescue Station on the grounds of the Gila County Historical Museum, located at 1330 N Broad St, in Globe. The Gila County Public Safety Memorial Association would like to thank all the people from Gila County and elsewhere who came to our unveiling of the new Gila County Public Safety Monument at the Gila County Historical Museum on Thursday, May 15, 2025. As other such monuments have been established around our State and Nation, the time was long past due that Gila County had one, as well. The Association would also like to mention some of our generous supporters who donated to this Association to help make this monument possible. A big Thank You to: Resolution Copper, Supervisor Tim Humphrey, Supervisor Woody Cline, Waggin’ Vineyard, Action Pawn, Dairy Queen of Globe, Horne Motor Company, Dave’s Fast Stop, Messinger Payson Funeral Home, McSpadden Family and so many others! Thank you to the Gila County Historical Museum for giving the monument a home. Thank you to Gila Monster Construction for dropping everything to pour a foundation, and to Dalmolin Excavating for generously bringing equipment and personnel to move this heavy rock around. Thank you to the members of the press of Gila County for capturing this event for posterity, especially to KMOG of Payson for traveling all the way to support this solemn event. The Memorial Association is grateful to all of our Public Safety agencies who took time out of their busy schedules to attend the ceremony and bring proper honor to the memory of these sacred fallen. The ceremony would not have been complete without the brilliant sound of the ringing bell, made possible by the generosity of the Town of Miami, and our sound engineer Miami Town Manager, Alexis Rivera. Ultimately, our success was because of one man’s belief in this cause. “What began as a dream is now written in stone”. A very special Thank You for the hard work and dedicated research of Robert Freese, Sr. The public is invited and encouraged to stop by the Gila County Historical Museum, located next to the Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce, and see the new granite monument. The People of Gila County will not forget.
We would like to thank Jenn Agema for sharing these links to show a video and photos that she took during the event. Link to Gallery: Link to Videos:
The Video below was shared by Native Air. Thank You for the fly by during the event. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CqBNfMsBx/