There were many changes coming in 1981 as Fountain Hills began its second decade, and that is the topic of this week’s Fountain Hills History Lesson.

The most influential change was the creation of Fountain Hills Management Corp. by MCO Properties. James Rush was named president of the new corporation. He had been project manager for a large community development north of Houston, Texas.

Rush stressed MCO’s commitment to the community during his introduction at the Community Center and he said the firm was carefully mapping a strategy for future development here.

Four well-known residents passed away. They were: Appelwick’s Restaurantowner Omer Appelwick, Sanitary District Director Sy Seidner, longtime active resident Millie McWhirter and former Road District Trustee Walt Haley.

A work crew from MCO Properties tore down the Old Ranch House, a structure made of Palo Verde and Ironwood. It was used by cowboys that worked the P-Bar ranch property. That land was purchased by MCO and became Fountain Hills.

A group of volunteers had attempted to renovate the structure for an arts and crafts center in the late 1970s, but that effort failed, and the structure fell into a state of disrepair. It had been constructed on a piece of land that is now the high school parking lot. The Fountain HillsHistorical Society latererectedahistorical marker where it once stood.

Eighth grade student Lara Janicki received the first annual Robert Hendrix Memorial Award The annual award, named in honor of the first School Board president, was awarded to the outstanding graduating eighth grader for many years.

In July, Fountain Hills caught lottery fever as the first tickets went on sale. Local merchants found long lines waiting for them when lottery-hungry residents showed up to buy the state’s debut game, “Scratch it Rich.”

Sumner Bock, who owned The Fountain Club bar, said he had to drive down to the lottery’s headquarters in Phoenix three times in the first week just to replenish his supply. His establishment sold 4,500 tickets that week.

From the start of discussions on the Central Arizona Project, Orme Dam and Reservoir was an integral part of the overall plan. Then, the Carter administration raised questions about the future of the Orme project.

In October, an advisory committee to Governor Bruce Babbitt, signaled the end of the proposed Orme Dam project. The committee voted 19-1 against the structure. Orme Dam, if built, would have created a reservoir that would’ve covered two thirds of the Fort McDowell land. It would have forced 350 residents to relocate. Similar plans for a confluence dam would have also had an impact on Fountain Hills.

One of the plans would have possibly flooded 150 Fountain Hills homes in the area (including mine) if a worst-case scenario occurred.

There were also environmental concerns, and the land was a nesting site for several bald eagle families. In a surprise turn of events, U.S. Interior Secretary James Watt, made a visit to Fountain Hills announcing he had removed the Orme Dam from the Central Arizona Project plan.

The controversial Watt surprised many with his announcement. There were a lot of disappointed Fountain Hills property owners since they had always thought that there would be a lake to the east of Fountain Hills that would’ve increased their property values had it been built.

Watt and his other officials flew into Fountain Park in six army helicopters and as they approached, it looked like an episode of MASH. Watt was quite different than I had expected. He was actually friendly and talkative.

Well, we’ve come to the end of another Fountain History Lesson. I’ll be letting you know about more stories that made the 1981 headlines when we get together again.