He would visit with regularity through 1929, and would purchase two plots of land near Tonto Creek, including 120 acres (49 ha) from Sampson Elam Boles under Myrtle Point. In 1918 author Zane Grey made his first trip to the area surrounding Payson. The town declares the competition to be the world's oldest and continuous rodeo as it has been held every year since. In honor of the representative's help, the town's name was changed to 'Payson'. On March 3, 1884, a post office was established with the help of Illinois Representative Levi Joseph Payson. The founding year of Payson is considered to be 1882, at which time the town was known as 'Green Valley'. Payson boasts a lively festival calendar, including the World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo, established in 1884 and the Old Time Fiddlers Contest which celebrates the area's musical heritage.Īs of the 2020 census, the population of Payson was 16,361.
The town is surrounded by the Tonto National Forest, the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. Due to Payson's location being very near to the geographic center of Arizona, it has been called 'The Heart of Arizona'. Payson is a town in northern Gila County, Arizona, United States.
