In addition to being a very family-oriented community, Heber-Overgaard offers many community facilities including a library, 40-acre park, and many athletic facilities: baseball, football and Little League fields; basketball, volleyball, tennis and racquet ball courts; and a golf course. We also enjoy four seasons and summer temperatures that barely top 85 degrees (making us a popular summer getaway for other areas of the Arizona).

We enjoy many year-round recreational opportunities and some breathtaking points of scenic interest here in Heber and Overgaard. Immediately south of us is the Mogollon Rim, which divides the northern plateau region from the lower central and southern areas. The Mogollon Rim offers many exceptional views and numerous man-made lakes ideal for boating and other water sports. There is also:

• Hunting - for elk, deer, turkey, antelope and bear
• Fishing - in some of the many nearby trout streams
• Camping & Picnicking - extensive opportunites are readily available
• Cross-country skiing (in winter)
• Other scenic attractions like:
  • Chevelon Canyon Dam
  • Canyon Creek Fish Hatchery
  • Chevelon Butte
  • Fort Apache Indian Reservation
  • 200-acre Mogollon Lake three miles east of Overgaard is in the planning stages.

Heber, Arizona

Heber was first settled by Mormon pioneers in the late 1800's. They relocated to the area from Utah, having been counseled by church leaders to find appropriate places to settle with their families and establish communities to raise their families. It was John Bushman who first noted the rich soil, abundant wildlife, and ample ponderosa for construction who made the location recommendation. However, because there was no school in the area, families would relocate to St. Joseph (now Joseph City) during the late fall and winter and return in time for Spring planting. The school was started in 1897, although the town didn't have an official school district until 1921. Heber was named after Heber J. Grant, the prominent leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church) who was most instrumental in the assignment to settle the area.

Overgaard, Arizona

The neighboring community of Overgaard was settled in the 1930's and was named after the owner of the first sawmill, Niels Kristian Overgaard. Overgaard's sawmill was built across highway 260 from what is now the Overgaard Market. The mill was eventually replaced by the old Senior Center that was lost in the Rodeo Chedeski fire in the summer of 2002. The Senior Center has since been rebuilt and is a bustling center of activity.

Heber-Overgaard Today

Today, these two adjacent towns, like their founders, continue to work hard and work together to create a warm, friendly, and inviting place to live and thrive.