Taylor, Arizona: The Anvil, The Rodeo and The Museums

Part of Snowflake, Taylor & Heber-Overgaard, our guide to the pioneer towns north of Show Low and the Mogollon Rim to the west.

Taylor, just south of Snowflake on State Route 77, is a pioneer town of 3,995 people (2020 Census) at 5,640 ft that the town says has never levied a property tax, and that marks every Fourth of July with the “Firing of the Anvil” at 4 a.m.

Checked Oct 22, 2026 · Edited by Sam Ridley · Sources · How we check

The Drum and The Anvil

The town logo shows a drum and an anvil. The town says the “Firing of the Anvil” goes off every Fourth of July at 4 a.m. with a loud bang, followed by patriotic music; the tradition began with Taylor’s pioneers and was revived in 1953. The town says its Jennings drum played in the Nauvoo Legion Band in the 1830s and was hauled across the plains in 1847, and the anvil was used by the Mormon Battalion in 1847.

Parks, Museums and The Airport

Taylor’s Year

The recreation department lists Trapper Days (Memorial Day), Thursday Night at the Park (June), the Fourth of July with the night rodeo, anvil firing and 10K, Pioneer Day in July with a parade, rodeo and golf tournament, the Sweet Corn Festival in September, a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot and the 12 Days of Christmas. See what happens every year for dates as they are posted.

Local Legend: The Anvil That Stands in for a Cannon

What is actually true: The tradition is real. The Town of Taylor says a family tradition fires an anvil at 4:00 a.m. on July 4, followed by band music around town, that the custom dates to Taylor’s pioneers, and that it was revived in 1953. The town says the anvil was reportedly used by the Mormon Battalion in 1847 and brought to Taylor by Joseph S. Hancock for his blacksmith shop; “reportedly” is the town’s own hedge, so the Battalion link is unproven. Arizona Highways describes two anvils with powder between them, the top one rising more than three feet. Check the town for the current start time, and leave the firing to the people who do it. Sources: Town of Taylor: About Taylor
Arizona Highways: Taylor

What We Could Not Verify

• The town’s own population and area (about 4,262 people on 26 sq mi), which differ from the 2020 Census (3,995 on 32.7 sq mi).
• The rodeo grounds’ address and seating; Freeman Park amenities.
• Museum addresses and daily hours.

More in Snowflake, Taylor & Heber-Overgaard

Nearby Places and Events

Places nearby

1. 1Historic Snowflakemuseum and homes, pin estimated by eye3 mi
2. 2Snowflaketown3 mi
3. 3White Mountain Lakelake, pin estimated by eye9 mi
4. 4White Mountain Lake Golfgolf, pin estimated by eye9 mi

Events coming up

1. 5Dragon Celebration (library)Lakeside, on now23 mi
2. 6Geek Out: TCG HangoutShow Low, on now15 mi
3. 7Paint RouletteShow Low, on now15 mi
4. 8Artisan Market at The DepotLakeside, Oct 2423 mi
5. 9Murder Mystery Masquerade PartyLakeside, Oct 2423 mi
6. 10Merry Mountain MarketShow Low, Oct 2515 mi

Every pin here is an estimate, not a surveyed point. A place pin marked "estimated by eye" is our own guess at the spot (a lake, park or town middle); the others use a point from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) for the named spot, which can still be off by a few blocks. Event pins sit at the center of the event's town, because we do not have each venue's exact spot. Distances are straight-line, rounded, and will not match driving miles. Dots sit in their compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable. Events are the next dates from our events calendar, as of October 23, 2026, and each date is the organizer's, not confirmed by us. The same places are listed beside the map.

Questions People Ask

What is the Firing of the Anvil in Taylor?

A Fourth of July tradition: the town fires an anvil at 4 a.m. with a loud bang, followed by patriotic music. It began with the pioneers and was revived in 1953.

Does Taylor, AZ have a property tax?

The town says it levies no property tax and never has.

How many people live in Taylor, AZ?

3,995 in the 2020 Census; the town’s own estimate is about 4,262.

Sources

1. Town of Taylor: About Taylor
2. Snowflake-Taylor Recreation and Parks (Town of Taylor)
3. Town of Taylor: Heritage Foundation
4. Town of Taylor: Airport
5. Town of Taylor: Contact
6. U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb: 2020 Census places

Checked October 22, 2026 by It’s Show Low. Cite this page: It’s Show Low (itsshowlow.com), checked October 22, 2026. Free to quote with a link; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.