For many years, Main Street was the social center of the Rim Country. Once a dusty thoroughfare, it featured mercantile stores, saloons, hotels, boarding houses, livery stables, a blacksmith shop, and a sawmill.  Steeped in the legend and lore of the Old West, Payson's historic Main Street is fast becoming a tourist destination in its own right. At one end is the Sawmill Crossing Complex and at the other, award-winning Green Valley Park. Besides a host of shopping opportunities for antiques, gifts, scrapbooking supplies, books and other treasures, Main Street features several special museums, family restaurants, and a historic cowboy saloon (The Ox Bow).

Here are a few of Main Street's highlights:

Main Street Electric Light Parade

For over 10 years, Payson has created a magical environment that can only be described as “Magic on the Mountain”.  Consisting of tree lightings, special holiday parties, and the Electric Light Parade, Main Street comes alive in December with joy and excitement for all age groups.  The Electric Light parade travels east to west and features decorated floats, trucks, and holiday carolers.  The parade ends with a dramatic entrance from Santa, waving to all the young children in the crowd.  Word to the wise, bring your blankets, chairs, and a cup of hot chocolate and prepare yourself for unforgettable small town Christmas celebration.   More Information...

First Friday Nights on Main Street

Payson's Art & Antiques District on Historic Main Street holds a party on the first Friday of each month and everyone is invited. Come enjoy snacks, socialize, and shop. More Information...

Sawmill Crossing

Anchored by a multiplex movie theater, Sawmill Crossing occupies 14 acres south of Main Street and west of the Beeline Highway, on the very site where the Kaibab Sawmill was located. Chili's Restaurant, Macky's Grill, and Club USA Health & Fitness are recent additions to this popular Main Street shopping and dining complex.   More Information...

Green Valley Park

Green Valley Park is a 45-acre park at the west end of Main Street that features three lakes and several decorative fountains. As part of the Arizona Game and Fish Department's urban fishing program, the three lakes are stocked with rainbow trout from October to May.  Picnic ramadas and a grassy amphitheater complete the park's family atmosphere.  More Information...

Rim Country Museum

Surrounded by lakes and rolling hills, this three-building, two-story facility at Green Valley Park includes the first forest ranger station in Payson and a replica of the historic Herron Hotel -- known as the "Payson Hilton" until it burned in 1918. The museum houses public exhibits ranging from the ancient peoples who once inhabited the area to a working model of an old sawmill. It also has a large gift shop. Admission to the Rim Country Museum is $3 for adults, $2.50 for seniors 55 and over, $2 for students 12-17, and free for children 11 and under. The museum is open from noon to 4 pm Wednesday through Sunday.   More Information...

Oxbow Inn & Saloon

The Ox Bow Inn and Saloon has long been a landmark on Main Street.  A gala grand opening for the Ox Bow Lodge was held May 2, 1954, with a free poolside barbecue. Currently under renovation, the Ox Bow plans to re-open June 2008. More Information...

Antique Mecca

Historic Main Street is a mecca for treasure hunters.  You will find antiques, boutiques, and art shops that are as interesting as the history that surrounds them.  A visit to each of these establishments will leave you with a sense of understanding and intrigue for the way things used to be.  More Information...