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Paul and Katie Besich
The Besich Family has been selected as the Grand Marshals for the Apache Leap mining festival. The family history in the area began in the early 1900’s when Paul Besich immigrated to America eventually settling with his wife Katie in Superior. They raised eight children who all graduated from Superior High School. The family had entrepreneurial roots throughout the Copper Corridor communities of Globe, Miami and Superior.
Their son Nick was well known in the community for his community service as Constable, School Board member, business owner, and leader in the Fire Department. To date three generations of the Besich family have served on the Superior School Board. Two generations have served on the Superior Town Council.
In the 1980’s the Besich family donated their land on a Main Street to create a park which is known as Besich Park today.
In choosing the family, the Superior Chamber wanted to recognize a family who made impacts throughout the region.
Paul Besich
Paul Besich grew up in Komolac, a village on the outskirts of Dubrovnik in Croatia. He was born August 15, 1881.
Paul immigrated to America in 1906. He worked in a gold mine in Lead, South Dakota, and then moved to Globe, Arizona where he worked at the Old Dominion Mine and saved money to send for Katie. Two weeks after she arrived, the traveling priest came to Globe and she and Paul were married at the home of Hattie Trojanovich. Soon after their marriage, Paul quit the mines and opened the Morning Star Saloon in Globe.
In 1919 he operated the Palace Cafe in the Coleman Building in Superior. His business partners were Phil Radovich, Nick Sarkovish and Charlie Wiggand. Paul left his wife and children in Miami until he could move them to Superior. He would walk to Iron’s Ranch at Sutton’s Summit where he could pick up a horse and buggy for transportation along the Bellamy Trail to Miami to visit his family. The trail is still partially visible today.
In 1920, Paul moved his family to Superior by way of Christmas, Winkelman and Ray in an open, seven passenger touring car with jump seats over a road that was scarcely more than a wagon trail. Family stories say that they departed Miami at 9:30 in the morning and arrived in Superior at 5:30 that evening. Paul built a home on Heiner Drive that still stands today along with the the garage, an apartment, and the chicken coop.
He sold his interest in the Palace Cafe in the early 1920s and later opened the Modern Cafe with John Cagali and John Linov as partners. The family operated the Cafe until 1945. In addition to the restaurant business, Paul and Katie owned several rental properties. He was also a charter member of the Superior Rotary Club which is currently Superior’s oldest service club.
Paul died May 23, 1933.
Katica Buslje
Katica “Katie”Buslje was born June 3, 1884 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. She sailed to America in 1908 on a ship called the Laura. Traveling steerage, she said people were crammed in tight as sardines in a can with poor ventilation and no plumbing. She arrived at Ellis Island early in 1909, then traveled by stagecoach from Bowie, AZ to Globe.
Paul and Katie had four children while living in Miami: Annie, Sylvia, Nellie and Katherine. After moving to Superior, they had four more: Andrew, Nick, Thomas and Pauline. All eight children graduated from Superior High School.
Katie died August 5, 1975.
Andrew “Tiger” Besich was the last surviving child of the Paul and Katie; just about everyone in Superior knew him. He always had a story to tell and could remember many historical facts about the community. He passed away in 2013.
Paul and Katie have 20 grandchildren and numerous great- and great-great-grandchildren, many of whom still reside in Arizona.
The late Steven L. Besich was the son of Nick and Betty Besich. He served as the County Manager for Gila County for almost 20 years. He was Katie and Paul’s grandson. Steve’s daughter, Mila Besich-Lira and her two children Jose and Ashley reside in Superior. The majority of Paul and Katie’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren still live in Arizona, but as the family grew the roots have managed to extend to other states including California, Nevada, Minnesota, Texas and Washington.
The extended family remains very close and each spring, the descendants of Paul and Katie gather to clean the Croatian Lodges Cemetery in Central Heights in Gila County as an annual family reunion.
Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Bullion Plaza for assistance on the history of the Besich family.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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