Southern Arizona

When America entered the Second World War, Arizona’s sparse population and mild weather made it an ideal location for training facilities and prisoner of war camps.  By war’s end, Arizona had trained more pilots than any other state, hosted the country’s largest POW camp, and was part of the largest military training grounds in history.  […]

This session examines the lives, works and influence of The Beatles on contemporary society.  We will follow in the footsteps of The Beatles as they embark on their extraordinary career.  Our journey will start from their early days as a cover band in Liverpool and Hamburg, into the excitement of Beatlemania to the formation of […]

The Empire Ranch, built by Walter Vail and family, was one of the most financially successful and long-lived cattle enterprises in Arizona. For over 140 years, the owners of the Empire wisely managed its natural resources – soils, waters, and vegetation in the Cienega Valley. Today those grasslands are some of the richest and most […]

The promise of unimagined riches is what brought many of the earliest colonizers to the Arizona Territory. Following the trail to the discovery of the mother lode, they built, then dismantled and finally abandoned communities when mines played out – leaving behind tantalizing clues of difficult hardships. Some towns survived like Bisbee, Jerome, Tombstone and […]

Tucson’s African-American community overcame numerous scandals to become some of the city’s most prosperous and well-known citizens. Newspapers throughout the Arizona territory captured more than their unlawful exploits but gave biographical information about each African-American. Men like George Bragg, who was a barber by trade, made headlines that rocked when he was charged with the […]

When the first dining guide to the Valley of the Sun appeared in 1978, the authors had to explain what “sushi” was. Fast forward four decades, and Arizonans are munching rainbow rolls in shopping-mall food courts. The restaurant business in Arizona now brings in more than $11 billion a year. With stories, statistics and insider […]

For a state that has been home to Geronimo, Wyatt Earp, César Chavez and Wonder Women, you would think Arizona earned some respect. Yet achieving statehood was a 50-year struggle, which finally ended on February 14, 1912. Jana borrows from both her work for True West Magazine and her work for Phoenix Magazine to put […]

Father Kino was a cartographer, explorer, geographer, scientist, and a man with a mission. Through his knowledge of agriculture, he introduced new livestock breeds and shared expertise on animal husbandry to native groups in the area. The new plants and fruit trees he brought to the New World introduced a variety of foods to eat […]

Tyrone Power, Andy Devine,  Katy Jurado, Steve McQueen and, of course, John Wayne. From the earliest days of film, Arizona has been a setting and subject for hundreds of films. Some, like Junior Bonner and Red River, are considered classics, others, such as Billy Jack and Evolution, surely less so. Some may even be classics […]

The first issue of Arizona Highways magazine was published in April, 1925. In this presentation, former publisher Win Holden will share the fascinating story of how a brochure produced by the Arizona Highway Department evolved into one of the most respected and revered publications in the world. With annual economic impact of over $65 million, […]