PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION Arizona’s history is much more than Hollywood’s Wild West stereotypes of cowboys, lawmen, and outlaws. In addition to miners, merchants, and ranchers, the area attracted faith-based farmers, health seekers, and women entrepreneurs of many creeds and cultures, including a Greco-Syrian camel driver. This presentation describes Arizona history’s notables and notorious characters from common […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION Most Arizonans are not originally from Arizona, and most come from places that are far greener and milder of climate than our desert. For many of us, it takes a shift of eye and of attitude to appreciate this hot, dry place—but once it gets into one’s soul, there’s nowhere like it. This […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION Although European settlers are commonly credited with introducing horses to Arizona, Native American communities in the state have long had a deep and cultural relationship with these animals. This presentation explores the ongoing conversation about the origins of horses in Arizona, emphasizing the perspectives and insights of Indigenous Arizonans. By delving into the […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION There’s nothing like standing under a dark, star-spangled night sky to quiet the mind and reduce stress, share an experience of awe with family and friends, and to inspire creative thoughts. Yet such dark skies are a disappearing resource, with only 20% of the world living in a place where the center of […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION Communication and secrecy were key to the successful operation of the Underground Railroad. Safety was more important than quickness. Both fugitive slaves and members of the Underground Railroad learned to code and decode hidden messages, and to disguise signs to avoid capture. There were code names for towns on the routes and code […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION Communication and secrecy were key to the successful operation of the Underground Railroad. Safety was more important than quickness. Both fugitive slaves and members of the Underground Railroad learned to code and decode hidden messages, and to disguise signs to avoid capture. There were code names for towns on the routes and code […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION Many people know about Arizona’s most famous river, the Colorado, but the often-forgotten Gila River has a rich and interesting history too. Reid will take the audience on a journey which begins in central New Mexico and joins the Gila River as it makes an historical journey through eastern and most of southern […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION The Colorado River is a critical source of the West’s water supply, supporting 40 million people, nearly 6 million acres of agriculture, and tribes across seven states and portions of Mexico. At 1,450 miles long the Colorado River is the sixth longest river in the United States. The river flows through seven states […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION Their names resound in Arizona history and pepper the of the state map, but few people know well the tangled history that surrounds the so-called “Apache Wars”, when fully half of the active U.S. Army descended on the territory to combat a relative handful of Indigenous warriors. Ironically, the Apache peoples of the […]

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION Their names resound in Arizona history and pepper the of the state map, but few people know well the tangled history that surrounds the so-called “Apache Wars”, when fully half of the active U.S. Army descended on the territory to combat a relative handful of Indigenous warriors. Ironically, the Apache peoples of the […]