Arizona for Newcomers
What is it that makes Arizona unique, that gives it a different flavor from neighboring New Mexico, California, Utah, Colorado, Sonora, and Chihuahua? In part the answer lies in Arizona’s […]
For the Love of Turquoise
Turquoise has a long standing tradition amongst Native cultures of the Southwest, holding special significance and profound meanings to specific individual tribes. Even before the more contemporary tradition of combining […]
Three Generations of the American Indian Boarding School Experience
The U.S. federal government’s harsh policy of compulsory Indian education in the form of boarding schools began in 1879 and continued through the Great Depression, with boarding schools on and […]
The Gila: River of History
Six hundred miles long from its source in the mountains of southwestern New Mexico to its confluence with the Colorado River above Yuma, the Gila has been an important avenue […]
Arizona’s Great Escape
During the night of Christmas Eve in 1944, twenty-five Nazi German prisoners of war escaped from Papago Park POW camp on the outskirts of Phoenix and headed towards Mexico. These […]
The Ballad of Arizona
Originally conceived to celebrate Arizona’s Centennial in 2012, “The Ballad of Arizona” has been updated to provide a more complete survey of important, but often little-known, chapters of Arizona’s unique […]
Arizona: a History of Snake Oil Salesmen, Scams, and Hoaxes
Since the earliest days, Arizonans have been visited by entrepreneurs offering all kinds of get rich quick schemes. Benefitting from tales of abundant resources in the territory, limited law enforcement […]
Honky Tonks, Brothels and Mining Camps: Entertainment in Old Arizona
In pioneer Arizona, among the best places to experience the performing arts were in the mining towns. Striking it rich meant having disposable income, and miners, like the well-heeled of […]
Tucson’s Black Community and School Segregation
In 1909 the Territory of Arizona amended its compulsory school attendance bill to give cities and counties the ability to segregate their schools. Inspired by the change in the law, […]
Chiles & Chocolate: Sweet and Spicy Foods in the American West
Come have a taste of the rich and savory history of these food favorites, explore how early peoples used them, and how they have evolved and spread to all corners […]