China Mary: History and Legend
A 1960 episode of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, the first Western television series, immortalized China Mary as a strong, powerful and ruthless Asian female figure in American […]
Coded Messages and Songs of the Underground Railroad
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 […]
The Planet Mars in our Dreams and Reality
The Red Planet, Mars, has always held our fascination, more so than any other planet. The very word ‘Mars’ conjures up visions of Martians as well as great voyages of […]
Mescal Agave Use in Arizona: Food, Fiber, and Vessel
The agave plant was used by Native peoples for numerous utilitarian items. Mescal served as a valuable food source still being harvested and prepared to this day by many Indigenous […]
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 […]
Rock Hounds and River Rats: The 1937 Carnegie-CalTech Grand Canyon Expedition
In 1937, a team of CalTech geology professors and rough-and-tumble boatmen set out in three small wooden boats on a six-week journey through the Grand Canyon to study the ancient […]
China Mary: History and Legend
A 1960 episode of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, the first Western television series, immortalized China Mary as a strong, powerful and ruthless Asian female figure in American […]
Borders, Walls, and Immigration in Arizona
The Arizona-Mexico border is a line of separation and a place of coming together. This paradox shapes the borderland region and its people in fascinating and important ways. In this […]
Theodore Roosevelt Slept Here
Theodore Roosevelt exhibited a greater influence on Arizona than perhaps any other president. He was the first sitting president to visit Arizona, employed an executive order to preserve the Grand […]
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 […]