Millions of travelers visit the Grand Canyon each year, but just 150 years ago, this was still considered the “last blank spot on the map.” One man, a one-armed civil war veteran, was determined to navigate and document the Colorado River as it winds through the canyon. Therefore, on May 24, 1869, John Wesley Powell […]
In 1880, Alan Day’s grandfather homesteaded the Lazy B ranch. This dusty dry tract of land produced a Supreme Court Justice, a lauded Arizona state senator, and a career rancher, cowboy, and land conservationist. Alan explores the ranching and cowboying life from the chuck wagon years of his childhood, through his adult years of increasing […]
Dr. T.J. Davis, Arizona State University, School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies What does it mean to be a U.S. citizen? Few discussions directly address the question or the difference between citizens and others in the United States. What is it that makes or allows citizens to be different from others? What can or […]
Whether or not you grew up when Western films competed favorably with the popular films of the day, you will definitely want to take yourself back in time to hear the music that made cowboy legends out of the Sons of the Pioneers, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Jimmy Wakely and so many other Western singers. […]
The novelty of these bands—initially employed by the U.S. military to support bond drives—drew enough spectators for the bands to be placed on tour, raising money for the war and boosting morale. The women, once discharged at the war’s end, refused to fade into post-war domesticity. Instead, the strong bond fostered by youthful enthusiasm and […]
This presentation will explore the US Army’s experiment with using camel from the Middle East to make it more mobile in the newly acquired Southwest. In order to teach the soldiers about camels, a local from the Middle East, who was called Hi Jolly, was shipped over with the camels. Even though Secretary of War […]
July 1, 2018, marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps, an innovation for its time that addressed an acute healthcare delivery crisis during World War II. This presentation draws from the voices of those who participated in the program. Participants will have the opportunity to view and discuss Cadet […]
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. […]
With the exception of the most ardent collectors and older generation, the influence and legacy of the big bands is largely forgotten despite their overwhelming popularity and significant role in early radio. Join Larson as he revisits the sounds America listened and danced to for more than three decades. Learn how iconic artists like Glenn […]
Every day we use words and phrases whose roots lie in our western heritage. Words like “brand,” “maverick,” and “dude,” along with phrases like” climb down off your high horse” and “passing the buck” all grew out of the culture and experiences of those who moved into and lived in the American West. These creative […]
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