April 2015
Oh Heavens! Saviors and Saints on the Arizona Frontier
Women of many faiths cared for the bodies and souls of Arizona’s early inhabitants. Meet five of these altruistic women who influenced the history of the territory. Theresa Ferrin’s holistic practices and comprehensive understanding of healing herbs earned her the title “Angel of Tucson.” Florence Yount is recognized as Prescott’s first woman physician. Teresita Urrea was considered a saint for her hands-on healing powers. St. Katharine Drexel invested much of her vast fortune to educate Navajo children. And the Sisters…
Find out more »November 2015
The Vulture Gold Mine
Discovered in 1863 by Henry Wickenburg, the Vulture Gold Mine was the first big gold mine in Arizona. The mine and its colorful cast of characters, along with the town of Wickenburg, were instrumental in stimulating considerable growth and development in Central Arizona. This presentation will share the multi-layered story of the gold mine, thus illustrating its unique role in early Arizona history. A graduate of the Idaho School of Mines, Gary Carter enjoyed a 36-year career in education, with…
Find out more »January 2017
The Life and Times of Tom Jeffords, Friend of Cochise
Tom Jeffords grew up in Ashtabula, OH, without much education and was promoted to lake captain in his early twenties. The lure of making his fortune called Tom west to the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, the San Juan Rush and to the Colorado River. He scouted and was dispatch rider for the Army during the Civil War and was present at its bloodiest battle. After the war, he prospected, scouted and helped start Tucson’s mail service. Along the way, he…
Find out more »April 2017
Women of the Arizona State Prison – Green Valley
Winnie Ruth Judd, Eva Dugan, Dr. Rose Boido, and Eva Wilbur Cruz all shared one thing in common. They were all incarcerated at the Arizona State Prison in Florence. These women were players in both the sensational stories that made national headlines and local stories that made Arizona history. Who were these women and how did they end up in the Florence prison? How did their stories impact Arizona? Through the use of photographs, prison records and newspaper articles, their…
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