Consider the taco, that favorite treat, a staple of Mexican and Mexican American cooking and an old standby on an Arizonan’s plate. The corn in the tortilla comes from Mexico, the cheese from the Sahara, the lettuce from Egypt, the onion from Syria, the tomatoes from South America, the chicken from Indochina, the beef from the steppes of Eurasia. The foods of Arizona speak to the many cultures, native and newcomer, that make up our state. Join Gregory McNamee, the…

U.S. Route 66, known as the “Mother Road,” was built in 1926. It ran from Chicago to L. A. During the depression of the 1930s, it became the major path by which people migrated west, seeking work, warm weather and new opportunities. Shore shares the history of Route 66 in Arizona, including the impact it had on the state during its prime, and what happened when the interstate ultimately bypassed some of the towns that drew life from the road.…

Pilot Charles Lindbergh (the “Lone Eagle”) is best known for his famous 1927 flight across the Atlantic Ocean.  But Lindbergh, and his wife Anne, also played an important role in southwestern archaeology.  During the summer of 1929, they worked with noted archaeologist Alfred Kidder to conduct the first extensive aerial photographic survey of southwestern prehistoric sites; taking numerous photos and even landing at remote Canyon de Chelly.  The presentation features many of their historic photographs and describes this important -…

Ghost towns dot Arizona's landscape and provide unique insights into a diverse history. Some ghost towns tell a boom-to-bust story with few remaining traces of the people who once lived there, while others, like Jerome, have become thriving tourist destinations. Many are old mining locations that once bustled with life, while others tell more modern stories, showing the impact of highways rerouted and roads not taken. This program will feature stories of ghost towns such as Crown King, Jerome, and…

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 Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald got their start along with fellow bands, vocalists, composers and musicians. Finally, enjoy the real thing, as…

This PowerPoint program touches on the lives of 5 Arizona women who experienced arduous ordeals & hardships during the territory’s early days. Apache warrior Lozen fought desperately to hold onto land once freely roamed by her people. Larcena Pennington was forced to crawl down a mountain to escape certain death. Mary Aguirre often journeyed with her husband along the Santa Fe Trail delivering supplies to army posts. Ada Bass endured crude living conditions at the rim of the Grand Canyon,…

Throughout the ages we humans have had a need to mark the time and place where people make the final stop on their journey from this world to the next. Sometimes it is a simple cross on rock covered earth while others are elaborate tombstones which tell something of the lives of their residents. There is probably nothing so poignant as a tiny tombstone marking the death of a child whose duration on earth is measured from a few minutes…

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 the rare opportunity to serve in the military while making professional caliber music would come to last some 60 years. Based on interviews with over…

It has been thought that the Apache do not become Apache until the adoption of the horse, which triggered the raiding adaptation. While horses played a central role in the Apachean world, the horse divide is not as pronounced as thought. Horses changed the ancestral Apache lifeway and horses survived and thrived without European horse culture. Horses shaped warfare and intercultural relations, were intertwined with family and inter-band relations, and were integrated into Apachean lives through use of horse power…

Although stereotyped as an unmusical machine only fit for The Addams Family, the harpsichord is the most expressive and subtle of musical instruments. It has a unique and beautiful repertoire, and a very special and distinctive playing style. In this session, Dr. Guy Whatley will demonstrate the stunning music written for the harpsichord, and the astonishing techniques needed to bring it to life in the twenty-first century. We will also explore the societies and intriguing personalities connected to the harpsichord’s…

When the first dining guide to the Valley of the Sun appeared in 1978, the authors had to explain what “sushi” was. Fast forward four decades, and Arizonans are munching rainbow rolls in shopping-mall food courts. The restaurant business in Arizona now brings in more than $11 billion a year. With stories, statistics and insider tidbits, former restaurant critic Howard Seftel explores the many ways that dining out reflects our evolving culture, as well as shapes it. He explains the…

The Four Corners is a common name for the region within 150 miles of the marker where Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, Arizona meet. The Four Corners reflects a wide array of customs of both ancient and contemporary cultures, spiritual beliefs, and histories. This presentation describes the landscape’s extensive geological and cultural transformation contributed by prehistoric civilization advancements, Native American customs and centuries of conflict and cooperation, the Navajo Long Walk, Mormon settlement, American farming and ranching, and the World…