“Coded Messages and Songs of the Underground Railroad” with Tamika Sanders

Sedona Public Library in the Village 25 W. Saddlehorn Road, Sedona, AZ, United States

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION 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 code and decode hidden messages, and to disguise signs to avoid capture. There were code names for towns on the routes and code […]

FREE

“The Selling of the Grand Canyon: the Santa Fe, Harvey Company and the El Tovar” with John Mack

Sedona Public Library in the Village 25 W. Saddlehorn Road, Sedona, AZ, United States

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION This presentation discusses the significance of the American Southwest in the early 20th century when national attention shifted to the canyons and deserts of the American Southwest. Although American scientists, artists, writers, fur traders, and explorers had been visiting the Southwest since the early 19th century, the arrival of the railroads eased access […]

FREE

Southwestern Rock Calendars and Ancient Time Pieces with Allen Dart

Sedona Public Library in the Village 25 W. Saddlehorn Road, Sedona, AZ, United States

Native Americans in the US Southwest developed sophisticated skills in astronomy and predicting the seasons, centuries before non-Indigenous peoples entered the region. In this presentation, archaeologist Allen Dart discusses archaeological and ethnographic evidence of ancient astronomical and calendrical reckoning practices seen in petroglyphs, architecture, and settlement layouts in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah, and […]

Hiking into the Past: The Sierra Ancha Cliff Dwellings with John Mack

Sedona Public Library in the Village 25 W. Saddlehorn Road, Sedona, AZ, United States

This presentation examines the remarkable living structures built by the people who first lived in the canyons of the Sierra Ancha wilderness during the early Middle Ages. The architectural dwellings reflect the culture and history of these people and help us understand their contributions to life in the Arizona desert. The presentation includes numerous photos […]

Dams, Mines, and Hotels: Media and Misinformation Affecting the Grand Canyon with Matthew Goodwin

Sedona Public Library in the Village 25 W. Saddlehorn Road, Sedona, AZ, United States

In 1961 a newspaper article discussed a proposal to build an 18-story, 600-room hotel inside the Grand Canyon descending from the south rim to the canyon floor. A letter-writing campaign ensued that succeeded in blocking the hotel. But lawmakers instead passed a bill that allowed the company to mine uranium there—they never had any intention […]

FREE

The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of WWII

Sedona Public Library in the Village 25 W. Saddlehorn Road, Sedona, AZ, United States

During World War II over one thousand women served as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), freeing male pilots for combat roles at a critical time during the war. The WASP ferried planes from factories to embarkation points; performed engineer test flying of repaired aircraft and did target towing for gunnery training. By the spring of […]