Mike Burns lived a long life in two worlds. Born in about 1862 into the Kwevkepaya (Yavapai) people, he was taken prisoner by U.S. soldiers after his family was massacred at a place called Skeleton Cave. He lived for years as something between a captive and a servant until joining the Indian Scouts, riding against […]
From the Federal Writers' Project, interviews with pioneer men who first rode into the Arizona Territory when the law of the land was a gun. A saga of incredible action of gun battles, deadly weather, Indian attacks, outlaws, and evasive fortunes. Some found success, some found poverty, and some found an early grave. These are […]
In 1924-1925, a collection of unusual lead artifacts which contained mysterious inscriptions were discovered deeply buried near Silverbell Road in Tucson. These artifacts -- crosses, crescents, batons, swords, and spears -- generated considerable interest around the world when it was learned that the inscriptions contained Christian, Muslim, Hebraic, and Freemasonry symbols. The artifacts were initially […]
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 […]
Join DeBarbieri for a lively overview of motion picture history in Arizona from 1896 to present day. Discuss the silver screen magic of the West through stories, film clips and stills of the people, places and scenes of Hollywood in Arizona. Journey to significant sites in Arizona’s movie history near and far and go behind the scenes with classic Westerns, musicals, Indie flicks and […]
In 1940, photographer Clyde A. McCoy hiked down the South Kaibab trail at Grand Canyon National Park making color, stereo photographs as part of a nationwide project. Two years later he was murdered in a Detroit robbery. In 1996, Dr. Amundson purchased McCoy’s photograph collection and has been researching McCoy’s story ever since. This presentation […]
Ever since the Grand Canyon became grand, tourists have been flocking to Arizona to see the sights and experience the unique landscape and indigenous cultures. This presentation covers the whole state over more than a century. From 1880s Grand Canyon stagecoach and mule rides, the Fred Harvey railroad era (Harvey Girls and Indian Detours), auto […]
During the Depression, the Federal Writers Project conducted interviews with over 144 women who arrived in the Arizona Territory between 1850 and 1890. The women spoke of their long and dangerous journeys and with their words paint pictures of the hardships and life-threatening situations of their frontier existence. Through hard work, dedication, tenacity, and humor, […]
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