Name: Southern Arizona Mining
Brand: Jeremy Rowe
SKU: 9781467109758
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Southern Arizona Mining

9781467109758

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

The mines that were founded in the last half of the 19th century brought an international spotlight to Southern Arizona. Silver, placer gold, and the rich mineral wealth first drew adventurous prospectors, but soon came the settlers and major investors who built the mines that fed the world demand for copper. Arizona mines became unique test beds for new technology after the turn of the 20th century, as mining companies sought more economical and productive ways to extract precious metals. Some mining towns in Southern Arizona came and went, leaving no trail other than historic photographs. A few left scattered dilapidated buildings that remain today as ghost towns. Others grew into communities with stable populations and amenities like opera houses and theaters that joined the stores and saloons as they prospered.

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Tucson, Arizona

9780738507743

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The history of Tucson and its people is long and distinguished. Archaeological records demonstrate that Tucson was inhabited from about 300 to 1300 A.D. by a people called the Hohokam. Through the centuries the flags of Spain, Mexico, the Confederacy, and the United States have flown over Tucson. Images of cowboys and Indians, preachers and gamblers, miners and gunslingers, ladies of the night and churchmen, leave an indelible imprint on the history of this town. From remote Spanish presidio outpost, to Mexican village, to modern metropolis, Tucson has endured. After Mexico's revolution against Spain in 1821, Tucson became part of Mexico. With the 1853 Gadsden Purchase, Tucson joined the United States as part of the Arizona Territory, achieving statehood in 1912. After California's gold rush, many disappointed prospectors (the famous "49ers") stopped and stayed in Tucson. The expansion of the railroad brought many more immigrants. After World War One, many veterans with tuberculosis sought relief in Tucson's warm dry climate. After World War Two, veterans remembered their training during warm winters and moved to Tucson permanently.

Vintage cover of Images of America Tucson Arizona showing a sepia desert scene and the author Jane Eppinga

Tombstone

9780738520964

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Tombstone sits less than 100 miles from the Mexico border in the middle of the picturesque Arizona desert and also squarely at the heart of America's Old West. Silver was discovered nearby in 1878, and with that strike, Tombstone was created. It soon grew to be a town of over 10,000 of the most infamous outlaws, cowboys, lawmen, prostitutes, and varmints the Wild West has ever seen. The gunfight at the O.K. Corral made Wyatt Earp and John Henry Doc Holliday legendary and secured Tombstone's reputation as The Town Too Tough to Die. In this volume, more than 200 striking images and informative captions tell the stories of the heroes and villains of Tombstone, the saloons and brothels they visited, the movies they inspired, and Boot Hill, the well-known cemetery where many were buried.

Cover image for Tombstone, isbn: 9780738520964

Early Tucson

9780738556468

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Tucson is a history of time and a river. The roots of prehistoric habitation run deep along the Santa Cruz River, reaching back thousands of years. Later the river attracted 17th-century Spanish explorers, who brought military government, the church, and colonists to establish the northern outpost of their New World empire. Later still, American westward expansion drew new settlers to the place called Tucson. Today Tucson is a bustling multicultural community of more than one million residents. These images from the photographic archives of the Arizona Historical Society tell the stories of individuals and cultures that transformed a 19th-century frontier village into a 20th-century desert city.

Early Tucson book cover showing a bustling historic street with shops and early cars

Sedona

9780738548005

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Little more than a century ago, when only a handful of families lived in what is now Sedona, in Oak Creek Canyon, none would have dreamed it would become such a popular destination. The matchless
combination of bright blue skies and red rocks has inspired artists of every medium to attempt to capture the mystic formations. Fortunately some began almost before the town was named after the wife of early settler T. C. Schnebly, who organized the first post office, at the beginning of the 20th century. From early apple growers to artists, what has united the diverse residents of Sedona over time is the conviction that they have found one of the earth's great treasures.

Sedona cover featuring a small house along a dirt road with towering rock formations in the background.

Jerome

9780738558820

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The rugged mining community of Jerome has thrived by the hard work and hard play of tough men and women pitted against an equally hard mountain. William Murray solicited funding for the Black Hills mining camp from his uncle, a New York lawyer and financier named Eugene Murray Jerome, who reportedly was not interested. However, his independent wife was delighted at the prospect and raised $200,000 in development capital for Murray. In 1882, Frederick F. Thomas, Jerome's first postmaster, named the mining camp "Jerome" in honor of the family. Jerome boomed, ultimately reaching a reported population peak of 15,000 in the 1920s, then dwindling to a ghost town after the mines closed. In 1967, the town was designated a National Historic Landmark, and today it is a flourishing artist community, as well as a motorcycle and travel destination.

Jerome book cover with a sepia street scene of pedestrians and horses.

Location Filming in Arizona

9781626190634

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

The scenic natural vistas of Arizona's deserts and mountains have made it a favorite backdrop of movies and television shows. Westerns such as silent-era pictures derived from Zane Grey fiction through the John Ford-John Wayne classics Stagecoach and The Searchers benefited from the beautiful and rugged landscapes. TV classics such as Gunsmoke and Little House on the Prairie helped define Arizona's allure for Hollywood. Oscar winners Jerry Maguire and Little Miss Sunshine took advantage of the infrastructure that accumulated to lure filmmakers to Tucson, Yuma, Phoenix, Prescott, Sedona and all corners of the Grand Canyon State. Join author Lili DeBarbieri as she looks at the movies and shows shot in the state, as well as other aspects of Arizona film culture.

Cover image for Location Filming in Arizona, isbn: 9781626190634

Portal of the Chiricahuas

9781467115148

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Coronado scorned this region as unpopulated when he labored through southeastern Arizona in 1540, but he could have found 12,000-year-old spear points in the remains of giant bison near Cave Creek Cienega, grinding hollows in boulders, and shamanic figures in high caves of the Chiricahuas towering above valleys and grasslands. Searing drought forced people to abandon their villages by 1400, but Apaches wandered down from Canada about the time Spaniards passed by. Thousands of forty-niners traveled in sight of the mountains on their race to California. The Chiricahua Apaches were exiled to Florida in 1886; even earlier, their lands were opened to settlement. Portal began in 1902 as a rest stop between the railroad and the boom town of Paradise. Since 1956, the Southwestern Research Station of the American Museum of Natural History has attracted countless researchers. The present community is a vibrant mix of biologists, birders, astronomers, writers, artists, and ranchers, united by love for this unique canyon.

Cover image for Portal of the Chiricahuas, isbn: 9781467115148

Arizona's Historic Trading Posts

9781467132497

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On the sparsely settled Arizona reservation lands, trading posts were important centers for commerce as well as social gathering destinations. With a subsistence economy, the posts offered opportunities to trade sheep, wool, and crafts for necessities such as flour, coffee, sugar (known as sweet-salt), and tools. Most often, traders were Anglos, living as partners among their Indian neighbors. They often were the only contact with the outside culture, and their stores provided an outlet for local arts such as rugs, pottery, baskets, and jewelry. Traders helped with correspondence, transportation, and sickness, and they even buried the dead. Trading posts were the sites of marriages and murders; they were destinations for artists, scientists, and adventurous tourists. With the coming of roads and automobiles, trading posts have all but disappeared, but the stories and photographs shared in this volume offer a glimpse into a vanishing time in the Southwest.

Cover image for Arizona's Historic Trading Posts, isbn: 9781467132497

Kayenta and Monument Valley

9780738586304

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In December 1910, Indian traders John and Louisa Wetherill opened their trading post--with a tent for supplies (and sleeping) and a store counter of boards laid across two barrels. From that modest beginning, Kayenta became the center of Navajo gatherings and exploring expeditions to Rainbow Bridge, Monument Valley, and the grand cliff dwellings in Tsegi Canyon. Soon came a parade of visitors, including authors, painters, and archaeologists, as well as cowboys, miners, traders, and tourists. The Kayenta Township today is home to descendants of the early inhabitants and the hub for thousands of annual visitors from around the world who come to see the magnificent region known as Monument Valley.

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Mesa

9780738548425

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From the prehistoric Native Americans to the first wave of pioneers in 1877 and all who came later, the desert lands east of Phoenix have been a rich and fertile home to a wide diversity of people. Surmounting the early challenges of settling the mesa top and moving water uphill gave rise to a resilient agricultural community famous for cotton, citrus, grapes, and other crops. The boom years that began in the 1950s ushered in a new wave of industry and change to the city of Mesa. Large corporations created jobs, new freeways formed a corridor into the heart of the community, educational and health care facilities improved and expanded, and the advent of air conditioning brought tourists from all over the world. Now boasting a population of over 450,000, Mesa has truly evolved from its pioneer beginnings to a modern city in the Valley of the Sun.

Vintage sepia cover for Mesa from Images of America showing a historic wagon and people on a street.

The Grand Canyon

9781467160841

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The Grand Canyon is one of the most inspiring and accessible natural wonders in

the world. More than a century ago, visionaries developed it as a tourist destination, and today, it sees more than five million visitors per year to experience its geology, cultural history, and wildlife. Relying on historic images primarily from the Grand

Canyon Museum Collections, historian Kevin S. Schindler traces the development of the Grand Canyon as a bucket-list destination for people of all ages.

Comparing our present to our past is how we understand our history. Arcadia’s

Past & Present series makes such local comparisons available. Books in this series

offer a special view of American life by placing historical images side by side with

contemporary photographs.

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Bisbee

9780738528946

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In the early 1900s, it was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco, bustling with the raw material of Wild West legends. Bisbee's infamous Brewery Gulch once supported 47 saloons and was considered the "liveliest spot between El Paso and San Francisco." By the 1970s, opportunists had relieved Bisbee's Mule Mountains of billions of pounds of copper, 102 million ounces of silver, 2.8 million ounces of gold, and millions of pounds of zinc, lead, and manganese. The ore reserves were depleted, and when the last pickaxe struck plain old dirt, a mass exodus of miners collapsed the real estate market. But the lure of cheap land was a magnet for retirees, hippies, and artists. Boarding houses were converted into charming bed and breakfasts. Antique stores, galleries, cafes, and restaurants replaced the saloons. These days, a vibrant and eclectic community of ranchers, politicians, and free spirits; a well-preserved architectural and historic heritage; and "the most perfect year-round climate" make Bisbee, the county seat, a one-of-a-kind gem.

Cover image for Bisbee, isbn: 9780738528946

Kingman

9780738579306

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Kingman, county seat of Mohave County in northwestern Arizona, owes its beginning and subsequent prosperity to the building of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad in 1882. The city was named for the project's chief engineer, Lewis Kingman. The initial railroad siding quickly became a supply center for mining and ranching operations that dotted the beautiful surrounding valleys and mountain ranges. Through the years, Kingman has been at the crossroads of rail, highway, and air transportation routes. A B-17 bomber gunnery training base brought changes by exposing the area's potential to thousands of soldiers during World War II, many of whom would later return. Actor Andy Devine grew up here, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were married here, and Charles Lindbergh would establish a route for Transcontinental Air Transport through here. Today Kingman is the Heart of Historic U.S. Route 66 and is located in the middle of the longest remaining stretch of the Mother Road, making it a must-see destination for thousands of tourists each year.

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The Hopi People

9780738556482

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The diverse people of the Hopi, whose name means "the peaceful ones," are today united on the Hopi Reservation, which is composed of 12 villages on more than 2,500 square miles in northeastern Arizona. In fact, the village of Orayvi is considered the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the United States, dating back more than a millennium. Often referred to as a "corn culture," the Hopis have developed dry-farming techniques that have sustained them in the harsh, arid landscape, where annual precipitation is often only 12 inches or less. The Hopi people are hardworking and spiritual, and their lifestyle has survived for centuries, only minimally changed by influences from the outside world.

Desert book cover The Hopi People showing Hopi individuals against a canyon backdrop

Early Phoenix

9780738548395

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Like the mythical bird it is named after, Phoenix rose from the desert heat to become a prosperous and vital city. Settled on the lands of the ancient Hohokam Indians, Phoenix began as an agricultural community in the 1860s. It was appointed county seat
of Maricopa County in 1871 and territorial capital in 1889. By 1900, town boosters were calling Phoenix an "Oasis in the Desert" and the "Denver of the Southwest." By 1920, Phoenix was on its way to being a metropolitan city with a population of 29,053 and sporting an eight-story "skyscraper." Many farsighted individuals documented this development through photographs, allowing today's residents to see the community's amazing growth from small town to big city.

Early Phoenix book cover showing a vintage photo of men standing at a brick construction site.

Flagstaff

9780738571157

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On July 4, 1876, immigrants from Boston traveling to California were camped at Antelope Spring in a valley just south of the San Francisco Peaks. To celebrate the nation's centennial, the pioneers stripped the branches off a tall pine tree and ran up Old Glory. This event gave Flagstaff its name. Six years later, in 1882, the Atlantic and Pacific Railway reached Flagstaff, and a small settlement was born. Railroad construction crews used local ponderosa pine trees for rail ties, beginning a timber industry that thrived in the region for the next century. Flagstaff also became a center of tourism as visitors came to see spectacular natural sights in the surrounding territory, including the Grand Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, and Sunset Crater, and to experience the Native American cultures of the American Southwest. This volume traces the establishment and early development of Flagstaff and depicts many facets of life in Arizona's Mountain Town.

Cover image for Flagstaff, isbn: 9780738571157

Arizona Rangers

9780738548319

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Established in 1901, the Arizona Rangers have protected and served the citizenry for over 107 years. Though the initial organization was short lived, lasting only until 1909, the company--with an authorized strength of just 26 men--became the scourge of outlaws within the Arizona Territory and along the Mexican border where, like today, criminal activity was prevalent. In 1957, the Arizona Rangers were reestablished, and for the 50 years since, these modern rangers have continued the tradition of service that was established by their territorial predecessors. Today's Arizona Rangers are officially recognized by state legislation as a volunteer civilian law enforcement auxiliary. In keeping with their motto, "Few But Proud Then and Now," they assist numerous law enforcement agencies and help keep the peace within their communities and state.

Book cover for Arizona Rangers from Images of America with a sepia photo of a line of men in old west clothing in front of a building.

The Historic Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix

9780738585178

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Phoenix's Manzanita Speedway, the last of the big dirt tracks located near the central corridor of a major metropolitan area, is now gone. The track opened in the early 1950s when Jack Holloway, president of the Arizona Jalopy Racing Association, along with Avery Doyle and Gene Gunn, set about convincing Rudy Everett and Larry Meskimen to convert their unprofitable dog-racing operation into a quarter-mile dirt track. On August 25, 1951, Everett and Meskimen beamed with excitement as Manzy opened to an overflowing crowd. They had tapped into America's post–World War II craze for automobiles and found their own Lost Dutchman Gold Mine in the process. Manzanita Speedway dominated dirt-track racing in Phoenix and was heralded as one of the top five dirt tracks in the United States. Manzy became an integral part of the racing culture in Phoenix, and its sale and closure in 2009 created a sense of lingering disappointment.

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Around Tombstone:

9780738571270

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The communities that once surrounded the infamous Wild West town of Tombstone, including Dos Cabezas, Fairbank, Gleeson, Pearce, Courtland, Charleston, and Milltown, are now mostly ghosts of their former selves. These rich mining towns had promising futures when they were first established, but many experienced only fleeting boom times, like Courtland, a promising copper camp that survived only 12 years. During its short existence, the town of Charleston, founded in 1879 as a milling site for ore from Tombstone's silver mines, was every bit as wild and rowdy as its neighbor. There was corruption in the region too. Dos Cabezas's Mascot Mine became part one of the largest stock scandals of the time when it was exposed around 1900. Today this fascinating, rough-and-tumble history lives on primarily in faded memories, crumbling remnants on the outskirts of Tombstone, and in vintage photographs gathered together in this volume.

Cover of Around Tombstone Ghost Towns and Gunfights featuring a cowboy on a mule in a sepia western scene.

Clifton and Morenci Mining District

9781467134316

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Across America, from big cities to small towns and rural hamlets, there are many stories of challenges, historic events, courageous people, tragedy, and success. Some of the best and most exciting tales may not be well known. Such is the case for the towns of Clifton and Morenci, Arizona. They survived labor strikes, rising and falling copper prices, devastating floods, outlaws and lawlessness, gambling houses, and saloons. All this added to the lore that these towns were some of the roughest communities in the West. Today, after 143 years of mining, Freeport-McMoRan's Morenci copper mine is the largest in North America. Expansion has required new homes in Clifton-Morenci, a modern library, and recreational facilities. Residents are proud of their communities.

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Scottsdale

9780738548753

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Just a century ago, the now-tony tourist destination of Scottsdale was a tiny farming village in the pristine desert east of Phoenix. Named for its 1888 homesteaders—U.S. Army chaplain Winfield Scott and his wife, Helen—Scottsdale remained a farming and ranching community through World War II. After the war, businesses and families flocked to Scottsdale for its climate and unlimited opportunities—creating a place they branded The West's Most Western Town. Throughout the decades, residents and visitors alike have enjoyed adventures in the desert; a thriving arts, crafts, and cultural community; a healthful climate and healthcare industry; and fun-packed events and outdoor sports. Residents have had the additional benefits of living and working in a great hometown, with excelling schools, an international reputation for environmental preservation, and a diverse economy that boasts an eclectic array of businesses.

Cover image for Scottsdale, isbn: 9780738548753

Visiting the Grand Canyon

9780738528809

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The Colorado River began carving a course to create the Grand Canyon some four to six million years ago, but organized tourism to the natural wonder is fairly young, geologically speaking. Getting to the view along and below the rim has not always been as convenient as packing up the family car and hitting the road. The El Tovar Hotel, celebrating its centennial in 2005, had just opened to lodgers when the Canyon was declared a National Monument in 1908. Between the 1890s and the 1920s, horses, mules, river rafts, stagecoaches, and later railroads and automobiles permitted increasing access to the area. Recreation areas, businesses catering to tourists, and federal preservation programs would eventually mark the Grand Canyon as the ultimate American travel destination.

Cover image for Visiting the Grand Canyon, isbn: 9780738528809

Meteor Crater

9781467116183

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There have been numerous books and periodicals written about Meteor Crater, the meteorites, and the crater's scientific value, but this book, with supporting images, is more about people. The story covers some history of the crater's founding and the many people who have been, and presently are, associated with the custody and maintenance of the site, preserving it for future scientific study and generations of visitors. These people include geologists, astrophysicists, astronauts, generations of families named Barringer and Tremaine, and local ranchers named Chilson-Prosser. All have, and continue to, influence and shape what the site has become, each adding their signature to the famous landmark. Today, these families, supported by Meteor Crater Enterprises management and staff of dedicated people, continue the legacy of sharing the history and science with 250,000 annual visitors from around the globe while they continue to focus on preserving the scientific integrity of the crater for future generations.

Cover image for Meteor Crater, isbn: 9781467116183

The Tohono O'odham and Pimeria Alta

9780738556338

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The Tohono O'odham have lived in southern Arizona's Sonoran Desert for millennia. Formerly known as the Papago, the people, acting as a nation in 1986, voted to change the colonial applied name, Papago, to their true name, Tohono O'odham, a name literally meaning "desert people." Living within a region the Spanish termed Pimeria Alta, the Tohono O'odham, from the time of Spanish Jesuit Kino's first missionary efforts in the late 1680s, have been witness to numerous governmental, philosophical, and religious intrusions. Yet throughout, they have adapted and survived. Today the Tohono O'odham Nation occupies the second largest land reserve in the United States, covering more than 2.8 million acres. The images in this volume date largely between 1870 and 1950, a period that documents great change in Tohono O'odham traditions, culture, and identity.

Book cover The Tohono Oodham and Pimeria Alta featuring a sepia photo of Native American women and children by a fence.

Sun City

9780738579511

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Sun City, Arizona, the nation's first master-planned, active-adult retirement community, reinvented the definition of "retirement living" when it opened its doors in 1960. Located 14 miles northwest of Phoenix, this community was cultivated from the dusty desert cotton fields once known as Marinette Ranch. Developed by master builder Del E. Webb, Sun City combined affordable housing with recreational amenities to create a lifestyle designed to rejuvenate the body and keep the mind and spirit feeling forever young. Sun City's success gave birth to an entirely new industry catering to older Americans. The famous "Sun City Lifestyle" remains as popular today as it was in 1960.

Cover image for Sun City, isbn: 9780738579511

Pinetop-Lakeside

9781467132169

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In 1984, the White Mountain communities of Pinetop and Lakeside in east-central Arizona undertook a marriage of convenience and incorporated. Historically, they could not be more different. Like rival sisters, one was pious and churchgoing while the other was wayward and fun loving. But in the best of American traditions, they formed a town government to provide services for their combined residents. Pinetop-Lakeside's history is as rough-and-tumble as that of any Western town. Settlement began with the establishment of Fort Apache in 1871. The cavalry post provided employment for freighters and skilled laborers, as well as a market for beef, hay, and grain. The 1880s brought colonists from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They built the dams and lakes that in the next century would become the basis for an economy based on outdoor recreational tourism. Today, Pinetop-Lakeside is a thriving community of approximately 4,500 residents. One thing that hasn't changed since the time of the pioneers is the natural beauty that defines life on the mountain.

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Payson

9780738584577

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Beneath the escarpment of the Mogollon Rim in Gila County lies Payson, Arizona. Founded as Green Valley in 1882 by ranchers and miners, the town site of Payson was laid out by local blacksmith James C. Callaghan and local merchant and cattle rancher John C. Hise. Two years later, local rancher and Native American fighter Charlie Meadows founded the Payson Rodeo in a mid-town meadow, which ultimately became the world's oldest continuous rodeo. When the cattle and timber industries declined, Payson evolved into a retirement and tourist destination. People looking for places to hike, bike, fish, hunt, and camp are attracted to the Payson area, which is also popular for its festivals and historic sites. A replica of Zane Grey's cabin stands next to the local museum, and the Tonto Natural Bridge is just 11 miles outside of town.

Cover image for Payson, isbn: 9780738584577

Williams

9780738558851

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Nestled under the pine-covered slopes of Bill Williams Mountain, the city of Williams is a beloved hamlet that attracts fans of history, Route 66 cars, and vintage steam engines, as well as Grand Canyon visitors and rodeo enthusiasts. Since its beginning in the late 1800s, the city has since played host to cowboys, ranchers, sawmill and rail workers--along with their families--and even an outlaw or two. Mountain men embraced the history of trapping and the city's namesake when they formed the Bill Williams Mountain Men in the 1950s. Longtime residents and then-Arizona governor Barry Goldwater continued that tradition with the creation of Monument Park in 1980, at which time they unveiled a 1,100-pound statue of Bill Williams and kicked off the first annual Rendezvous Days celebration, an event that continues to this day. Williams is a town that showcases the varied history and culture of the Southwest in a unique small-town setting that charms both visitors and residents to this day.

Sepia cover for Williams from Images of America showing a group of frontier men with rifles.

Superior and Queen Valley

9780738579658

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Superior and Queen Valley share a rich history. Superior began with the establishment of Generals Stoneman and Crook's military installation to ward off Apache raids in the 1870s. Soon thereafter, while digging for a new road, a soldier named Sullivan discovered Arizona's richest silver deposit, later known as the Silver King Mine. Then with the help of Col. Boyce Thompson, who developed the Magma Copper Company, Superior also became Arizona's biggest copper operation. In 1915, Queen Valley began with Hart Mullins, the area's first official homesteader. Hart worked as a Superior Route stagecoach hand and helped develop a route from Phoenix through Superior and Queen Valley. Today both Superior and Queen Valley remain two towns where the rich history and close-knit community culture of the Old West are alive and well.

Cover image for Superior and Queen Valley, isbn: 9780738579658

Oracle and the San Pedro River Valley

9780738556390

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A green haven along a desert highway, Oracle is one of the very few Arizona communities nestled under a canopy of live oaks. With an interspersion of huge granite boulders and towering granite dells, this area has serenity that is unique. Oracle began as a preferred environment for recuperating tuberculosis patients and a winter retreat for wealthy city folk. In true Teddy Roosevelt fashion, both patients and visitors slept in tents or on the porches believing the fresh air would bring good health. Eventually mining and ranching became the base not only for Oracle, but also for Redington and Mammoth. The peak in mining was Magma Copper's huge San Manuel Mine, which opened in 1953 and produced copper for 50 years. Today the mine lays a silent mark on the landscape, the huge smelter carted away for scrap, and the twin smoke stacks lie in the dust.

Cover of Oracle and the San Pedro River Valley with a sepia group photo beneath a black red bordered title panel.

The Civilian Conservation Corps in Arizona

9781467130974

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In the 1930s, the United States was in the grip of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Jobs were scarce, people were hungry, and the nation's lands and forests were in decline. To combat these harsh realities, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a 1933–1942 program that put young unemployed men to work developing and conserving natural resources. The men lived together in camps where they received medical care, food, and education, and a portion of their salaries went home to support their families. In Arizona, they battled soil erosion on grazing lands, built roads, and developed parks, including Petrified Forest National Park, Saguaro National Park, and South Mountain Park. At Grand Canyon, they built trails, roads, and buildings. Throughout the state's national forests, they constructed recreational facilities and improved the health of the woods. The magnitude of the work they accomplished is staggering, and their enduring contribution to the state is unquestionable.

Cover image for The Civilian Conservation Corps in Arizona, isbn: 9781467130974

Apache Junction and the Superstition Mountains

9780738530406

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In pioneer lore, the Lost Dutchman's Mine remains an intriguing mystery of the Old West. What became Apache Junction in the Salt River Valley was already an established home for prehistoric Native Americans and the Apache tribe, when it was further settled and cultivated by Spanish and Mexican expeditions, American wagon trains, mountain men, and the U.S. military in the late 19th century. But Apache Junction became legendary when German immigrant Jacob Waltz discovered a secret gold mine. Thousands of prospectors traversed the crooked top Superstition Mountains in search of this treasure, enriching the area's history and leading to the development of a unique community that has endured and grown alongside the famous legend.

Cover image for Apache Junction and the Superstition Mountains, isbn: 9780738530406

Grand Canyon's Phantom Ranch

9780738585253

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Phantom Ranch is nestled in the Grand Canyon basin on the Colorado River—a location hardly visible from the rim and only accessible after a journey through scores of geologic layers. The only way there is by river rafting, hiking, or mule, and with each foot of the journey, the traveler descends 30,000 years in geologic time. While at Phantom Ranch, the view looking above is of 1.7 billion years of geology, all swirling together in an alphabet of colors. Grand Canyon's Phantom Ranch is the story of the rustic buildings designed by architect Mary Jane Colter in 1921, of the park's first peoples, river rafters, the early trail and bridge builders, and dramatic flash floods. When travelers leave Phantom Ranch, they are never the same. For some of them, departing is as if they have just said good-bye to an old friend.

Cover image for Grand Canyon's Phantom Ranch, isbn: 9780738585253

Tombstone

9780738579337

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In the 1800s, Tombstone was a rowdy silver-mining camp and the scene of a famous gunfight that enhanced its wicked reputation. When the rich silver mines were tapped out, Tombstone managed to survive and lived up to its motto, "The Town Too Tough to Die." The movie industry enhanced this wild reputation by portraying legendary gunfights at the O.K. Corral--which never actually took place at that location. For many years, the town has used its history to attract visitors by giving them a sense of life in the Old West. This volume includes many of the postcards tourists mailed home depicting romanticized and legendary views of Tombstone.

Cover image for Tombstone, isbn: 9780738579337

Arizona Oddities

9781467140492

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

Arizona has stories as peculiar as its stunning landscapes, full of colorful characters, peculiar places and eccentric events.

The Lost Dutchman's rumored cache of gold sparked a legendary feud. Kidnapping victim Larcena Pennington Page survived two weeks alone in the wilderness, and her first request upon rescue was for a chaw of tobacco. Discover how the town of Why got its name, how the government built a lake that needed mowing and how wild camels ended up in North America. Author Marshall Trimble unearths these and other amusing anomalies, outstanding obscurities and compelling curiosities in the state's history.

Cover image for Arizona Oddities, isbn: 9781467140492

Pluto and Lowell Observatory

9781625859792

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Pluto looms large in Flagstaff, where residents and businesses alike take pride in their community's most enduring claim to fame: Clyde Tombaugh's 1930 discovery of Pluto at Lowell Observatory. Percival Lowell began searching for his theoretical Planet X in 1905, and Tombaugh's eureka! experience brought worldwide attention to the city and observatory. Ever since, area scientists have played leading roles in virtually every major Pluto-related discovery, from unknown moons to the existence of an atmosphere and the innovations of the New Horizons spacecraft. Lowell historian Kevin Schindler and astronomer Will Grundy guide you through the story of Pluto from postulation to exploration.

Cover image for Pluto and Lowell Observatory, isbn: 9781625859792

Southern Arizona Cemeteries

9781467131230

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In a quest to understand an area as diverse as Arizona, there can be no better way than to take a journey to the grave sites of its pioneers and observe the style whereby they made their journey from this world. The sites may be as simple as a cross or a shrine by the side of a road or as large as Tucson's Evergreen Cemetery, which has provided a final resting place to more than 40,000 interments. In this book, one will find the graves of governors, sheriffs, gunfighters, business owners, soldiers, schoolteachers, sports figures, madams, miners, and many others from all walks of life. Where possible, an image of the deceased and a brief bio has been included. The epitaphs, symbols, and expressions of grief on the graves provide an insight into the loss felt by family and friends. The graves are brief glimpses into Arizona's pioneer past.

Cover image for Southern Arizona Cemeteries, isbn: 9781467131230

A Brief History of Phoenix

9781467118446

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Though the new metropolis is one of America's largest, many are unaware of Phoenix's rich and compelling history. Built on land once occupied by the most advanced pre-Columbian irrigation society, Phoenix overcame its hostile desert surroundings to become a thriving agricultural center. After World War II, its population exploded with the mid-century mass migration to the Sun Belt. In times of rapid expansion or decline, Phoenicians proved themselves to be adaptable and optimistic. Phoenix's past is an engaging and surprising story of audacity, vision, greed and a never-ending fight to secure its future. Chronicling the challenges of growth and change, fourth-generation Arizonan Jon Talton tells the story of the city that remains one of American civilization's great accomplishments.

Cover image for A Brief History of Phoenix, isbn: 9781467118446

Globe

9780738548333

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According to Arizona folklore, Globe City was named for an extremely large globe-shaped silver nugget found along Pinal Creek in the 1870s. The town site, nestled in the foothills of the Pinal Mountains, was laid out in 1876, and miners and prospectors soon flooded the camp, joining ranchers already in the area. In 1881, Globe was named the county seat of Gila County, allowing for the continued growth and development of mining, ranching, and commerce. Many Arizonans who helped shepherd the Territory of Arizona into statehood came from Globe, including the state's first governor, businessmen George W. P. Hunt. Today Globe is a thriving community of 7,500 residents who take pride in their town's unique historic legacy.

Globe book cover showing a sepia group of miners posed beside mining equipment.

Cave Creek and Carefree

9781467130394

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The towns of Cave Creek and Carefree are nestled in the lush foothills of the Sonoran Desert 35 miles north of Phoenix. Theprehistoric Hohokam first inhabited the area, settling along Cave Creek and elsewhere above the washes. The settlement of Cave Creek dates to the 1870s and has a rich history of mining, ranching, and homesteading. Early settlers persevered in this beautiful but rugged environment, isolated from the conveniences of urban life. Carefree, in contrast, was a master-planned town built in the late 1950s, providing modern amenities and infrastructure. Both towns offer a dramatic landscape and profuse desert plant life. Visitors are drawn to the area for the abundant recreational activities, community festivals, and art fairs as well as a unique blend of Western and contemporary cultures. The two towns are committed to protecting the desert environment and the welcoming, small-town atmosphere that is their historical legacy.

Cover image for Cave Creek and Carefree, isbn: 9781467130394

Around Miami

9780738585123

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During the late 1800s, prospectors in search of gold, silver, and copper began to settle around the Pinal Mountains area in Miami. By 1918, several mining companies had established roots and contributed to the town's booming growth. The community established housing, schools, a hospital, and a town government, and the population grew to 5,000. Soon, Miami achieved recognition as one of the main mining towns in the state, along with neighboring Globe, Jerome, Morenci, Superior, Ajo, and Ray-Sonora. The new mining opportunities brought immigrants from around the world to settle in the area and eventually turned Arizona into a leading contributor to the copper industry. Although mining's hold on the local economy has changed over the years, today at least 20 percent of Miami-area employment is centered around copper mining, which remains close to the heart of the first hardy miners' descendants.

Cover image for Around Miami, isbn: 9780738585123

A Legal History of Maricopa County

9780738548159

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The roots of Maricopa County's legal community reach as far back as the Spanish conquest of the New World. Since that time, soldiers, farmers, miners, adventurers, and others transformed this wild, lawless desert into a productive agricultural community, a tourist destination, and a center for commercial, financial, and political activity in the Southwest. The region's legal community—populated by diverse, distinguished, and sometimes infamous men and women—participated in every aspect of this development of Phoenix and the surrounding metropolitan area. The history of Maricopa County law, illustrated here in vintage photographs, reflects the social, political, economic, environmental, architectural, and cultural journey of what has become one of America's fastest growing and most populous counties.

Book cover for A Legal History of Maricopa County showing a vintage courthouse and streetcar.

Fort Whipple

9781467162418

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Established in 1863 as an important US Army post and ordered to protect the area of newly discovered gold in central Arizona, Fort Whipple became a key post during the Indian Wars. Photographs and text present the transition of this National Register of Historic Places landmark, including its people, events, and buildings.

It was named in honor of Brig. Gen. Amiel Weeks Whipple, military officer and topographical engineer. Protecting Prescott, the first capital of the Arizona Territory, the post served many roles, from a military headquarters to a large tuberculosis treatment facility to today's medical center complex serving veterans.

Cover image for Fort Whipple, isbn: 9781467162418

Buckhorn Mineral Baths & Wildlife Museum

9781467126960

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From fire to empire, the story of the Buckhorn baths is a rags-to-riches tale. After a disastrous 1935 Christmas Eve fire destroyed their small country gas station/taxidermy business, a new, unimagined door opened for Ted and Alice Sliger. In 1936, the Sligers began turning tragedy into triumph, transforming a dusty patch of scrub-covered desert eight miles east of Mesa into a legendary roadside oasis. Their chance discovery of mineral-laden hot springs led to the valley's first therapeutic spa. With the New York Giants' initial attraction to Buckhorn's mineral baths, a decades-long association with Major League Baseball helped pave the way to Cactus League baseball. By the time it closed in 1999, the Sligers had built the Buckhorn into an iconic, quintessential roadside business along the route of four federal highways. It was renowned for its celebrity guests, eclectic architecture, colorful neon, mineral spa, retreat for baseball players, wildlife museum, and wide-ranging collection of memorabilia.

Cover image for Buckhorn Mineral Baths & Wildlife Museum, isbn: 9781467126960

Yuma and La Paz Counties

9781467102568

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Yuma County was created in 1864, following the organization of the Arizona Territory in 1862, and was one of the four original counties along with Yavapai, Mohave, and Pima. With the arrival of E.F. Sanguinetti and John Gandolfo in the late 19th century, a business empire was born and a community developed. Due to the creation of stores, farms, and the mining industry, the area's population grew from 4,415 in 1900 to 224,427 in 2015. Now a ghost town, the original county seat was formed in La Paz. By 1871, it was relocated 100 miles south to Arizona City, which was renamed Yuma in 1873. In 1982, Yuma County was divided in half, creating Yuma and La Paz Counties.

Cover image for Yuma and La Paz Counties, isbn: 9781467102568

Willcox

9780738571775

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Founded in 1880, Willcox became a major supply center for the military posts, the booming mining towns, and the huge cattle ranches in the surrounding area. Willcox is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges that are just a short trip, and yet a world away, from Tucson. Many historic buildings have been preserved and are now museums and stores, including the original Southern Pacific train depot and the oldest store in Arizona to remain in its original building. The high desert country of Sulphur Springs Valley attracts thousands of rare Sandhill Cranes, which draws birders to the Wings Over Willcox event every January. October brings the annual Rex Allen Days that honor one of Willcox's native sons and last of the silver-screen cowboys. The Old West still lives here through tales of Apache Indians, train robberies, and shootings-Warren Earp was killed at Willcox's Headquarters Saloon. Perhaps the area is most known, though, for its friendliness and Western hospitality.

Willcox Images of America cover showing a sepia toned store interior with six people posing among shelves.

New River

9781467115933

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Long before the cavalry and stagecoaches traveled through on military roads and the Old Black Canyon Stage Road, the ancient Hohokam people relied on New River's peaks for fortresses and lookouts. In the late 1800s, the military sweep of the last native people, the Apache and Yavapai, rendered the region safe for settlers. Situated between the cool north and the hot, arid Salt River Valley below, New River became a key location for watering sheep and cattle driven between seasonal pastures. Ranches, such as the Triangle-Bar, sprang to life in the cactus-studded foothills. From the 1920s to the 1940s, the arrival of tough, capable homesteaders formed the community that thrives today. Still an unincorporated area of north Maricopa County, New River retains its western heritage and scenic desert vistas

Cover image for New River, isbn: 9781467115933

Winslow

9781467161640

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Founded by the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad in 1880, Winslow evolved from a company boomtown into a small city whose historic character is defined primarily by its location along US Route 66 since the highway’s designation in 1926. Now Historic Route 66, it runs the length of Winslow on Second and Third Streets, which are lined with renovated early- to mid-20th-century buildings.

As director of the Winslow Historical Society’s Old Trails Museum, author Ann-Mary J. Lutzick researches and writes about how Winslow’s rich history is reflected in its buildings and sites along Route 66 and beyond, many of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Cover image for Winslow, isbn: 9781467161640

Prescott

9780738548586

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In 1864, the beautiful park-like basin under Thumb Butte was surveyed, and the town that is now Prescott was laid out along Granite Creek where gold had been panned. Twice designated the capital of the newly established Territory of Arizona, Prescott suffered a devastating fire in July 1900 that destroyed the downtown district, but the blaze afforded the town's resilient citizens the opportunity to rebuild in more durable brick and stone. Since then, the mining and ranching opportunities, the cowboy-and-Indian lore, the commercial ventures, the salubrious climate, and the picturesque landscape have characterized Prescott as one of the most desirable and livable communities in the country. The city's dedication to preserving its unique heritage has resulted in more than 600 buildings being placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the 1864 Governor's Mansion has been beautifully preserved as part of the Sharlot Hall Museum, which opened in 1927.

Prescott book cover depicting a 19th century saloon interior with patrons.

Oro Valley

9780738548340

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Located on ancient land between the Tortolita and Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, the town of Oro Valley is very much a newcomer, having officially incorporated in 1974. But its earliest families date back to 1100, when the Hohokam established villages in the area. In the 1800s, hardy pioneers used the abundant waters of the nearby Cañada del Oro to establish cattle ranches, while the early 1900s brought health seekers to ranch or establish other business endeavors. In the 20th century, the Cañada del Oro dried up, forcing many residents to move. But others remained and fought to keep their community from being absorbed by a booming Tucson. They were successful, and today the growing Oro Valley boasts a fascinating history, thriving technology sector, emerging arts scene, and all the comforts of modern living.

Vintage western cover scene with a man in a hat beside a donkey in a desert cactus landscape.

Unsolved Arizona

9781626198265

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Are inscriptions on lead crosses found on the banks of the Santa Cruz River remnants of Freemasons or a hoax? How did famous evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson arrive in Douglas weeks after she went missing in Los Angeles and was presumed dead? Did the Lost Dutchman's treasure spell the end for Adolph Ruth, whose skull was found nearly a mile away from his body in the Superstition Mountains? Author Jane Eppinga details thirteen stories of disappearances, murders and unsolved cases from the annals of Arizona history.

Cover image for Unsolved Arizona, isbn: 9781626198265

Lowell Observatory

9781467134170

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Atop a mesa one mile west of downtown Flagstaff, Arizona, sits Lowell Observatory, an astronomical research facility steeped in tradition. Percival Lowell, scion of a Boston Brahmin family, initially established his observatory in 1894 to study the possibility of intelligent life on Mars. Lowell widely popularized his controversial theories, sparking debate among both the scientific community and lay public. In the following years, the observatory's astronomers made several discoveries that dramatically altered our understanding of space, including Clyde Tombaugh's discovery of Pluto in 1930 and V.M. Slipher's detection of the expanding nature of the universe in 1912. Decades later, Apollo astronauts visited as part of their training to fly to the moon. These stories and others offer a glimpse of the scientific discovery, community pride, and personal triumph that define Lowell Observatory.

Cover image for Lowell Observatory, isbn: 9781467134170

Tempe

9780738579269

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Charles Trumbull Hayden built the first canal on the south side of the Salt River in 1870. Soon after, he built a store, a flour mill, and a cable ferry across the river, and he started a town. Since then, Tempe has changed from a small farming community to a lively urban center. Moreover, Tempe's residential growth has made it the seventh-largest town in Arizona.

Cover image for Tempe, isbn: 9780738579269

Pima County

9780738595313

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In the southwestern United States, Pima County encompasses a mosaic of cultures and history. Living together in this region are Native American tribes with roots going back to prehistoric times, descendants of Spanish settlers who colonized the valley in the late 1600s, Mexican families who settled the area before the 1854 Gadsden Purchase, and current generations of late-19th-century American pioneers who ventured into the borderland of the Arizona Territory seeking new beginnings. Signs of a rich cultural heritage are everywhere. The Tohono O'odham and Yaqui peoples are a vital part of the community. Preserved missions, presidio fortresses, and ranches are evidence of the legacy of Spanish exploration, mission building, and colonization that began in the late 1600s. Streets in Tucson, lined with Sonoran-style adobe houses, recall when this region was part of Mexico. Ghost towns, old mines, military forts, and Territorial-era ranch houses are visible reminders of a series of gold and silver rushes, the settling of the West, and the rise of a cattle industry.

Cover image for Pima County, isbn: 9780738595313

Gilbert

9781467132855

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Gilbert is one of the fastest growing communities in the country. There were only 500 residents when the town was incorporated in 1920. Since 1980, the population has doubled every five years. But how did this small desert community come to have such explosive growth in just over 30 years? Early pioneers began arriving in 1890, and in 1902, the Arizona Eastern Railway decided to build a rail line from Phoenix that went through Florence to the mining town of Kelvin. After purchasing land from Bobby Gilbert, a depot was built in 1905, and the town began to grow. Because of the creation of canals and Roosevelt Dam, Gilbert became a thriving agricultural community. In 1971, Gilbert had less than 2,000 residents, and in 1975, the town council approved a land annexation that added over 53 square miles to Gilbert. In 2014, that population number approached 250,000. By 2040, Gilbert is expected to be the fourth largest community in Arizona with approximately 330,000 residents.

Cover image for Gilbert, isbn: 9781467132855

Casa Grande

9780738579535

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Casa Grande, Arizona, is located on desert and farmland between Tucson and Phoenix and began as the end of an unfinished railroad line—thus its early name, Terminus. On May 19, 1879, when early summer heat halted construction of the railroad in what would soon become Casa Grande, only three buildings and five residents constituted the town. The names reflect the ethnic diversity of the sparse population: Buckalew, Ochoa, Smith, Watzlavocki, and Fryer. In September 1880, executives of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company named the town Casa Grande after the prehistoric Hohokam Indian ruins located 20 miles to the east. This volume illustrates how a desert railroad stop grew into a city. Today, as Casa Grande's population increases, new neighborhoods, schools, malls, and entertainment venues provide exciting new reasons for living here. However, as the population grows, the town struggles to retain its identity as an agricultural community.

Cover image for Casa Grande, isbn: 9780738579535

Lake Havasu City

9780738530123

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Founded in 1964 as a planned community, Lake Havasu City is nestled amid craggy desert peaks on the Colorado River in western Arizona. Perhaps best known as the American home of the famous London Bridge—moved to town, piece by piece, in 1971 and painstakingly reconstructed—Lake Havasu City was first home to natives of the Mohave and Chemehuevi tribes. Steamboats plying the waters of the Colorado, mining interests in the region, and the construction of Parker Dam, which resulted in the 45-mile-long Lake Havasu, all played important roles in the development of this unique community. Today, the city's more than 50,000 residents and 2.5 million annual visitors enjoy myriad recreational opportunities in this desert oasis,
as well as a historical legacy unlike any other.

Historic sepia cover photo of Lake Havasu City featuring a bridge and sailboats.

Cemeteries of Yavapai County

9781467130387

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Yavapai County, Arizona, is regarded as the most historically significant area within the state. After Arizona was proclaimed an American territory by Pres. Abraham Lincoln in 1863, it was here that the first territorial government was established. Yavapai County history and culture is reflected in its simple but deeply reverent burial grounds where many of Arizona's early pioneers are buried. The county has many cemeteries, and this book focuses on the most historic of these, from Prescott to Southern Yavapai ghost towns, where people ranging from Big Nose Kate to Sharlot M. Hall are interred, and examines the Old West's attitudes toward death and burial.

Cover image for Cemeteries of Yavapai County, isbn: 9781467130387

Northern Arizona Space Training

9781467126137

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During the 1960s and early 1970s, northern Arizona played a critical role in fulfilling President Kennedy's bold challenge of sending humans to the moon. From the rocky depths of the Grand Canyon to lofty cosmic views from Flagstaff's dark skies, northern Arizona was ideal for activities ranging from moon buggy testing and geology training to lunar mapping and mission simulation. Every astronaut who walked on the moon, from Neil Armstrong to Gene Cernan, prepared for his journey in northern Arizona, and all used maps created by Flagstaff artists to navigate their way around the lunar surface. This book captures the spirit of these pioneers with stunning images from NASA, the US Geological Survey, and others.

Cover image for Northern Arizona Space Training, isbn: 9781467126137

Tucson Radio

9781467131407

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Tucson's radio history began in the 1920s with two stations that became KTUC and KVOA. Today, there are 16 AM and 23 FM stations serving Tucson, with several other AM signals from Phoenix penetrating the local airwaves. Talk radio and music radio personalities have been companions for listeners at home or on the road. Mornings have been the most listened-to time period of the day, from the days of George and Square Deal, Chris Borden, and Jerry Stowe to Mojo and Betsy, Bobby Rich, Sunny Jim Arnold, and Cactus Dave. Frank Kalil on KTKT in the afternoons was the star who kept the audience laughing all the way home.

Cover image for Tucson Radio, isbn: 9781467131407

Paradise Valley Architecture

9780738596594

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Three surveyors in the late 19th century were so attracted to the area's desert beauty that they named it the Paradise Valley. Starting in the 1920s, adobe homes were constructed in various revival styles. In 1936, the Camelback Inn resort set a high-quality standard with an inviting and relaxed character. Other guest lodges arrived, including the Hermosa Inn and the El Chorro Lodge. The 1950s brought more luxurious resorts, including the Paradise Valley Racquet Club and the Mountain Shadows Resort. With the threat of Phoenix or Scottsdale annexing the area, the citizens started debating incorporation in 1949 and were successful in 1961. Churches, schools, town facilities, and single-family homes followed. Numerous town ordinances were adopted to preserve a quiet, desert lifestyle such as burying all utilities, restrictive zoning, and hillside preservation.

Cover image for Paradise Valley Architecture, isbn: 9780738596594

Pearce and Sunsites

9780738584737

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Discovery of gold in 1895 brought fortune seekers to the Sulphur Springs Valley, once the stomping ground of Cochise and Geronimo. A lawman turned train robber, an Arizona Ranger murdered by his wife, and a famous artist were just a few of the people who settled in Pearce. The Commonwealth Mine provided resources for a flourishing community until the Depression and the mine's decline. In the early 1960s, the Horizon Corporation began marketing Valley land as a utopian retirement destination for the World War II generation. Bit by bit, Sunsites sprang up just 2 miles from sparsely populated Pearce. Today the residents of Pearce and Sunsites share amenities, a quiet lifestyle, and views of the spectacular Chiricahua and Dragoon mountain ranges.

Cover image for Pearce and Sunsites, isbn: 9780738584737

Lake Pleasant

9780738571768

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If the Hohokam beheld Lake Pleasant today, spreading across the desert northwest of Phoenix, their eyes would scarcely recognize their home. Nearly a century ago, early pioneers in central Arizona were inspired by the Hohokam's hand-dug irrigation to divert the Agua Fria River from the Bradshaw Mountains, creating colossal agricultural potential in the Sonoran Desert. Lake Pleasant stands alone among the great reclamation efforts of the West, largely due to the tenacity of one man--William H. Beardsley, who died before it was completed. Beardsley, along with other visionaries like Carl Pleasant and Donald Waddell, overcame all odds to create the Pleasant Dam, which was completed in October 1927 and was later renamed the Waddell Dam. In the late 20th century, the New Waddell Dam was constructed, which tripled the size of the lake and made the water flow uphill, back into Lake Pleasant. Today Lake Pleasant Regional Park offers visitors over 20,000 acres of crystal clear water ideal for boating, water sports, and fishing and over 140 developed sites for RV and tent camping.

Historic Lake Pleasant cover with a group of men in white shirts posing near a dam

Phoenix Zoo

9781467128346

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In the late 1950s, philanthropist Robert Maytag, the grandson of the Maytag Company founder, had a dream that the growing city of Phoenix needed a world-class zoo. Under Maytag's formidable vision and leadership, the dream became a reality in 1962. Now the Phoenix Zoo is one of the biggest privately owned, nonprofit zoos in the United States and one of the most visited places in Arizona. The zoo maintains a year-round staff of over 300 employees and covers 125 acres housing 3,000 animals, including 30 threatened or endangered species. Without much room to expand, the zoo utilizes its current space to rebuild and renovate. Since opening, the Phoenix Zoo has welcomed more than 43 million visitors through its gates, fulfilling its mission of providing experiences that inspire and motivate people to care for the natural world.

Cover image for Phoenix Zoo, isbn: 9781467128346

Chiricahua National Monument

9781467128490

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Chiricahua National Monument, located in Arizona's southeast corner, is famous for its scenic and biological wonders. Every year, thousands of people visit the largest of the Sky Island mountain ranges to marvel at fantastic rock formations, hike scenic pathways, bolster a birding list, or simply gaze into starry skies while relaxing in a quiet campground. Thorough visitors soon discover that there is much more to the Wonderland of Rocks than just rocks. Those rocks are the backdrop to the story of Chiricahua Apache leader Geronimo and the black 10th Cavalry Regiment soldiers pursuing him. James Logan, John Robinson, and other Buffalo Soldiers assembled local rocks into a one-of-a-kind monument. Ed and Lillian Riggs, owners of Faraway Ranch, preserved rocks from that monument partially because their families homesteaded and ranched in the area with the soldiers' protection. Faraway Ranch became one of Arizona's first guest ranches, and it provided a way for sightseers to appreciate the Wonderland of Rocks' unique history and appearance.

Cover image for Chiricahua National Monument, isbn: 9781467128490

Old San Carlos

9780738558912

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Established in 1873, the San Carlos Indian Agency provided a reservation for the area's Western Apache bands. A U.S. Army post was created nearby to exert military control. Together the original agency and army post are known today as Old San Carlos. From 1874 to 1877, the U.S. government's peace policy directed additional Apache groups and other regional natives to San Carlos. Ensuing turmoil, including renewal of traditional intergroup rivalries and rebellion against civilian and military control, initiated the familiar Apache Wars. These campaigns were fought through the 1870s and 1880s, as Apache rebels intermittently broke from the reserve and returned to former haunts or sought refuge in northern Mexico. By all accounts--from white civilians, military personnel, and native people alike--the San Carlos Agency and army post was an inhospitable locale, compounded by recurring instability and conflict.

Group portrait of dozens of men in period clothing posing in front of a building for the Old San Carlos book cover.

Grand Canyon's Tusayan Village

9780738578903

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With the glamorous Grand Canyon as its backyard, Tusayan has a fascinating history. Dedicated just one year after the Grand Canyon National Park, the village of Tusayan had its humble beginnings in 1920 as a small sheep ranch operated by the Hull brothers. Tusayan quickly became a hub for the millions of travelers who made their way to the Grand Canyon each year. The two areas share a mutual school, a health care center, and other amenities. Other pioneers, such as R. P. Thurston, helped ensure the area's longevity with the addition of Highway 64 through the center of the village and the arrival of the Grand Canyon Airport, making Tusayan one of the most visited little towns in northern Arizona.

Cover image for Grand Canyon's Tusayan Village, isbn: 9780738578903

Winslow

9780738596525

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In 1880, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad laid out the Winslow townsite along its new transcontinental line through northeastern Arizona Territory because the nearby Little Colorado River supplied a vital water source. The river had sustained the prehistoric Homol'ovi villages, and a passable ford across the river brought trails, wagon roads, and Mormon settlers to the area before the railroad arrived. This high desert boomtown blossomed into a bustling city when the Santa Fe Railway bought the A&P and transferred division headquarters to Winslow. Along with a shipping point for area ranches, trading posts, and lumber mills, the railroad provided passenger service to the alluring Southwest. Travelers enjoyed fine dining by Fred Harvey and the Harvey Girls and lodging at architect Mary Colter's La Posada Hotel. As automobiles replaced rail travel in the 1920s, the highway running through downtown Winslow became part of the famed US Route 66. Interstate 40 eventually bypassed downtown, but Winslow's historic attractions, Standin' on the Corner Park, and nearby Hopi and Navajo lands continue to lure visitors from around the world.

Cover image for Winslow, isbn: 9780738596525

Tempe

9780738548883

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Home to 165,000 residents (within a 40 square mile radius), the city of Tempe is surrounded by the booming cities of Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Chandler. But the Salt River Valley area was once populated with just a few small farms, when Charles Trumbull Hayden, owner of a mercantile and freighting business in Tucson, homesteaded here in 1870. The community he established—Hayden's Ferry—soon became the trade center for the south side of the valley. Hayden's Ferry became Tempe in 1879 at the suggestion of Englishman Darrell Duppa, who commented that the area reminded him of the Vale of Tempe in Greece, and it was not long before other developments promoted the growth of this new town. In 1885, the Arizona legislature selected Tempe as the site for the Territorial Normal School, the predecessor of Arizona State University. The Maricopa and Phoenix Railroad, which crossed the Salt River at Tempe, was built in 1887, and in 1911, the Roosevelt Dam was completed. World War II, the creation of Tempe Town Lake, and other 20th-century events also influenced the growth and character of Tempe, now Arizona's seventh largest city.

Tempe book cover depicting a crowded lecture hall with students seated at desks in period attire.

Cottonwood

9780738579993

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In the last quarter of the 19th century, a circle of 16 tall Cottonwood trees stood in the wash that extended to the Verde River just north of where the old jail building now stands. Cattlemen and ranchers from Oak Creek and the mountains made their overnight stops under these trees and the location became known as The Cottonwoods. The lush riparian area attracted hardy settlers, and Fort Verde's military camp and the copper mines of Jerome provided a ready market for agricultural goods. Thus began the town that was soon to become the commercial hub for the Verde Valley. Today the incorporated city of Cottonwood serves an area population of over 55,000 and boasts a diverse economy based on health care, education, tourism, and the service and retail industries. With its moderate climate, beautiful setting, and small-town charm, combined with the amenities of a larger city, Cottonwood continues to attract steady growth and tourism.

Cover image for Cottonwood, isbn: 9780738579993

Florence

9780738548999

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In 1866, Florence rose on the banks of the Gila River in south central Arizona. People came from near and far to this early settlement in the Arizona Territory, joining the Native Americans and Mexican
farmers already established there. The town boomed with the discovery of a silver mine nearby. Politicians and lawyers followed when Florence
became the seat of Pinal County in 1875, and when the Territorial Prison arrived in 1909, the community's future no longer depended upon the fickle mining business. World War II brought a prisoner-ofwar camp, and popular youth rodeos added to Florence's remarkable character and history. In the 1970s, citizens began a model effort to preserve their community's legacy and remaining historic structures. The major growth that early Florence anticipated is finally occurring all around the town, bringing change once again.

Sepia vintage brass band posed on steps for the Florence Images of America cover.

Early Yuma

9780738548579

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

At the end of the 19th century, outlaws opined they would rather kill themselves than be taken alive to certain slow-boiled death in the caldron of Yuma's territorial prison, known nationally as The Hell Hole. But to the pioneer residents of Yuma, the prison was the finest structure in town, sitting atop a breezy hill. When the prison was closed, Yuma's citizens used the abandoned structure as a school. That Yuma's residents lived happily where the West's most notorious outlaws feared to die is just one testament to the profound strength and perseverance of the first settlers of the community. This photographic history pays tribute to those men and women-Quechan, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-who looked past the arid landscape to envision a thriving river port, then a mining center, and finally, a verdant valley and winter playground.

Vintage street scene on the Early Yuma Images of America book cover by Robert Nelson

Early Maricopa County

9780738574165

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In 1863, the first mining town, Wickenburg, was established in what would become Maricopa County, when it was created from parts of Pima, Yuma, Mohave, and Yavapai Counties on February 12, 1871. Spanish Franciscan missionary Francisco Garces claimed the name "Maricopa" came from the Pima word for the Pipatsje, a Yuman tribe from the Gulf of California that migrated to Arizona's central valley long ago. Ten years after Maricopa County was established, Jack Swillings's original settlement had begun its evolution into the ever-expanding city of Phoenix. By the turn of the 20th century, Maricopa County was no longer just a dusty settlement for a few hundred sturdy souls. Its rich agricultural districts had grown in scope and breadth, since its irrigation systems were fed by the Salt and Verde Rivers impounded in Roosevelt, Apache, and Canyon Lakes. Phoenix led the explosive growth of Maricopa County and Arizona, and by 1920 had become a dynamic, vibrant state capital. Today Maricopa County is the state's major economic engine and home to the fifth-largest city in America.

Cover image for Early Maricopa County, isbn: 9780738574165

Chandler

9780738585215

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Chandler is located 20 miles southeast of Phoenix and has been the home of innovative, forward-thinking people for many decades. As Phoenix began to grow in the late 19th century, a young veterinarian decided to aquire several acres of the surrounding land. Dr. Alexander J. Chandler took a few business gambles with his new acquisition, and the 18,000 acres known then as Chandler Ranch were soon split into lots and sold as the new town of Chandler. Once the town was established in 1912, Dr. Chandler relied on industrial agriculture and the new, lavish San Marcos Hotel to attract new residents. Later, Dr. Chandler brought Frank Lloyd Wright to redesign downtown and build a new hotel. During World War II, several families and businesses came to the area because of the new Williams Air Force Base. Following the war, high-tech businesses and bioscience firms created a new economy in Chandler, which led to a modern patchwork of people who represent Chandler today.

Cover image for Chandler, isbn: 9780738585215

Cameron Trading Post

9781467116978

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In 1911, a one-track suspension bridge was constructed over the gorge of the Little Colorado River, bypassing a treacherous river crossing and opening travel to northern Arizona. Five years later, Hubert Richardson built a tin-roofed shack on the river's rim and opened his trading post for business. In the first years, almost all of his customers were Navajo, but with the new bridge travelers soon found the area, and it became the access point for the Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, and the Four Corners area. A century later, Cameron Trading Post is a thriving epicenter still serving Navajo people, tourists, and an impressive list of the famous and fascinating, including authors, scientists, and movie stars. Boasting a curio store, gas station, motel, RV park, grocery store, and art gallery, Cameron is visited by guests from all over the world. It is a crossroads and a destination for visitors to this historic trading post.

Cover image for Cameron Trading Post, isbn: 9781467116978

Greeks in Phoenix

9780738556345

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The Greek community in Phoenix began in 1907, when the Sanichas brothers, Charles and Chris, arrived in the city to establish the Sanichas Confectionery Store. By 1912, the year of Arizona's statehood, the community had grown to nine families, including the Georgouses family of five brothers. In 1930, ground was broken for the construction of the Hellenic Community House, where religious services were held until l947, when the Hellenic Orthodox Church was built. Today the legacy of the area's Greek pioneers lives on through the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, which has established a research archive and museum to preserve and celebrate the Greek history of Phoenix.

Cover of Greeks in Phoenix with a sepia tone crowd gathered around a table at a historic Greek community event

Prescott Valley

9780738570709

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When gold was discovered along Lynx Creek in 1863, the area that would later become Prescott Valley began to attract attention from the outside world. Miners came and so did the military, which established Fort Whipple in nearby Prescott but made use of Glassford Hill as part of a communication system. By the early 1900s, homesteaders, merchants, freighters, and ranchers had also arrived. As the 20th century progressed, what had been a peaceful stretch of grazing land known as Lonesome Valley gave way to a budding town finally incorporated in 1978 with 1,520 citizens. On the land where a volcano erupted long ago, mammoths once roamed, prehistoric people hunted, miners sought their fortunes, and ranchers herded cattle, Prescott Valley is today a thriving--and rapidly growing--town of more than 35,000 residents that has retained much of its small-town character and charm.

Prescott Valley cover from Images of America with two cowboys on horseback in front of a Western Wear storefront.

Douglas

9780738570655

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For much of its 100-year history, Douglas was dominated by two smelters--the Copper Queen and the Calumet and Arizona. But Douglas thrived on the Mexican-American border because it was always more than just a smelter town. It was a section headquarters for the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad, host to three distinct army camps, and a hub for area ranchers and farmers. Douglas residents were crazy about aviation and built an airport where many aerial firsts took place. Although it may seem that the often-deadly intrigue surrounding the Mexican Revolution and the two battles fought in Agua Prieta, the Sonoran town across the international boundary from Douglas, would limit trade and tourism possibilities, the opposite was true. After the last smelter closed in 1987, Douglas relied heavily upon border trade of all sorts for its growing economy. Today Douglas and Agua Prieta capitalize on the vibrancy from the meeting of two cultures.

Douglas book cover from Images of America with a sepia town street scene and a horse

Legendary Locals of Marana, Oro Valley, and Catalina

9781467100168

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Running west to east along the northern boundary of Tucson is a corridor. of unique and inspiring communities. In Legendary Locals of Marana, Oro Valley, and Catalina, readers will discover the historical riches, courage, and determination of the Western spirit that shaped the state and the country. George Pusch was a member of the Arizona Territorial Legislature that guided Arizona from territory to statehood. Sam Chu, a Chinese immigrant, turned barren land into one of the most productive cotton farms in America. Sheriff John Nelson helped establish Arizona's reputation as cattle country. Under the guidance of Dick Eggerding, the public arts program made Oro Valley one of the best small towns in America. America's talented athletes have called the corridor home, including Hank Leiber, 1930s baseball star; Maren Seidler, Olympic shot-putter; and Sherry Cervi, barrel racing champion. In these communities, charity work, artistic talent, and military courage are found in abundance. If people make history, then the corridor is a treasure trove of the country's past and future.

Cover image for Legendary Locals of Marana, Oro Valley, and Catalina, isbn: 9781467100168

Goodyear

9780738571171

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In 1916, Paul W. Litchfield, vice president of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, purchased 16,000 acres west of Phoenix to grow long staple cotton for use in the pneumatic tires the company manufactured. With this, the Southwest Cotton Company was formed. This huge undertaking required drilling wells and building power lines, roads, canals, and, of course, housing for workers. The war years brought Goodyear Aircraft, built by the U.S. Department of Defense on land leased from Southwest Cotton Company, and Litchfield Naval Air Facility. With the arrival of Goodyear Aircraft and the navy base, homes, apartments, and basic retail services sprang up. The town of Goodyear was incorporated on November 19, 1946, with a population of 1,250. Named an All-America City in 2008, Goodyear is now a thriving community of 58,000 residents and the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds.

Cover image for Goodyear, isbn: 9780738571171

Apache Trail

9780738558622

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Pres. Theodore Roosevelt once referred to the Apache Trail as "one of the most spectacular best-worth-seeing sights of the world." The once narrow, ancient foot trail built as a supply road for the construction of Roosevelt Dam has now evolved into a state highway with majestic scenic vistas and historical grandeur. Even in the 1920s, the Southern Pacific Railroad touted this road as a "must-see side trip." Each year, thousands of people venture along the trail to take a step back in time and relish the breathtaking experience of this fabulous journey. The Fish Creek Hill section remains much as it was back in the early 1900s, a narrow one-vehicle passage on an extremely steep incline that drops 900 feet within a mile along the edge of a steep cliff. Although several miles of the road are now paved, dirt portions remain that allow tourists a sense of perilous adventure.

Cover of Apache Trail with sepia river landscape and a rocky cliffside beside a vintage jeep.

Flowing Wells

9781467127158

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

The community of Flowing Wells covers 13 square miles, partially in the city of Tucson, as well as in unincorporated Pima County, Arizona. The area was named after the bubbling water from sunken pipes at the base of Sentinel Peak ("A" Mountain) by Warren Allison. Around 1895, Allison bought 500 acres of uncultivated land about three miles northwest of downtown Tucson. He and a sturdy team dug a canal, the Allison Ditch, from his wellfield to his land, called the Flowing Wells Ranch, to grow alfalfa, hay, watermelons, and cantaloupes. Farms, dairies, hatcheries, Gilpin Airport, and the railroad dominated the community throughout the early years. Urbanization was slow but steady, starting in the late 1940s. The community transitioned from farming to residential and industrial, with the school district binding the community together. Flowing Wells, while designated a community, was recognized as an All-America City by the National Civic League in 2007; its residents and those that work within the school district describe it as a family to this day.

Cover image for Flowing Wells, isbn: 9781467127158

Historic Restaurants of Tucson

9781625859907

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Tucson's culinary journey began thousands of years ago, when Native American tribes developed an agricultural base along the Santa Cruz River. In modern times, restaurants ranging from tiny taquerias to fine dining spaces all contributed to the local food culture. El Charro, serving Mexican cuisine since 1922, still attracts crowds from all over. Folks head straight to Pat's for a hot dog, Lucky Wishbone for some fried chicken or eegee's for a grinder and a cold, frosty drink. On any given night, the patio at El Corral is filled with diners anticipating their famous prime rib and tamale pie. Local food writer Rita Connelly brings to life the stories of beloved eateries that have endured for decades and continue to delight with incredible flavors.

Cover image for Historic Restaurants of Tucson, isbn: 9781625859907

Scottsdale

9780738570587

$7.99 $5.99 Save 25%

Scottsdale boasts a rich history.

Cover image for Scottsdale, isbn: 9780738570587

Holbrook

9781467161527

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Holbrook was established in 1881 when the railroad came through Northern Arizona. Surviving a catastrophic fire, it was the playground for the Hashknife cowboys, giving it an unparalleled Wild West history.

It also endured floods caused by the Little Colorado River, and although it was once a major stop along Route 66, it was bypassed by Interstate 40 in the 1980s. Nevertheless, Holbrook is still a vibrant community today.

Residents for more than two decades, authors William Gibson Parker and Linda Louise Parker document this rich history.

Cover image for Holbrook, isbn: 9781467161527

Sunnyslope

9780738599571

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Founded in 1911 by William R. Norton, Sunnyslope is older than the State of Arizona. By 1919, the desert settlement had only four or five cottages and no roads, no electricity, and no running water. That soon changed as those recovering from tuberculosis sought the relief of Sunnyslope's dry climate. In 1927, the Desert Mission was established, with its nurses dubbed the Angels of the Desert. This would eventually become the modern, multistory John C. Lincoln Hospital. A post–World War II boom saw Sunnyslope's population grow with small businesses, schools, and churches being established that still serve the community today. Annexed by the City of Phoenix in 1959, Sunnyslope, with its roughly 40,000 residents, retains its unique identity to this day.

Cover image for Sunnyslope, isbn: 9780738599571

Mexicans in Tempe

9780738570563

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San Pablo was settled in the early 1800s by Mexican pioneers, also known as "Tempeneños," south of the Tempe butte. By the 1870s, Mexicans were vital to Tempe's economical growth, assisting in the construction of the C. H. Kirkland and McKinney Canal and the Hayden Flour Mill, and with agriculture soon after the establishment of Fort McDowell. The agricultural field cultivated by the settlers of San Pablo is now Arizona State University's main campus. Over time, the Mexican settlers of San Pablo were subjected to eminent domain and were dispersed throughout Maricopa County. To this day, the Mexican population has assisted in the economic development of Arizona ranching, agriculture, private industries, the public sector, and in the defense of the United States in time of war.

Mexicans in Tempe cover showing a group of people with a wagon in a desert hillside setting.

Tubac

9780738578644

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First inhabited by indigenous people, Tubac has been home to a number of cultures. It became Arizona's first European settlement when the Presidio de San Ignacio de Tubac was established in 1752. It was the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, however, that brought the area under U.S. control. Charles Debrille Poston, the self-proclaimed father of Arizona, established a mining company here in 1856, but the ongoing Apache presence made life difficult in spite of the defense provided by two nearby military forts. After Geronimo's surrender in 1886, farming and ranching dominated local life until the 1940s when dude ranches attracted Eastern tourists and altered the local economy. Tubac took its first steps as an art colony when Dale Nichols started an art school here in 1948 and when the Santa Cruz Valley Art Association was founded in 1959. Since that time, the community has embraced its theme of where art and history meet.

Cover image for Tubac, isbn: 9780738578644

Around Benson

9780738558929

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In 1880, the rowdy town of Benson was born when the Southern Pacific Railroad Company recognized a market for transporting mining and ranching products to growing enterprises in the southeastern Arizona Territory. Leading up to the town's incorporation in 1924, nearly all railroads in the Southwest led to Benson, which by that time boasted several hotels, liveries, taverns, churches, and a smelter. By the 1940s, U.S. Highway 80 and State Route 86 junction brought weary travelers to enjoy Benson's clean air, artesian water, and mountain vistas, creating the core of a multiethnic city whose progeny continue to keep the town alive today as the "Gateway to the Land of Cochise."

Six people in overalls and hats stand in a field with a building in the background on Around Benson cover

The Verde River

9780738578897

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Archaeologists discovered that the Hohokam were an advanced native tribe who built elaborate irrigation systems along the Verde River, and then disappeared. Early Arizona settlers recognized the tenacity and intelligence of the Hohokam and began to reconstruct their canal system. In 1903, the Salt River Project commenced, and the first lake on the lower Verde River was formed with the completion of the Bartlett Dam in 1939. Seven years later and 12 miles upstream from Bartlett, the Horseshoe Reservoir was created in order to expand copper mining during World War II. The astonishing result of these reservoirs is today's sprawling desert megalopolis of Phoenix, Arizona. Nicknamed "The River of Time," the Verde River is a timeline of Arizona history, and it is essential to human life and livelihood in the area.

Cover image for The Verde River, isbn: 9780738578897

Wickenburg

9780738585048

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Once known as the Dude Ranch Capital of the World, Wickenburg, Arizona, has had many lives since its founding during the Civil War years. When German immigrant Henry Wickenburg discovered the Vulture Gold Mine in the fall of 1863 and put down roots as a miner and farmer, he also set down the beginnings of the city that would be named in his honor. Early residents and visitors included miners, ranchers, gunslingers, newspaper editors, and saloon keepers. Families made their way to town in the early 20th century and opened businesses, established churches and a library, and sent their children to local schools. In the 1930s, dude ranches blossomed in and around the city limits and tourists were enchanted by the real Wild West ambience. As the century progressed, people remained in town for generations, while newcomers regularly moved in to enjoy Wickenburg's desert setting and modern amenities.

Cover image for Wickenburg, isbn: 9780738585048

Arizona's Historic Bridges

9781467133449

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Arizona was once just a passage for pioneers headed west for gold, religious freedom, and cheap land. Native Americans had lived in and explored the territory for years, but it was Manifest Destiny and the western expansionist philosophy of the burgeoning US government that created the impetus for better and faster routes across the vast territory with its topographical challenges. In the 1880s, the railroads first booted their way across the landscape, following historic trails before the highways were built. The Grand Canyon and Colorado River were obvious challenges, but there were also seasonal waterways that needed crossings. The history of the state unfolds with this book, profiling the bridges that define these historic transportation routes. Many of them have been proudly restored by their communities or the state, while others are gone or are in a sad state of decline.

Cover image for Arizona's Historic Bridges, isbn: 9781467133449

Maricopa

9780738579955

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The Hohokam built an extensive network of canals with sticks and stone hoes, but mysteriously disappeared in 1450. Later, the Pima and Maricopa Indians occupied their farmlands near the Gila River, and Maricopa took on the name of the latter. In 1858, Maricopa became an isolated little town in the middle of the desert. It served as the major stage station for the Butterfield Overland Stage Station and became a beacon of light for trappers, traders, and immigrants brave enough to travel its unknown land. Maricopa moved south in 1879 to latch onto the newly built Southern Pacific Railroad and became Arizona's freighting distribution center. A second move took it 4 miles east to better align with Tempe. Thus began Maricopa's life as an important railroad junction, playing host to two presidents, 1911 flying machines, honeymoon couples, actors, and a nest of wildcats to entertain the hundreds of passengers who waited for their connections to Phoenix or east-west. In the early 2000s, Maricopa grew from a small farming community to a city, earning it the title of one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. Today its population continues to grow with more than 40,000 inhabitants from all over the United States and world.

Cover image for Maricopa, isbn: 9780738579955

Clarkdale

9781467131391

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Clarkdale is recognized as a Place of History in the National Register of Historic Places, possessing both historical and architectural significance. Clarkdale's story began eons ago with the creation of its natural environment. The first people came thousands of years ago to this lush land, followed by subsequent cultures that made use of the abundant water, rich soil, and moderate climate. In the early 20th century, mining magnate William Clark built the smelter company town of Clarkdale; the agricultural age was soon replaced by the industrial age. Clark became one of the wealthiest men in America, with most of his money coming from the output of Clarkdale's smelter. Since the smelter closure in 1953, the former workers' homes, smelter site, and company lands have been recycled into today's homes, a tourist destination, and a place of museums, education, and the arts, all located within a spectacular environment of mountains and river. This book presents that story.

Cover image for Clarkdale, isbn: 9781467131391

Verde Valley

9780738585147

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This book celebrates the colorful history of the Verde Valley from its prehistoric settlements to the Arizona State Centennial Celebration in 2012. Located in the heart of Arizona, between the Sonoran Desert and the mountain highlands of the Colorado Plateau, the Verde Valley has been a pleasant refuge for man and beast for thousands of years. In a land known for its lack of water, the Verde River and its tributaries—Clear Creek, Beaver Creek, Oak Creek, and Sycamore Creek—have attracted prehistoric people and American pioneers alike. This book will illustrate the history of the Verde from the ruins of the lost civilization to the first Anglo farming efforts along Clear Creek and the military presence at Camp Verde. It will illustrate the settlements at Middle Verde and along Beaver Creek, Rimrock, Oak Creek, Cornville, and Sedona. Finally, it will visit the settlement near the Cottonwoods, the exploitation of the Billion Dollar Copper Camp at Jerome, the smoke-belching furnaces of the smelters, and the elegant architecture of the planned company town of Clarkdale.

Cover image for Verde Valley, isbn: 9780738585147

Bisbee

9780738599960

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Visually, the Bisbee of today remains a community frozen in time, with Main Street retaining its character from 1910. The discovery of copper deposits in the Mule Mountains brought forth a wealth that enabled a substantial community. Profitable mining ventures and a need for labor drew thousands of miners from around the world to work in Bisbee. These individuals added a distinct flavor to the area. Like countless other Western mining camps, Bisbee evolved from a rough frontier community surviving disastrous fires and floods into a town with a substantial population and solid foundation. Bisbee's seemingly inexhaustible mineral wealth resulted in the community becoming a center of economic and political power in an emerging territory on its way to statehood. It was Arizona's greatest copper camp.

Cover image for Bisbee, isbn: 9780738599960

Vanishing Phoenix

9780738578811

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Lord Darrell Duppa, along with his friend Jack Swilling, suggested the name "Phoenix" for the city he had cofounded because it described a city born from the ruins of a former civilization. Settled on the ancestral lands of the Hohokam Indians, Phoenix was thriving by the early 1920s when craftsmanship and attention to detail were the orders of the day. Buildings were designed to welcome residents and travelers alike. Today the Fox Theater, the Clark Churchill House, the Kon Tiki Hotel, and the Fleming Building exist only in photographs and in the memories of Phoenix residents. The National Register of Historic Places and the Phoenix Historic Property Register have heightened public awareness and appreciation for the community's historic landmarks, but much has been lost already. Remembering these buildings and landmarks is essential to understanding this remarkable city.

Cover image for Vanishing Phoenix, isbn: 9780738578811

Pinnacle Peak

9780738579849

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Pinnacle Peak is north Scottsdale's most prominent landmark, rising out of the desert floor to an elevation of 3,170 feet. For years, Pinnacle Peak was Scottsdale's secret destination for hiking, rock climbing, and horseback riding. In 1985, with urban sprawl surging northward, Scottsdale's city council acted to preserve Pinnacle Peak as a municipal park. Pinnacle Peak visitors are impressed by the sweeping vistas, the rugged beauty of the Sonoran Desert, the manicured golf courses, and the unique wildlife. Few people realize that the surrounding landscape covers the forgotten footprints of prehistoric hunter-gatherers, Hohokam, Yavapai, the US Cavalry miners, homesteaders, ranchers, developers, and colorful characters of the past. Spanning 150 acres, Pinnacle Peak Park has become one of the most popular attractions in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and its scenic beauty is enjoyed by people from all over the world.

Cover image for Pinnacle Peak, isbn: 9780738579849

Tucson Mountains

9780738579238

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

The Tucson Mountains are located several miles west of downtown Tucson. For thousands of years, this mountain range has been inhabited, explored, and traveled by Native Americans who settled near the Santa Cruz River. Homesteaders, prospectors, and ranchers arrived in the late 19th century, drawn by the area's close proximity to Tucson and the Southern Pacific Railroad, as well as the promise of land and mineral wealth. During the past 100 years, conservation efforts to preserve and enhance the community's understanding of this geologic treasure have led to the establishment of museums and parks, including Tucson Mountain Park, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and Saguaro National Park West. Old Tucson Studios has used the surrounding Tucson Mountains as a movie backdrop for more than 70 years. The White Stallion Ranch and the J. W. Marriot at Starr Pass make the Tucson Mountains a popular destination for visitors who want to experience the rugged beauty and character of the American Southwest.