100 YEARS IN PICTURES

100 YEARS

A PHOTOGRAPHIC LOOK AT ARIZONA'S

IN PICTURES FIRST CENTURY OF STATEHOOD EDITED BY KELLY KRAMER & KATHY RITCHIE

GILA ACADEMY, THATCHER, 1912

[ABOVE, LEFT] In this photograph, the Gila Academy's class of 1912 is standing on the steps of "Old Main" in Thatcher, the academic center of the state's oldest junior college, now known as Eastern Arizona College. Founded in 1888 by leaders of the Mormon Church who settled the Gila River Valley, the college moved from Central, Arizona, to the town of Thatcher in 1891. First known as St. Joseph Stake Academy, then Gila Academy and later Gila College, the school became a part of Arizona's junior college system during the 1930s. In 1926, the Gila College Gila Monsters made national sports headlines when they upset the University of Arizona Wildcats in football.

SAFFORD, CIRCA 1912

[ABOVE, SECOND FROM LEFT] Named for Territorial Governor Anson P.K. Safford, this small town was founded in 1874 by a group of Western Arizona farmers who wanted to escape the near-constant flooding of the Gila River. After arriving and settling Safford, the farmers helped the area flourish agriculturally. Safford was once a trading hub for several neighboring communities, including Thatcher and Pima.

PRINCESS BAKERY, TEMPE, 1912

[OPPOSITE PAGE, SECOND FROM RIGHT] An early business inTempe, the Princess Bakery delivered baked goods to residents of the river town and its college for many years. In 1912, the driver of the bakery wagon (note the spelling) was Dick Lobb, the son of pioneer George Lobb, who laid out the streets of the town of Superior near the Silver King and Silver Queen mines. The bakery most likely featured breads made from Arizona Rose flour, which was milled down the street at the Hayden Flour Mill.

PRINCESS BAKERY.

Tempe, the Princess Bakery delivered baked goods to residents of the river town and its college for many years. In 1912, the driver of the bakery wagon (note the spelling) was Dick Lobb, the son of pioneer George Lobb, who laid out the streets of the town of Superior near the Silver King and Silver Queen mines. The bakery most likely featured breads made from Arizona Rose flour, which was milled down the street at the Hayden Flour Mill.

MAGMA HOTEL, SUPERIOR, 1913

[ABOVE, RIGHT] Located on Superior's Main Street, this once-prominent hotel was a popular place to spend the night for mining executives and travelers. The Magma Hotel was constructed in 1912, during the mining industry's boom days. Now shuttered and crumbling, the Magma is said to be haunted by several ghosts.

RAILROAD STREET, WICKENBURG, 1915

[BELOW] Although it was already well-established as a ranching community, Wickenburg became one of Arizona's first Civil War-era boomtowns when gold was discovered in the area in 1863. By 1915, the town had become a popular stop along the Santa Fe, Prescott & Phoenix Railway line, which carried passengers to the tiny Hassayampa River town for decades. This photograph, made in July 1915, shows Railroad Street, which is now known as Frontier Street.

[LEFT, TOP] Arizona's earliest settlers found their fortune in the state's rugged, heavily mineralized mountains and desert valleys. While the southwestern town of Ajo operated a major copper-mining facility for decades, neighboring Clarkston is now a ghost town, a nearly forgotten reminder of Arizona's glorious mining heritage. Located between Ajo and Sells, the town of Clarkston once had more than 1,500 residents, large enough to warrant a visit from Governor George W.P. Hunt

and U.S. Representative Carl T. Hayden in November 1916. After the ore played out, the town was nearly abandoned and most of it burned down in 1931.

OATMAN, 1916

[OPPOSITE PAGE, CENTER] Oatman boomed after prospectors struck gold — $10 million worth of gold. By 1916, the town bustled after it experienced a mini gold rush. Unfortunately, the good times quickly went by the wayside. During the 1920s, fire destroyed much of the town and then, a few years later, the mine shut down. Oatman enjoyed a sort of renaissance thanks to the popularity of Historic Route 66, but after Interstate 40 was built, the town went downhill once again.

MAIN STREET, COTTONWOOD, 1917

[OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM] In 1917, downtown Cottonwood was growing, benefiting from the boom in copper mining and smelting in nearby Jerome and Clarkdale. Founded in 1879 by a group of families along the Verde River, Cottonwood had earned the nickname “Biggest Little Town in Arizona” by the 1920s. According to legend, the out-of-the-way town also had a large reputation for the best bootleg whiskey in the state during Prohibition. Today, Cottonwood has become the economic center of the Verde Valley, thanks to its pleasant year-round climate, small-town atmosphere, and accessibility to Arizona’s red-rock country.

SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS, FROM FLAGSTAFF, CIRCA 1917

[ABOVE] Flagstaff, the unofficial capital of Northern Arizona, was founded in 1876. Named for a flagpole made from a ponderosa pine tree by members of the Beale survey party in 1857, the mountain town became the financial hub of the Colorado Plateau after the Atlanta & Pacific Railroad (Santa Fe) arrived in 1882. The San Francisco Peaks, rising more than 12,000 feet above sea level, dominate the horizon of the Colorado Plateau for hundreds of miles and have been sacred to Native Americans for thousands of years. Today, Flagstaff is a year-round recreational destination that offers hiking, mountain-biking, cross-country-skiing and more. The town also serves as a home base for visitors to the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park.

PAYSON, 1918

[LEFT, TOP] Since 1884, Payson has hosted the Payson Rodeo - the World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo. The year 1918 was no exception, as the town's Main Street was transformed into the rodeo arena, much to the delight of locals and tourists who flocked to the event.

ROUTE 66, KINGMAN, 1919

[LEFT, CENTER] Since Kingman was founded in the 1880s, the town has played host to an annual Fourth of July celebration that includes a rodeo and parade. In 1919, the parade route wandered past Hotel Brunswick and Hotel Beale, which still stand along Historic Route 66. Riders included a company of cowboys. Today, the stretch of Route 66 that passes through Kingman is known as Andy Devine Avenue, named for the town's native son, whose parents built Hotel Beale after moving to Kingman in 1906.

LEUPP TRADING POST, LEUPP, 1920

[LEFT, BOTTOM] When the Bureau of Indian Affairs established an agency near the Little Colorado River community of Leupp in 1910, John Walker founded Leupp Trading Post. Named for bureau commissioner Francis Leupp, both the town and trading post have a rich history - the town was home to Phillip Johnston, who promoted the idea of using the Navajo language for the U.S. military code talkers, and it was the site of the first official Navajo Chapter House. Walker sold the trading post when he pursued a position with the U.S. government in 1912. By 1929, Stanton and Ida Mae Borum had purchased the building and added a second floor.

SOUTHERN PACIFIC ICE PLANT, TUCSON, 1920

The Southern Pacific Railroad supplied California ice to Southern Arizona by the ton during the 1920s. Shipped in huge blocks, the ice was vital for cooling the commercial buildings of downtown Tucson, as well as for supplying homes and restaurants with iceboxes. Arizona's first major ice plant opened in 1879. Later, a California competitor undercut the market price, and the plant was closed.

SAN FRANCISCO MOUNTAIN BOULEVARD, FLAGSTAFF, 1920

Easy access to natural wonders for residents and tourists has been an important ingredient in Arizona's growth. San Francisco Mountain Boulevard, also known as Weatherford Road, was the brainchild of Flagstaff pioneer John Weatherford. He hoped to build a 14-mile toll road from Fort Valley to the summit of Humphreys Peak. It opened in 1926, with hundreds of cars making the trip to Fremont Saddle, but the road was never completed to the summit and was deemed a financial failure. Nonetheless, Weatherford's dream of ecotourism and recreation on the peaks became a foundation of Northern Arizona's economy.

WILLIAMS, 1920

In 1920, a heavy snowstorm in Williams brought railroad and highway travel to a standstill, while creating a winter wonderland for the boys and girls of the high-country town. While world famous for its desert valleys and diverse climate, Arizona's amazing geographic variety provides its residents with exciting - and challenging -year-round weather conditions, from the hottest summer days to the coldest, Arcticlike winter days.

SAN MARCOS HOTEL, CHANDLER, 1920

One of the grand hotels in Arizona, the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort in Chandler has been charming visitors since 1913. Celebrities and presidents, including Herbert Hoover, have enjoyed the high-class accommodations since visionary Valley booster Dr. Alexander Chandler founded the town in 1912. He envisioned the San Marcos as a prime destination for winter visitors and as the centerpiece of his new desert community. The hotel had firstclass amenities, such as polo, golf, tennis and afternoon tea. Architect Arthur Burnett Benton designed the hotel in the California Mission-style, and while it has had many additions and renovations, the resort still retains its original grace and charm.

Edwin Vose began his curious career as a wandering gemologist during the 1920s. Known as Chuckawalla Slim, Vose traveled regularly across Arizona, peddling rocks, minerals, fossils, curios, Snakeskins and more from the back of his truck. The self-proclaimed “rockologist” traveled the country’s back roads with his wife, Chloride Kate, until he died in 1964.

[ABOVE] In 1920, Patagonia was a cornerstone community of Santa Cruz County. At one time, roughly 10,000 people lived in the Mountain Empire town and worked the railroad - which ran between switching stations in Benson and Nogales - as well as in mines, on ranches and in lumber mills, like the Patagonia Lumber Co. Though the town's industries declined slowly from the late 1920s to the 1960s, Patagonia is now a popular destination for birders and connoisseurs of Arizona-made wines.

[BELOW] Owl Drug and Candy Co. in Prescott wasn't just a coffee shop. This five-anddime sold a laundry list of items, including an assortment of things for those looking to satisfy a sweet tooth. A newspaper ad in the July 7, 1915, Prescott Journal Miner touted the following: Dress your dresser with Harmony Toilet Requisites - made in America -equal if not superior to imported products. The Owl eventually went on to become the center of Prescott's social and cultural activities in the 1940s.

HOTEL ARIZONA, TUCSON, 1921

[RIGHT, TOP] Downtown Tucson was the center of commerce for residents, travelers, tourists and salespersons traveling across Southern Arizona in 1921. The Hotel Arizona on Broadway, along with the Hotel Congress and the Pioneer Hotel, was one of the primary hotels in downtown Tucson for decades. Today, the Hotel Arizona is a modern high-rise building adjacent to the Tucson Convention Center.

NORTHERN ARIZONA NORMAL SCHOOL, FLAGSTAFF, 1923

[RIGHT, BOTTOM] Before statehood in 1912, the Territorial government of Arizona made a major commitment to higher education, building the University of Arizona in Tucson, followed by two Normal colleges in Tempe and Flagstaff, to ensure that the growing Territory would have a well-educated citizenry and an ample supply of teachers. These young women, plus a few men, are playing a mock football game in front of the Ashurst-Old Main Building on the campus of Northern Arizona Normal School in the fall of 1923.

This image, with the Papago Mountains in the background, was taken from 56th Street, near the base of Camelback Mountain. The photograph shows just how remote the area was at the time.Agriculture ruled the Valley as far as the eye could see, and only a handful of homes dotted the landscape. Four years later, this same image would appear on the March 1929 cover of Arizona Highways.

SCOTTSDALE SERVICE CO., SCOTTSDALE, 1925

[RIGHT, TOP] In 1925, Mort Kimsey owned the Scottsdale Service Co., located at the northeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Main Street. During the '20s and '30s - when the desert town boasted barely 1,000 residents - the gas station also housed the Scottsdale Light and Power Co., which Kimsey managed. You'll find Kimsey, who later served as Scottsdale's mayor from 1958 to 1962, at the center of this photograph. E.G. "Scotty" Scott, who operated a nearby blacksmith shop and later served on the Scottsdale Town Council, is to Kimsey's left. The identity of the man to Kimsey's right is unknown.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL, WHITERIVER, 1925

[RIGHT, CENTER] In 1925, Navajo students of the Theodore Roosevelt Indian Boarding School in Whiteriver gathered along the sidelines to cheer on their football team against the neighboring mill-town team of McNary High School. The school got its start after the Theodore Roosevelt Boarding School took over the decommissioned Fort Apache in 1923 and opened a school for Navajo students. Officials agreed to admit local Apache students in the 1930s. Today, Theodore Roosevelt is operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a middle school. Football is still played locally at Alchesay High School in Whiteriver.

WILLIAMS-GRAND CANYON HIGHWAY, WILLIAMS, 1926

[RIGHT, BOTTOM] One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon has been the centerpiece of tourism, travel and adventure for visitors to Arizona for more than a century. In 1926, auto, coach and train travel started in Williams, with early tourists traveling on the Williams-Grand Canyon Highway, a precursor to State Route 64, which was built in 1932. Today, the route from Williams to the South Rim remains a popular choice for visitors to Grand Canyon National Park.

WESTWARD HO, PHOENIX, CIRCA 1928

[LEFT] The Westward Ho Hotel, the tallest building in Arizona when it was built in 1928, topped out at 16 stories (two more than the historic downtown Luhrs Building). It was the premier choice for visitors to Phoenix for decades. Since 1949, the broadcasting tower on the roof has provided a distinctive and recognizable landmark for the city. At one time, the hotel had a basement bowling alley, a ballroom with an elegant watercolor ceiling, and a beautiful outdoor courtyard with a swimming pool. Closed as a hotel in 1980, the Central Avenue historic landmark now provides affordable housing for seniors.

HOUSE ROCK VALLEY, 1929

[BELOW] In 1929, travelers stopped at this lonely gas station in House Rock Valley to check their cars before making the difficult ascent to the Kaibab Plateau after crossing Navajo Bridge over the Colorado River at Lees Ferry. In the 1920s, the United States began building the U.S. highway system, and the state of Arizona created Arizona Highways magazine to promote automobile travel to and through Arizona on this new network of paved highways, including this scenic stretch of U.S. Route 89Athe route that still leads auto travelers past the wondrous Vermilion Cliffs up to Jacob Lake.

COTTON PICKERS, GILA BEND, CIRCA 1930

[LEFT] Cotton is one of the Five-C industries upon which Arizona's economy was founded, along with cattle, copper, citrus and climate. Long staple Egyptian cotton, developed and grown in Arizona prior to World War I, had an exceptionally high tensile strength for industrial use. Gila Bend was just one of the desert valley areas that grew cotton during the boom years of the war. Afterward, with so many farmers in the cotton business, overproduction led to the famous cotton bust of the 1920s. Nonetheless, cotton has remained an important crop in Arizona, with Pima cotton prized worldwide for its superior quality.

ARIZONA BILTMORE, CIRCA 1930S

Marilyn Monroe called the Arizona Biltmore's pool her favorite. Built by the Wrigley family in the 1930s, the pool often played host to diving competitions - like the one pictured hereand fashion shows. So popular was the pool among the fashionable and famous, it sometimes inspired their work. Irving Berlin penned several songs poolside, including one of his most celebrated - White Christmas. The resort itself dates to 1929 and is the only Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced hotel property in the world.

[LEFT, TOP] High school football in Arizona dates back to the earliest years of statehood. Most major city high schools had a team by the 1920s. Mesa High had the Jackrabbits, with their Cowboy Marching Band and the Rabbettes Dance and Flag Team. The school's motto, "Carry On," is credited to a Mesa player, Zedo Ishikawa, who was fatally injured in a gun accident before the first game in 1932. He told his family: "Tell coach to go ahead and play the game tomorrow. Tell the boys to carry on."

[LEFT, BOTTOM] Tourists have enjoyed the first-class accommodations at the Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim for nearly 85 years. In 1930, visitors arrived by motorcoach from the Union Pacific train station in Cedar City, Utah. Designed by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, the lodge was built atop Bright Angel Point and constructed from native stone and lumber. Visitors to the main lodge, which burned in 1932 and reopened in 1937, are treated to amazing vistas and star-filled nights at an elevation of 8,200 feet.

COOLIDGE DAM DEDICATION, COOLIDGE DAM, 1930

[RIGHT] In the 1920s and 1930s, the United States committed to improving rural America with an aggressive program of water reclamation. On March 4, 1930, former President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the dam named in his honor. The dam was built on the Gila River between 1924 and 1928 and created San Carlos Lake on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Standing to Coolidge's right — on the far right side of the stage — is Arizona Governor John C. Phillips; cowboy humorist Will Rogers is standing in front of the podium, facing the crowd.

PARKER MOTOR CO., PARKER, CIRCA 1930S

In the 1930s, Parker locals posed with the latest models.

Models at the Parker Motor Co. Back then, cars were a relatively new phenomenon in this dusty little town. In 1938, Parker Dam was completed, bringing recreationists to the newly formed Lake Havasu. It would be a few years before a bridge was built across the river to California, replacing ferry service and making travel across state lines more accessible to local residents on both sides of the Colorado River. Today, Parker Motor Co. is the local Ford dealership.

Since Congress preserved the Grand Canyon as a monument in 1908 and a national park in 1919, the geologic wonder has become one of the most visited destinations in the United States, if not the world. In 1931, Dr. Albert Einstein and his wife, Elsa Einstein, were two of the more famous tourists to visit the national park, stopping to have their picture taken in front of Hopi House. Designed in 1905 by Mary Jane Colter, it was constructed and operated by the Fred Harvey Co. to sell Native American arts and crafts, a tradition that continues today.

BOULDER DAM, 1934

[RIGHT, TOP] Western states greatly benefited from the Bureau of Reclamation's dambuilding efforts on the nation's largest rivers. Boulder Dam (later renamed Hoover Dam), built on the Colorado River between 1931 and 1936, took many years to design and proved to be a major feat of engineering. The construction of such a large concrete structure had never been attempted, and the desert heat proved challenging - more than 100 workers died during the process. The dam creates Lake Mead, and its generators provide hydroelectric power to Arizona, California and Nevada.

FRONT STREET, JEROME, 1935

[RIGHT, BOTTOM] Jerome's Main Street was crowded with cars in 1935, after Phelps Dodge bought and reopened the United Verde Mine. The mining town, once known as "The Wickedest Town in the West" for its round-theclock saloons and rowdy redlight district, was just beginning its last great decade of production. A billion-dollar mine, the United Verde produced critical copper supplies for both world wars. Jerome was nearly abandoned after the mines closed in the 1950s, but the town has since clung to Cleopatra Hill and become a favorite home for artists and a destination for tourists.

[RIGHT] In 1936, Jean, a Harvey Girl, posed in front of La Posada Hotel in Winslow. The historic property, designed by Mary Jane Colter, was the crown jewel of the Fred Harvey Co. Constructed and furnished for $2 million ($40 million today), it was a masterpiece of Colter's style and design. In the 1950s, the hotel was closed and later converted to offices for the Santa Fe Railway. In the 1990s, the hotel was sold again, and it has since been restored to its original splendor and reopened as one of Arizona's most significant architectural treasures.

[BELOW] During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked to improve and conserve natural resources on public lands across the country. With a workforce of unmarried men between the ages of 18 and 25, the CCC sponsored several camps across Arizona. In Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, the corps built trails, campgrounds and fences, and worked to control erosion. Years after the camp featured in this photograph was abandoned, it was used as a set for Hollywood films.

BRIGHT ANGEL LODGE, GRAND CANYON, 1938

[ABOVE] In 1938, the Fred Harvey Co. marketed the Bright Angel Lodge at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon as its [ABOVE] In 1938, the Fred Harvey Co. marketed the Bright Angel Lodge at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon as its newest accommodation for the middle-class traveler. Designed by architect Mary Jane Colter, the lodge replaced the weathered Bright Angel Camp, which dated to 1896. Auto touring to the Grand Canyon has always attracted owners of historic vehicles, including these tourists and their 1904 Oldsmobile. Today, the hotel is known for its romantic setting and rustic use of native timber and stone — the lobby fireplace was built

with stone from every layer of the Canyon's walls.

ROUTE 66, WILLIAMS, 1938

[LEFT] From the mid-1920s to the mid-1980s, travelers across the American Southwest traversed and romanticized Route 66, making it America's most famous highway. Williams was a popular stop on the “Mother Road” until it was bypassed by Interstate 40 in 1984. Today, after a great deal of effort by city leaders, downtown Williams is a centerpiece of Route 66 history and a gateway to the Grand Canyon on the restored Grand Canyon Railway.

[LEFT, TOP] Accidents were just one of the hazards of railroad-ing across the rugged landscape of Arizona. Even prior to Arizona's becoming a Territory, nation builders imagined great railroads connecting the coun-try from coast to coast. The ear-liest surveyors sent to Arizona after it became a U.S. Territory in 1863 were instructed to report on the best routes for wagons and trains. The two primary surveys eventually became the routes for the Santa Fe Railway across Northern Arizona and the track line for the Southern Pacific through Southern Ari-zona, which also included the creation of the first bridge across the Colorado River at Yuma in 1872. In 1939, Yuma was home to approximately 5,300 residents. Perched at the confluence of the Gila and Colorado rivers, the agricultural community was first settled by Spanish explorers. As Ari-zona's gateway to California, Yuma boasts the oldest railroad and automobile bridges across the Colorado River. Today, the Western Arizona community yields one of the largest lettuce crops in the world.

THE LEWIS CAFÉ AND TAVERN, KINGMAN, 1940

[ABOVE] The Lewis Café and Tavern on Route 66 between Sixth and Seventh streets in Kingman was a mainstay of the community for many years. Charlie Lum, in the center of this postcard photo, came to Kingman from China in 1922 to work at his grandfather's White House Café. Charlie opened his own restaurant, The Jade, around 1951 and was later involved in various other local enterprises. His family members are still community business leaders in Kingman.

COOL SPRINGS CABINS, NEAR KINGMAN, 1940

[BELOW] Located 20 miles west of Kingman, Cool Springs Cabins Auto Court was a welcome respite for summertime travelers along Route 66. In addition to cabins, Cool Springs featured a restaurant and service station, but its proprietors were popular among guests, as well. Floyd and Mary Spidell oversaw the cabins for years, taking care of their native stone façades and serving the "tasty foods" that the property's billboard promoted.

ARIZONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

ARIZONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

[LEFT, TOP] By 1940, Mill Avenue had become the heart of Tempe. Although only 2,900 residents lived there at the time, the city was growing quickly, due to the expansion of Arizona State Teachers College. The college later became Arizona State University, and Mill Avenue continues to be the city's primary commercial district.

[LEFT, CENTER] Tucson's Congress Street has long been one of the town's busiest. In this photo, which dates to 1940, flags and banners promoting the city's Fiesta de Los Vaqueros Rodeo hang from awnings, and the 11-story Chase Bank Building-located at 2 E. Congress Street - looms in the background. Built for $1 million in 1929, the building was the first skyscraper in the Old Pueblo. Today, Congress Street is home to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, boutiques and nightclubs.

[LEFT, BOTTOM] In 1940, the corner of Fifth and Allen streets in Tombstone was still one of the most famous in Arizona, thanks to the Crystal Palace Saloon. In 1879, Frederick Wehrfritz built the two-story building with a bar on the first floor and offices above. Originally named the Golden Eagle Brewery, it was renamed the Crystal Palace to give it an air of glamour. Today, visitors to the Crystal Palace can still enjoy a good meal, dance to live music and have a drink at the bar, just as the Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday and Johnny Ringo might have so many legendary years ago.

CAMELBACK INN, PARADISE VALLEY, CIRCA 1940

Thanks to mild temperatures and a prevalence of sunny skies, visitors to metropolitan Phoenix have long reveled in spending time outdoors even in the dead of winter. That was the case for the women pictured here, who experienced “June in January” at Camelback Inn. Located in the shadows of Camelback and Mummy mountains, the inn — built by entrepreneur Jack Stuart — remains one of the state’s finest resort, spa and golf destinations.

GOODY GOODY RESTAURANT, PHOENIX, CIRCA 1940

[ABOVE] Located at Seventh Street and McDowell Road in Phoenix, the Goody Goody served up sandwiches and a decent cuppa' joe, al fresco. Owners later renamed the restaurant The Coffee Pot, in honor of the restaurant's unique architecture.

GLOBE, 1940

[BELOW] Globe became Gila County's hub in 1875, when silver was discovered nearby. Along with its neighbors, Miami and Claypool, the town boasted one of the largest copper mining and smelting operations in the country. In 1940, Globe's downtown bore a rich tapestry of early 20th century architecture, as evidenced in this photograph. Nearby Miami was home to legendary Arizona Highways editor Raymond Carlson, who also edited the Arizona Silver Belt, a regional publication.

BILLBOARDS, PRESCOTT, 1942

[ABOVE] Prescott, the first Territorial capital of Arizona, has been the hub of Yavapai County since the mid-1860s. During World War II, when the nation was under heavy gas rationing, the Santa Fe, Prescott & Phoenix Railway shipped tons of lumber, cattle, sheep and copper out of Prescott for the war effort. The billboard on the left encourages residents to purchase war bonds, while the billboard on the right promotes a Warner Bros. Western.

CADET ASSEMBLY, THUNDERBIRD FIELD I, GLENDALE, 1942

[RIGHT] During World War II, Arizona became a training base for America's armed forces. Air bases were built all over the state to host American and foreign pilots. Thunderbird Field in Glendale eventually trained 10,000 pilots, including this group of cadets who gathered for a lecture in April 1942. After the war, many servicemen returned to Arizona, which helped contribute to the state's exponential growth in the late '40s and into the '50s.

BILLBOARD, FLAGSTAFF, 1945

[ABOVE] After World War II, automobile tourism helped stimulate Arizona's economy. Given their spectacular scenery, places like Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon were popular destinations, and proprietors were eager to promote their businesses. Thus, billboards such as this one which stood near downtown Flagstaff sprang up around the state. Not only did the sign highlight Oak Creek Canyon's gorgeous landscape, but it also played up its easy access -just a quarter-mile down the road on State Route 89A.

ROUTE 66, ASH FORK, 1945

Founded as a major hub for the Santa Fe Railway in 1882, Ash Fork was fed by numerous spur lines from Cen-tral Arizona, which led to its switching yard. There, passengers and commodities such as cattle, sheep, copper ore, lumber and cotton passed through daily. In the mid-1940s, Ash Fork welcomed visitors to its main street, Route 66, to stop for gas, food and a room for the night. Today, the town has been bypassed by Interstate 40, but it's still possible to drive Route 66 from Ash Fork to Seligman.

This view of the south side of Camelback Mountain shows the Phoenix landmark before the development that now surrounds it. Long before statehood, the federal government planned to use the area around Camelback Mountain as an Indian reservation. Those efforts failed, and the mountain was privately owned for several decades. In the 1960s, Barry Goldwater spearheaded preservation efforts, and today, the city of Phoenix operates the upper portion of the mountain as a park and desert preserve.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR FOREIGN TRADE, GLENDALE, 1946

In 1946, Thunderbird Airfield No. 1 in Glendale was transformed into the American Institute for Foreign Trade. Designed to look like a Thunderbird from the air, the cutting-edge training facility was built before World War II by Del Webb. The project was funded by a group of Hollywood stars and the founder of Southwest Airways, who believed America needed to be ready for war. Today, renamed the Thunderbird School for Global Management, the graduate school is recognized worldwide as a leader in international business studies. It continues to use many of the original buildings for classrooms and administration offices.

HAYDEN FLOUR MILL, TEMPE, 1947

[RIGHT, TOP] Built by concrete contractor J.C. Steele in 1918, Hayden Flour Mill is the oldest cast-in-place, reinforced concrete building in Tempe. Although the existing building dates only to 1918, milling operations at the site actually began much earlier. During Arizona's Territorial days, flour from Hayden Mill was carried to mining camps and military posts by mule. Pioneer children used Hayden Mill flour sacks for clothing, and the mill's output was estimated into the millions of dollars. Recently, developers launched a $700,000 project to convert the millvacant for decades into an event space.

HANNY'S, PHOENIX, 1948

[RIGHT, BOTTOM] Located at the corner of Adams and First streets in downtown Phoenix, the Hanny's building was once home to Hanny's department store and its namesake restaurant. When the store opened in 1947, the Arizona Times heralded the building as “an architectural divergence for downtown Phoenix.” The department store closed in 1986, and the city of Phoenix later leased the building as a training facility for firefighters. After a threeyear restoration, the building recently reopened as Hanny's Restaurant.

THE PACKRAT & ZEPH'S GARAGE, SCOTTSDALE, 1948

[ABOVE] Today, downtown Scottsdale is a thriving community of galleries, nightlife and resorts. Brown Avenue has always been a center of retail activity, dating back to 1897, when J.L. Davis opened the town's first general store. In 1948, The Packrat shop, Zeph's service station and Chew's grocery store anchored retail shopping on Brown, north of Main Street. In the background of this photo is Our Lady of Perpetual Help Adobe Mission. Built by the local Mexican-American community in the early 1930s, it has recently been restored as a chapel of reflection for the community and tourists.

HOTEL GADSDEN, DOUGLAS, 1949

[BELOW] The historic Hotel Gadsden, built in 1907 in Douglas, was the premier accommodation and mercantile center of the copper-rich border town in 1949. Named for the Gadsden Purchase, it's a five-story hotel with a majestic lobby and 160 rooms that have hosted ranchers, miners and celebrities for the past century. The National Historic Site is one of the great hotels of Arizona, and travelers can still dine in the El Conquistador Dining Room, have a whiskey in the World Famous Saddle & Spur Tavern, and have breakfast with locals in the Cattleman's Coffee Shop.

GURLEY STREET, PRESCOTT, 1950

[ABOVE] With Thumb Butte in the distance, the corner of Gurley and Cortez streets has remained a welcoming entrance to downtown Prescott since the town was founded in 1864. The historic north side of Gurley, between Cortez and Montezuma, remains a center of commerce for the town and tourists. In 1950, the Eagle Drug Store - in the foreground of this photographstood at 102 W. Gurley. The pharmacy later moved, and today a bank resides in its location.

MAIN STREET, MESA, 1950

[BELOW] In 1950, Mesa's Main Street resembled that of many other suburban towns - it featured a drugstore, a shoe store, a medical office, an inn and a café or two. Established by Mormon pioneers in 1877, the once-sleepy farm town relied on Hohokam irrigation canals to guide water from the Salt River to its crops. The town's population was 17,000 in 1950, and Mesa now boasts more than 400,000 residents.

MARANA SERVICE Mobilubrica MOBIL STATION, MARANA, 1950

[ABOVE] Travelers who stopped at Olin Waples' Mobil gas station off State Route 84 in Marana during the 1950s would have been on a historic route that followed both the railroad tracks and old stage lines from Tucson to Casa Grande. From the 1920s to the present, Arizona has been defined by its growth. Many of the state's major roads follow the same routes Native Americans and pioneers used to traverse the ever-changing and sometimes challenging geography of the Sonoran Desert.

After entrepreneur Fred Harvey received the contract to manage food and lodging along the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway line in the 1870s, the Fred Harvey brand became synonymous with the best railroad food and accommodations in the nation. The hotel and restaurant chain the first of its kind adapted to the post-WWII boom in auto tourism and built motels and restaurants all along Route 66, which ran parallel to the Santa Fe Railway line in the Southwest. Billboards advertising affordable food and accommodations outside Seligman were a welcome sight to the weary traveler driving “the Mother Road” across Northern Arizona.

EL CONQUISTADOR HOTEL, TUCSON, CIRCA 1950

For more than a century, Tucson has been a destination for tourists, health seekers and winter visitors. From 1928 to 1964, the El Conquistador Hotel in midtown Tucson was one of the city's most exclusive resorts, with 120 acres of luxurious accommodations. Architect Annie Graham Rockfellow, who contributed many of her designs to the historic landscape of Tucson, designed the hotel and its grounds in a California Mission style. Today, rebuilt in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, the Hilton El Conquistador remains one of the finest resort destinations in the state.

CHEVRON STATION, CONGRESS, 1950

Historic Congress Junction, now known as Congress, was an important stopping point for travelers on State Route 89 from Wickenburg to Prescott in 1950. For truck drivers traveling on the desert highway, the Chevron station was a welcome refuge after the switchbacks of Yarnell Hill. It also served as a last stop for travelers to check their radiators, oil or tires before making the steep climb up the old White Spar Highway. Congress was a gold-mining town that endured from the 1880s to the 1930s, and the Santa Fe, Prescott & Phoenix Railway had a rail station 3 miles away at Congress Junction.

AIRPLANE PARADE, SAFFORD, 1950

An ERCO Ercoupe airplane parade, with wings removed, in Safford demonstrated the growing post-WWII Use of private airplanes as a favorite mode of travel across the wide expanses of the Southwest. The unique parade came right down Safford's Main Street, past Sears, Florsheim Shoes, Star Café, Crandall's Drug Store and the Chuck Wagon Café. The Ercoupe, which was first built in the 1930s, was an Americandesigned-and-manufactured airplane with many innovations that made the aircraft safe, easy to fly and popular with pilots.

Today, the ERCO Ercoupe, which influenced small-plane engineering for decades, is a highly collectable aircraft.

ROUTE 66, KINGMAN, CIRCA 1950

[LEFT] Thanks to the popularity of Route 66, Kingman experienced an economic boom in the 1950s. It was a major stop for tourists, truckers and salesmen who traveled the "Mother Road" until the route was bypassed by Interstate 40. Some of the motels and diners that existed along Route 66 in the 1950s remain there today.

CENTRAL AVENUE, PHOENIX, CIRCA 1950S

[RIGHT] By the 1950s, downtown Phoenix had become a bustling urban center. This view looking north of Central Avenue and Washington Street shows First National Bank, the Lerner Shops and a Walgreens drugstore. The Westward Ho's broadcast towers loom in the background (see page 34). Today, the corner of Central and Washington is home to office buildings and eateries and is within walking distance of downtown event venues such as Chase Field, U.S. Airways Center and the Orpheum Theatre.

IDLEWILD GROCERY, CAVE CREEK, CIRCA 1950s

Idlewild Grocery and Gas Station on Cave Creek Road in Cave Creek was the last stop for boaters en route to the lakes northeast of Phoenix. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Cave Creek was a day trip from Central Phoenix up paved and

gravel roads. It was originally a small mining and ranching community dating to the 1870s, but the construction of Bartlett and Horseshoe dams, followed by the development of dude ranches in the area, led to Cave Creek becoming a rustic retreat with a Wild West atmosphere of restaurants, bars and resorts.

MCDONALD'S, PHOENIX, CIRCA 1950S

The second franchised McDonald's in the United States opened in Phoenix in 1953 at Central Avenue and Indian School Road. It was the first location to use the now-famous golden-arches design. Later that year, the original McDonald's owned by Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California rebuilt to incorporate the arches. Today, McDonald's are everywhere. In addition to the more than 50 restaurants in metro Phoenix alone, you'll find golden arches in 119 countries worldwide.

SHOW LOW, 1954

Founded in 1870, Show Low received its name when C.E. Cooley and Marion Clark decided there wasn't enough room for the both of them in the yet-to-be-named settlement. So, the two men sat down for a game of cards to determine who would stay and who would go. According to legend, Clark said, “If you can show low, you win.” Cooley turned the two of clubs, thus giving the settlement its name. By 1954, Show Low had emerged as an important stop for travelers to Arizona's Rim Country and the White Mountains.

SNOW SKIERS, FLAGSTAFF, 1954

[LEFT] Arizona Snowbowl (not pictured) in Flagstaff is one of the state's three ski resorts. Opened originally in 1938 as a simple rope-tow from Hart Prairie, the ski area developed slowly. Between 1954 and 1962, Agassiz Lodge, the first two chairlifts and the main road were built, creating Northern Arizona's first major ski destination. Today, Arizona Snowbowl has 32 trails, four lifts, one conveyor for beginners and two lodges.

FRONTIER DAYS RODEO QUEENS, PRESCOTT, 1955

[BELOW] In the summer of 1955, the Queen's Court of the Frontier Days Rodeo lined up at the corner of Gurley and Montezuma streets for a portrait before the mile-high city's weeklong Fourth of July festivities. Prescott's Independence Day celebration is still known nationwide for its parade, festival on the courthouse square, nightly crowds on Whiskey Row and the World's Oldest Rodeo.

[RIGHT] Before the corner of Scottsdale and Camelback roads became a kind of mecca for approximately 12 million shoppers a year, it was the Scottsdale Jaycees rodeo ground for Parada del Sol, which began as the Sunshine Festival in 1954. The Jaycees added a rodeo to the nation's longest horse-drawn parade in 1956. A local rancher loaned them this undeveloped corner for the arena, until the site was sold at the end of the decade to develop Goldwater's Department Store and Scottsdale Fashion Square. Today, the Parada del Sol Parade and Rodeo is one of the marquee annual events in Scottsdale.

[LEFT] In 1952, Scottsdale's Chamber of Commerce debuted the cowboy sign on the northeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Main Street. The colorful buckaroo became a symbol of Scottsdale's hospitality and representative of the city's motto: "The West's Most Western Town." Created by sign-maker Monte Flagg, the cowboy was adopted as the city's trademark. In 1956, 15 replicas were distributed across the city, welcoming and directing visitors to the growing art and restaurant district in Old Town Scottsdale.

HUGHES AIRCRAFT CO., TUCSON, 1957

More than 60 years ago, eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes selected Tucson as the best possible location to build his airplanes. By 1957, when the first computer was delivered to Hughes Aircraft Co., the factory had become one of the largest employers in the state. It seemed that Arizona's friendly business climate and unique landscape proved a big draw for the nation's leaders in the aerospace and computer industries. Although Raytheon now owns Hughes Aircraft, the company continues to be a major employer in Tucson, particularly in its missile division.

MARYVALE BILLBOARD, PHOENIX, 1958

In 1954, real estate developer John F. Long envi sioned the town of Maryvale, which is named for his wife, describing it as "a community that would provide homes for young families and a place for their recreation and employment and so forth - and their entertainment all in one given area." By 1958, when this billboard was photographed, Maryvale had become just that. It was the foundation of masterplanned communities such as Fountain Hills that would later emerge across metropolitan Phoenix.

FUTURAMA SHOWROOM, PHOENIX, 1958

John F. Long built his first home for himself. Then he sold it and built another one. That trend continued until Long had become one of the biggest realestate developers in Arizona. While Maryvale, one of his early communities, was booming (see page 61), Long continued to purchase property. So popular were his master-planned communities that people flocked to showrooms - like the one shown here - to choose flooring, cupboards, exterior styles and more. Boasting low prices, minimal down payments and a variety of customizable options, Long's communities became a symbol of growth in the decades following World War II.

LULU BELLE, SCOTTSDALE, CIRCA 1960S

The Lulu Belle - Gay Nineties Cocktail Bar and Restaurant Scottsdale, located on East Main Street just off Scottsdale Road, was designed by Evelyn and Robert Foehl, the founders of the upscale Valley Ho. Originally the Saguaro Bar, Lulu Belle had a historic bar shipped in from San Francisco, creating a turnof-the-century atmosphere that attracted celebrities, musicians and tourists. One famous couple, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, are said to have had their wedding dinner at Lulu Belle, cementing its legendary status as a Scottsdale celebrity watering hole.

LAKE POWELL, NEAR PAGE, CIRCA 19605

[OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT] It took Lake Powell 10 years to fill following the completion of Glen Canyon Dam. When it did, it became a water-recreation mecca. Eager boaters on the lake discovered intricate and beautiful canyons of sandstone; ancient, mysterious Pueblo ruins; and a new passage to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Today, approximately 3 million people visit Lake Powell each year to take advantage of its countless recreation opportunities and miles and miles of transcendent cliffs and canyons.

FRANCISCO GRANDE HOTEL, CASA GRANDE, CIRCA 1960

[OPPOSITE PAGE, FAR RIGHT] The Francisco Grande Hotel and Golf Resort, developed by San Francisco Giants owner Horace Stoneham, opened in 1961. With its bat-shaped swimming pool and baseball-inspired décor, the resort appealed to fans, players and managers, who flocked to the area for spring training. Stoneham and Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck founded the Cactus League in 1947.

BILLY MOORE DAYS FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA BILLY MOORE DAYS PARADE, AVONDALE, CIRCA 1960S

[ABOVE] When William “Billy” Moore raised a freight station on the western shore of the Agua Fria River, he called the site Coldwater. Decades later, the town was renamed as Avondale, and today, residents celebrate their founder with the annual Billy Moore Days Parade. In this photograph, which dates to the 1960s, Senator Barry Goldwater, Governor Paul Fannin and U.S. Representative John Rhodes travel the parade route in a 1958 Ford Fairlane.

PINK PONY, SCOTTSDALE, 1960

[BELOW] When the Baltimore Orioles began training in downtown Scottsdale in 1956, the Pink Pony restaurant became the unofficial local headquarters for major-leaguers and their fans. After purchasing the property from Ping Bell, owner Charlie Briley gave the restaurant its iconic name and transformed it into a steakhouse and saloon. The restaurant closed for a few years following Briley’s death, but reopened under new ownership in 2011.

HOWDY DUDETTES, HOTEL VALLEY HO, SCOTTSDALE, 1960

[RIGHT] The Valley Ho has been a symbol of Scottsdale's hospitality industry for decades. In the 1950s, the chamber of commerce created the Howdy Dudettes to be goodwill ambassadors for the city. For three decades, the Dudettes helped greet visitors and conventioneers, celebrate holidays and attend ribbon-cuttings of new resorts and restaurants. The Valley Ho, a national historic hotel, opened in 1956 as one of the first year-round resort hotels in Scottsdale. Conceptualized by hoteliers Robert and Evelyn Foehl, the iconic resort was designed by Edward L. Varney, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.

KACHINA THEATER, SCOTTSDALE, 1960

[ABOVE] As automobile tourism boomed in the '50s and '60s, motels along Van Buren Street in Phoenix began competing for attention each of them boasting lower prices, colder air, better food and bigger swimming pools. Some had trolleys and out-door drive-up movies, while others played up garish Arabian, Tahitian or Wild West themes. The Romney Sun Dancer was no exception. Located at 803 E. Van Buren Street, just east of downtown Phoenix, the hotel was a study in bright colors and kitsch.

door drive-up movies, while others played up garish Arabian, Tahitian or Wild West themes. The Romney Sun Dancer was no exception. Located at 803 E. Van Buren Street, just east of downtown Phoenix, the hotel was a study in bright colors and kitsch.

SAFARI COFFEE SHOP, SCOTTSDALE, CIRCA 1960s

[LEFT] During the 1960s, the coffee shop at the Safari Hotel in Scottsdale was a popular meeting place, day or night. It was known for its Swedish pancakes and a menu that appealed to late-night revelers, as well as hotel guests who flocked to the restaurant for fare during normal mealtimes. When it opened in 1956, the Safari Hotel was billed as the first year-round resort in Scottsdale. It featured 108 airconditioned rooms a first for a region where most resorts were open only during the winter months. The hotel attracted movie stars, athletes and other celebrities.

JOHN F. KENNEDY AND JACQUELINE KENNEDY, ARIZONA BILTMORE RESORT, PHOENIX, CIRCA 1960s

[RIGHT, TOP] With its glamour, style and exclusivity, the Arizona Biltmore, known as "the Jewel of the Desert," has attracted the world-famous since its opening in 1929. In fact, every U.S. president visiting Arizona has stayed at the hotel since Herbert Hoover. President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy were guests at the Biltmore in the early '60s, and stayed in the luxurious, 1,650-square-foot Frank Lloyd Wright Presidential Suite, which can accommodate up to 30 guests and includes a private balcony and gold bathroom fixtures.

SKY HARBOR AIRPORT PARKING LOT, PHOENIX, 1961

[RIGHT, BOTTOM] By 1961, Sky Harbor had become the largest airport in Arizona, thanks to the patronage of both American Airlines and TWA. In 1962, the airport opened Terminal 2, which is still in use today. Scenic Airways established the airport in 1928, but went bankrupt shortly thereafter. The city of Phoenix has owned Sky Harbor since 1935, and today it ranks as one of the 10 busiest airports in the nation, ushering through some 38.5 million passengers per year.

AMERICAN AIRLINES JET, SKY HARBOR AIRPORT, PHOENIX, 1961

[RIGHT, TOP] American Airlines is the oldest commercial airline to serve Phoenix, having begun passenger and mail service to Sky Harbor Airport in 1930. When this jet landed at the airport in 1961, it did so at Terminal 1, which was built in 1952 and served passengers until 1990, when it was demolished for airport improvements.

GLEN CANYON DAM, 1962

[RIGHT, BOTTOM] Construction of Glen Canyon Dam from 1956 to 1963 attracted supporters and detractors from across the country. They debated the importance of another dam on the upper Colorado River Basin for water storage and power generation. One of the last mega-dams built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the 710-foothigh concrete edifice created Lake Powell, the second-largest man-made reservoir in the United States. Today, while the dam's necessity is still debated by environmentalists, the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is one of the most popular destinations for recreation in Arizona and the Southwest.

Phantom Ranch remains one of the most remote and exclusive outposts in the national park system. It is located at the bottom of Bright Angel Trail on the north side of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. In 1962, these visitors soaked in the cool spring waters of a swimming pool that had been built by the CCC in 1935. Though the pool was closed in 1972 (and later removed), the ranch remains one of the most popular destinations at the Canyon. Visitors may stay in rustic Mary Jane Colter-designed cabins or in dormitories.

[LEFT, TOP] By the 1960s, Dateland Café had become a welcome sight for travelers cruising the long stretch of Interstate 8 between San Diego and Phoenix. The date orchard was planted behind the café during this era, leading to the creation of the date milkshakes that continue to be popular today. Although Dateland has evolved as an oasis, it hasn't always been so sophisticated. In the 1920s, drivers would cool off in the irrigation ponds nearby, and in the 1940s, General George Patton built two training camps in the area.

[LEFT, CENTER] New York City has its subways; Chicago its elevated trains; San Francisco its bridges. Arizona has its cars, malls and drive-through everything: carwashes, dry cleaners, dairies, liquor stores and taco shops, to name a few. In 1966, the first drivethrough post office was established at the El Con Shopping Plaza in Tucson. The shopping center, named after the adjacent El Conquistador Hotel on East Broadway, was the first mall in Tucson.

[LEFT, BOTTOM] The old Hackberry Grocery and Gas Station was a relic by 1971. It sat on a lonely stretch of Historic Route 66, bypassed by Interstate 40. Today, the gas pumps are long gone, but Hackberry General Store lives on, allowing visitors to reminisce about the Hackberry of old. A handful of miners from the now-shuttered Hackberry Mine built the town in 1874 near the only spring in the area - it flowed from beneath a hackberry tree.

POPE JOHN PAUL II, PHOENIX, 1987

[ABOVE] Pope John Paul II toured the United States in September 1987. His pastoral visit to Phoenix included a parade down Central Avenue in the “Popemobile”; a visit to St. Joseph’s Hospital; a tour of St. Mary’s Basilica and SS. Simon & Jude Cathedral; a meeting with Native Americans at Veterans Memorial Coliseum; and Mass at Sun Devil Stadium. His visit to the American Southwest was a historic first - John Paul II was the first Roman Catholic pontiff to visit the region since the arrival of the first Catholic missionaries in the 16th century.

NBA FINALS, PHOENIX, 1993 WORLD SERIES, PHOENIX, 2001

[RIGHT] When the Arizona Diamondbacks debuted at Bank One Ballpark (now Chase Field) in 1998, it seemed inconceivable that they'd win a World Series just a few years later. But that's exactly what happened. In 2001, the Diamondbacks defeated the storied New York Yankees in what many consider to be one of the greatest World Series ever played. Led by pitchers Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling (pictured here), the Diamondbacks won in seven games and became the fastest expansion team in major-league history to win the Commissioner's Trophy.

MIKE O'CALLAGHAN - PAT TILLMAN MEMORIAL BRIDGE, HOOVER DAM, 2010

[BELOW] The $240 million Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is the focal point of the massive Hoover Dam Bypass project, which was completed in late 2010. The bridge was named for former football star Pat Tillman, an Army Ranger who was killed in action, and former Nevada governor and Korean-War veteran Mike O'Callaghan. The bridge, which towers 900 feet above the Colorado River, features four lanes and replaces the winding two-lane portion of U.S. Route 93 that moved travelers between Arizona and Las Vegas for decades.

WALLOW FIRE, WHITE MOUNTAINS, 2011

[RIGHT] Sparked by an unattended campfire on May 29, 2011, the Wallow Fire quickly grew to more than 530,000 acres, surpassing the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski Fire to become the largest wildfire in Arizona history. Fueled by wind, the fire charred large portions of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in the White Mountains and crossed the state line into New Mexico. By the time the fire was contained in July 2011, it had destroyed 32 homes and four businesses. Although a final analysis is still ongoing, officials predict that the total cost to contain the Wallow Fire will be approximately $80 million.

DUST STORM, PHOENIX, 2011

[BELOW] In 2011, the Phoenix metro area suffered some of itsmost dramatic weather, from scorchingly hot days to record below-freezing temperatures and magnificently frightening monsoon storms that swept Through the desert basin. One such storm created this massive dust wall (sometimes called a haboob) on July 5.

THE PICTURE-PERFECT SETTING TO CELEBRATE ARIZONA'S CENTENNIAL

For more than a century, Mesa has shared the Arizona experience with countless travelers and passersby. This town founded on the mesa has grown into one of the state's most in-demand destinations. Make it Mesa and you'll find a landscape that is unchanged but not uncharted. Happy birthday, Arizona!