History

There’s some debate about the inception and original ownership of Granite Dells Resort, which was a prime vacation spot in the Prescott area from the early 1900s to the 1970s. The Weekly Arizona Journal-Miner listed the resort’s grand opening in 1903, but an article in the Prescott Journal-Miner from May 1907 announced another opening four years later. Several articles reference the “original” owner being a businessman named Ed Shumate, who reportedly sold the property in 1905 after investing a large amount of money in upgrading the facilities.

It was halftime in the 1973 AA state basketball tournament semifinals, and Flagstaff’s Coconino High School Panthers found themselves down 20 points and receiving a stern lecture from head coach Stan Townsend. “You guys picked the worst time to play your worst game,” he said. “You seniors, this is your last chance. You guys need to get together and figure it out.”

Maybe you’ve spent a night or two in one of the cabins, or maybe you’ve stopped in for a dozen cookies or a jägerschnitzel dinner. But if you’ve so much as visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, you know about Jacob Lake Inn, which marks a century in business this year. And while its location at the top of the North Rim Parkway (State Route 67) has been key to that longevity, so has the determination of the family running the place.

Jay Datus was only 23 when he got the opportunity of a lifetime: to paint murals inside the Arizona State Library in the 1930s. It was an important milestone in the career of Datus, who was born in Michigan in 1914 and became known as an “Arizona muralist” for his vivid depictions of the state’s history and culture.

In a city that’s seen so many changes over the years, it’s hard to say what part of town has changed the most. South Phoenix would be on the list. In the 1950s, the landscape down there looked dramatically
different, including the stretch of Baseline Road between 32nd and 48th streets, which was lined with flower farms owned by Japanese-American families who had purchased the land after World War II. Seven families operated what were known as the “Japanese flower farms.” Today, only one family remains: the Nakagawas.

From showers and baths to sinks and dishwashers, water is something we often take for granted. But the challenges of maintaining a feasible water supply in Arizona’s desert landscape have existed since people started living here. The Hohokam people were the first to design and build irrigation systems in the area, starting as far back as A.D. 200, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. That tradition continues today with the Central Arizona Project, which delivers water to more than 80 percent of the state’s population.

Even if you’re new to the state, you’ve probably heard of Wallace and Ladmo, the beloved characters of the long-running TV show that bore their names. But long before Wallace Snead made his broadcast debut, Lew King was engaging and inspiring Arizona’s kids.

These days, a road trip from Los Angeles to Phoenix is routine, but in the infancy of car travel, driving that distance was an accomplishment. Thus, the Cactus Derby, which debuted in November 1908 and covered what then was a route of more than 500 miles. According to a June 1969 Arizona Highways story, the winner of that race was Colonel F.C. Fenner, who was driving a White steamer that averaged a blistering 17.6 miles per hour.

Arizona history is full of swindlers, but few were as brazen as Richard C. Flower, who advertised his con right in the name of the operation. As the story goes, in the late 1890s, Flower was seeking to incorporate his mining company and was asked what he wanted to name it. He replied, “Any name that will cause them to spend their mazuma” (a Yid­dish-derived slang term for money). And Spenazuma was born.

The Murphy family made many contributions to the development of Phoenix. Among other things, the family built part of the Arizona Canal, helped found the city of Glendale and planted some of the state’s first citrus trees. And, in 1909, they opened the Ingleside Club, a private club near Indian School Road and 60th Street in present-day Scottsdale.