Browse our history archive.

Central Arizona Project

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…

The Lew King Ranger Show

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…

The Cactus Derby

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,…

The Spenazuma Swindle

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…

Hilltop Gallery

On a bright afternoon in May 1972, Mrs. Molera led some of her Nogales third-grade students on a walk from A.J. Mitchell Elementary School up the hill to a new art gallery…

Ingleside Inn

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…

St. Vincent de Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) dates to 1833, when French law student Frédéric Ozanam started the Conference of Charity to help impoverished communities in…

The Escape Artist

Between 1931 and 1936, Harry Jarrett turned up in Atlanta, in El Paso, in New Mexico and under a house. That was noteworthy because he was supposed to be doing time…

Charlie Clark’s Steakhouse

With roots that reach back to Prohibition,  Charlie Clark’s Steakhouse is billed as the fifth-oldest steakhouse in Arizona. But it’s gone through a few changes on its way…