History

In April 1929, the discovery of a vein of gold and lead ore in the Hualapai Mountains, near Kingman, spurred the development of the Gold King Mine. And today, a building known as the Gold King Mansion stands as a reminder of the area’s mining history.

The Gold King Mine’s proprietor was Paul M. “Paddy” Woods — who, according to a local legend, drove a large Cadillac to and from the mine. Another legend claims that the company’s secretary would literally ride shotgun, with a 12-gauge on her lap, as the two ferried the mine’s payroll to the site from Los Angeles.

Decades ago, John Schaefer, who was president of the University of Arizona from 1971 to 1982, asked one bold question of legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams. It happened on March 17, 1974, during the opening for Adams’ exhibition at the university’s art gallery, and it happened because Schaefer wanted Adams’ archive to live at the school.

When the city of Phoenix acquired Sky Harbor Airport in 1935, it was just a glimmer of what the facility is today. It had one terminal and served a small number of planes. According to Sky Harbor historians, “By December 1940, the airlines at Sky Harbor included American, TWA, Carl Knier’s Sky Harbor Air Service and Southwest Airways, Inc., bringing the total number of planes at Sky Harbor to 35.”

At the turn of the 20th century, Bisbee might have been considered rough around the edges. At its peak, the Copper Queen Mine employed 2,700 men to pull copper ore from the earth and run ancillary operations, and the smelter burned 24 hours a day. Bars and brothels were on a similar schedule.

In the early 1930s, Angelo Caviglia began construction on a 2,000-square-foot adobe building with an adjacent 700-square-foot livery stable. His goal? To create a gathering place for residents of Arivaca and the nearby community of Ruby, which was experiencing a boom thanks to the nearby Montana Mine.

For one of Tucson’s first rodeos, the Arizona Ice & Cold Storage Co. offered a prize much more valuable in February 1925, the year the rodeo began, than it would be today: a giant block of ice. And while the event — traditionally known as La Fiesta de los Vaqueros — has grown and changed over the past 100 years, it continues to showcase the Old Pueblo’s Wild West allure and entertain winter visitors and year-round residents.

During the early days of the Great Depression, a Phoenix voice teacher decided to bring some joy to the community by forming an all-American chorus. Douglas Russell posted a notice in The Arizona Republican asking for men to join the Orpheus Club — named for the Greek god of music. The club’s first meeting was held on November 5, 1929, and attracted about 25 men who performed on Christmas morning during a KTAR radio broadcast.

Newspaper writers in the 1920s were known for hyperbole, but sometimes, their enthusiasm ended up being prophetic. That was the case in September 1925, when The Arizona Republican announced the opening of the Gold Spot, a concrete and stucco shopping center on the northeast corner of Roosevelt Street and Third Avenue in Phoenix.

From the geological wonders of the Huachuca Mountains to the Spanish expedition celebrated at Coronado National Memorial, Sierra Vista offers access to plenty of natural and human history. Half a century ago this month, this growing city along Arizona’s border with Mexico made history again — with a concept that hungry commuters, frazzled parents and millions of other Americans take for granted today.

When you walk through downtown Gilbert today, it’s hard to imagine that this historic area used to be home to several grocery stores — including Liberty Market, whose building has been turned into a popular restaurant of the same name. In contrast, Sam Lee Grocery survives only in photos, but it was a mainstay downtown, offering pantry staples and fresh produce, for nearly half a century.