Rambling through Arizona history

Like most historical museums the Arizona Historical Society‘s museum near the University campus is a treasury of this and that from people who lived here over the centuries. During most of that time, Tucson was the largest center of population in what is now Arizona state.

Happily in this museum it is not all “this and that”. There are some areas of focus. Entire 19th century rooms are recreated. A full size mine entrance is recreated surrounded by many old photos of mining people and places. Old vehicles, from chuck wagons to 1930s sheriff’s cars, have their own space. An amazing stash of ornate silver vessels is on display.

But then comes the miscellaneous historic artefacts, often assembled together in a glassed-in case, like this one on the right where old fashioned lace-up boots share space with spools of threads, and old clock, a card of hooks and eyes and a set of those old metal clamp-on roller skates.

What intrigued me the most were the miniature dioramas of moments in Arizona’s past, like the one, shown at the top of this post, of U.S. soldiers with camels and pack-animals in 1856, before Arizona was even a state. Others showed missionaries and soldiers at the Presidio, a stagecoach being attacked and native people mining below ground. These are not paintings; they are very small, highly detailed clay figures.

Two quilts were also notable. The eagle quilt at the entrance honored Lori Piestewa who received the Medal of Honor for her actions. What was formerly called Squaw Peak in Phoenix has been changed to Piestewa Peak. The other quilt in another room is a memorial quilt for the migrants who were known to have died in the Sonoran desert during 2019 and 2020. On the edge of this quilt are the names of the migrants, if known. Narrow panel after panel reads “Unknown” in Spanish.

The museum is, obviously, intended to be educational and on an upper level there are contemporary displays for children who, no doubt, come to the museum with their teachers and classmates. And on the ground level was map of Arizona with ports along the Colorado River. Who knew?!

And, last on this post, the well-known photo of Wyatt Earp, when an old man. He actually didn’t spend a long time in Tombstone. After the famous Fight at the OK Corral and his trial for murder, he went to California where other members of his family lived. On his way to California, he and Doc Holiday assassinated a man at the Tucson railroad station. There are a pair of statues at the Amtrak train station memorializing this murder. Only in Tucson!

Thank you to the Arizona Historical Society for your free entrance day. I’d been meaning to visit the museum and the free day encouraged me to do it!

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