Name: Route 66 in Arizona
Brand: Joe Sonderman
SKU: 9780738579429
Price: 23.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Route 66 in Arizona

9780738579429

$23.99

Route 66 in Arizona is a ribbon tying together spectacular natural attractions such as the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, the Painted Desert, and the Meteor Crater. There were plenty of man-made diversions along the way, too. Roadside businesses used Native American and Western imagery to lure travelers to fill up their gas tank, grab a meal, or spend the night. Roadside signs featured shapely cowgirls and big black jackrabbits, or warned of killer snakes and prehistoric monsters. Between wails of "Are we there yet?" children pleaded to stay at motels shaped like wigwams, explore the Apache Death Cave, or pick up a rubber tomahawk at a trading post.

Luke Air Force Base

9781467104708

$24.99

Luke Air Force Base, created in less than a year from desert scrub and farmland, stands some 20 miles west of Phoenix. On March 31, 1941, months before the United States entered World War II, construction began. That summer, the Army Air Corps named Luke Field after World War I hero and triple ace Frank Luke Jr. Some pilots from Luke Field's first class flew from airfields in Hawaii during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From the beginning, Luke Field trained fighter pilots, as it does today. Over the years, Luke Air Force Base was home to 14 primary fighter aircraft, graduated over 60,000 students, and accounted for millions of training flight hours. Of the pilots who trained at Luke Field, a number became aces, including the all-time US leading ace, Maj. Richard I. Bong. For decades, Luke Air Force Base has been home to more fighter aircraft than any other base in the United States, earning the moniker "Fighter Country."

Cover image for Luke Air Force Base, isbn: 9781467104708

Sedona

9780738548005

$24.99

Little more than a century ago, when only a handful of families lived in what is now Sedona, in Oak Creek Canyon, none would have dreamed it would become such a popular destination. The matchless
combination of bright blue skies and red rocks has inspired artists of every medium to attempt to capture the mystic formations. Fortunately some began almost before the town was named after the wife of early settler T. C. Schnebly, who organized the first post office, at the beginning of the 20th century. From early apple growers to artists, what has united the diverse residents of Sedona over time is the conviction that they have found one of the earth's great treasures.

Tombstone

9780738520964

$23.99

Tombstone sits less than 100 miles from the Mexico border in the middle of the picturesque Arizona desert and also squarely at the heart of America's Old West. Silver was discovered nearby in 1878, and with that strike, Tombstone was created. It soon grew to be a town of over 10,000 of the most infamous outlaws, cowboys, lawmen, prostitutes, and varmints the Wild West has ever seen. The gunfight at the O.K. Corral made Wyatt Earp and John Henry "Doc" Holliday legendary and secured Tombstone's reputation as "The Town Too Tough to Die." In this volume, more than 200 striking images and informative captions tell the stories of the heroes and villains of Tombstone, the saloons and brothels they visited, the movies they inspired, and Boot Hill, the well-known cemetery where many were buried.

Cover image for Tombstone, isbn: 9780738520964

Tucson, Arizona

9780738507743

$24.99

The history of Tucson and its people is long and distinguished. Archaeological records demonstrate that Tucson was inhabited from about 300 to 1300 A.D. by a people called the Hohokam. Through the centuries the flags of Spain, Mexico, the Confederacy, and the United States have flown over Tucson. Images of cowboys and Indians, preachers and gamblers, miners and gunslingers, ladies of the night and churchmen, leave an indelible imprint on the history of this town. From remote Spanish presidio outpost, to Mexican village, to modern metropolis, Tucson has endured. After Mexico's revolution against Spain in 1821, Tucson became part of Mexico. With the 1853 Gadsden Purchase, Tucson joined the United States as part of the Arizona Territory, achieving statehood in 1912. After California's gold rush, many disappointed prospectors (the famous "49ers") stopped and stayed in Tucson. The expansion of the railroad brought many more immigrants. After World War One, many veterans with tuberculosis sought relief in Tucson's warm dry climate. After World War Two, veterans remembered their training during warm winters and moved to Tucson permanently.

The Grand Canyon: Native People and Early Visitors

9780738500317

$23.99

Unlike appreciating America's other natural wonders such as waterfalls, glaciers, mountains, or prairies, one must struggle to absorb, assimilate, and comprehend the Grand Canyon's tremendous scale. Captured here in over 250 vintage images is the human drama of survival and coexistence in the canyon, from the native tribes who struggled with life on the rim, to the pioneers who came to foster and manipulate the early tourist industry in America's oldest natural resource. Covering the tribes that called the canyon home and the seekers who flocked to the area to find their fortune in gold and tourism, author Kenneth Shields exposes the human layers so often overlooked. Seen here are the native tribes who survived the harshest conditions of the canyon, including the Hopi, Havasupai, Navajo, and Paiute. Readers will recognize the images of popular tourist spots like the El Tovar Hotel and the Navajo Bridge, as well as the early conservationist faces of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft.

The Grand Canyon: Native People and Early Visitors

Jerome

9780738558820

$23.99

The rugged mining community of Jerome has thrived by the hard work and hard play of tough men and women pitted against an equally hard mountain. William Murray solicited funding for the Black Hills mining camp from his uncle, a New York lawyer and financier named Eugene Murray Jerome, who reportedly was not interested. However, his independent wife was delighted at the prospect and raised $200,000 in development capital for Murray. In 1882, Frederick F. Thomas, Jerome's first postmaster, named the mining camp "Jerome" in honor of the family. Jerome boomed, ultimately reaching a reported population peak of 15,000 in the 1920s, then dwindling to a ghost town after the mines closed. In 1967, the town was designated a National Historic Landmark, and today it is a flourishing artist community, as well as a motorcycle and travel destination.

Portal of the Chiricahuas

9781467115148

$24.99

Coronado scorned this region as unpopulated when he labored through southeastern Arizona in 1540, but he could have found 12,000-year-old spear points in the remains of giant bison near Cave Creek Cienega, grinding hollows in boulders, and shamanic figures in high caves of the Chiricahuas towering above valleys and grasslands. Searing drought forced people to abandon their villages by 1400, but Apaches wandered down from Canada about the time Spaniards passed by. Thousands of forty-niners traveled in sight of the mountains on their race to California. The Chiricahua Apaches were exiled to Florida in 1886; even earlier, their lands were opened to settlement. Portal began in 1902 as a rest stop between the railroad and the boom town of Paradise. Since 1956, the Southwestern Research Station of the American Museum of Natural History has attracted countless researchers. The present community is a vibrant mix of biologists, birders, astronomers, writers, artists, and ranchers, united by love for this unique canyon.

Early Tucson

9780738556468

$23.99

Tucson is a history of time and a river. The roots of prehistoric habitation run deep along the Santa Cruz River, reaching back thousands of years. Later the river attracted 17th-century Spanish explorers, who brought military government, the church, and colonists to establish the northern outpost of their New World empire. Later still, American westward expansion drew new settlers to the place called Tucson. Today Tucson is a bustling multicultural community of more than one million residents. These images from the photographic archives of the Arizona Historical Society tell the stories of individuals and cultures that transformed a 19th-century frontier village into a 20th-century desert city.

Around Tombstone:

9780738571270

$24.99

The communities that once surrounded the infamous Wild West town of Tombstone, including Dos Cabezas, Fairbank, Gleeson, Pearce, Courtland, Charleston, and Milltown, are now mostly ghosts of their former selves. These rich mining towns had promising futures when they were first established, but many experienced only fleeting boom times, like Courtland, a promising copper camp that survived only 12 years. During its short existence, the town of Charleston, founded in 1879 as a milling site for ore from Tombstone's silver mines, was every bit as wild and rowdy as its neighbor. There was corruption in the region too. Dos Cabezas's Mascot Mine became part one of the largest stock scandals of the time when it was exposed around 1900. Today this fascinating, rough-and-tumble history lives on primarily in faded memories, crumbling remnants on the outskirts of Tombstone, and in vintage photographs gathered together in this volume.

Southern Arizona Mining

9781467109758

$23.99

The mines that were founded in the last half of the 19th century brought an international spotlight to Southern Arizona. Silver, placer gold, and the rich mineral wealth first drew adventurous prospectors, but soon came the settlers and major investors who built the mines that fed the world demand for copper. Arizona mines became unique test beds for new technology after the turn of the 20th century, as mining companies sought more economical and productive ways to extract precious metals. Some mining towns in Southern Arizona came and went, leaving no trail other than historic photographs. A few left scattered dilapidated buildings that remain today as ghost towns. Others grew into communities with stable populations and amenities like opera houses and theaters that joined the stores and saloons as they prospered.

Yuma Proving Ground

9781467104500

$23.99

The Yuma Proving Ground's early history began in 1849 with the establishment of Army outposts in the region. When the United States entered World War II in 1942, the Army established a large-scale training center that expanded from eastern California into western Arizona. Gen. George S. Patton Jr. was assigned to develop the Desert Training Center as a location to train personnel and test equipment in the harsh desert for the war effort. As part of the Desert Training Center, Camp Laguna and the Yuma Test Branch were founded to conduct specific training and testing in support of the war effort. In 1951, the Yuma Test Branch was renamed the Yuma Test Station, and by 1957, the Army began training personnel on military freefall. In 1963, the Army renamed the Yuma Test Station as the Yuma Proving Ground. Today, the Yuma Proving Ground stands near the original sites with the continued task of testing equipment and training personnel.

Mesa

9780738548425

$24.99

From the prehistoric Native Americans to the first wave of pioneers in 1877 and all who came later, the desert lands east of Phoenix have been a rich and fertile home to a wide diversity of people. Surmounting the early challenges of settling the mesa top and moving water uphill gave rise to a resilient agricultural community famous for cotton, citrus, grapes, and other crops. The boom years that began in the 1950s ushered in a new wave of industry and change to the city of Mesa. Large corporations created jobs, new freeways formed a corridor into the heart of the community, educational and health care facilities improved and expanded, and the advent of air conditioning brought tourists from all over the world. Now boasting a population of over 450,000, Mesa has truly evolved from its pioneer beginnings to a modern city in the Valley of the Sun.

Old Tucson Studios

9780738556291

$24.99

In 1939, Columbia Pictures based a film on Clarence Kelland's book Arizona, set during the Civil War in Arizona Territory. To accurately portray the novel's landscape, Columbia selected a spot about 10 miles from what is now downtown Tucson in the middle of a large Pima County park for the filming. In 1959, Bob Shelton, a Kansas City developer, purchased the lot, determined to build an active movie studio and tourist attraction. His vision was successful, and Old Tucson Studios has set the stage for over 200 movies and television shows. As Western movies regain their popularity in the box office, the future looks bright for Old Tucson Studios to become a premier filming site in Arizona.

Arizona’s Historic Trading Posts

9781467132497

$24.99

On the sparsely settled Arizona reservation lands, trading posts were important centers for commerce as well as social gathering destinations. With a subsistence economy, the posts offered opportunities to trade sheep, wool, and crafts for necessities such as flour, coffee, sugar (known as "sweet-salt"), and tools. Most often, traders were Anglos, living as partners among their Indian neighbors. They often were the only contact with the outside culture, and their stores provided an outlet for local arts such as rugs, pottery, baskets, and jewelry. Traders helped with correspondence, transportation, and sickness, and they even buried the dead. Trading posts were the sites of marriages and murders; they were destinations for artists, scientists, and adventurous tourists. With the coming of roads and automobiles, trading posts have all but disappeared, but the stories and photographs shared in this volume offer a glimpse into a vanishing time in the Southwest.

Meteor Crater

9781467116183

$24.99

There have been numerous books and periodicals written about Meteor Crater, the meteorites, and the crater's scientific value, but this book, with supporting images, is more about people. The story covers some history of the crater's founding and the many people who have been, and presently are, associated with the custody and maintenance of the site, preserving it for future scientific study and generations of visitors. These people include geologists, astrophysicists, astronauts, generations of families named Barringer and Tremaine, and local ranchers named Chilson-Prosser. All have, and continue to, influence and shape what the site has become, each adding their signature to the famous landmark. Today, these families, supported by Meteor Crater Enterprises management and staff of dedicated people, continue the legacy of sharing the history and science with 250,000 annual visitors from around the globe while they continue to focus on preserving the scientific integrity of the crater for future generations.

Southeastern Arizona Mining Towns

9780738585161

$24.99

Southeastern Arizona has one of the most diverse mining localities in the state. Towns such as Bisbee, Clifton, Globe, Miami, Ray, Silverbell, and Superior have earned reputations as premier metal producers that are most notably known for their copper. Other mining towns that have made their marks in the region include Dos Cabezas, Gleeson, Harshaw District, Helvetia, Patagonia District, Pearce, Ruby, and Tombstone. Mining in southeastern Arizona has significantly influenced the development of mines in northern Sonora, Mexico. The foundation of Mexico's largest copper mine in Cananea was financed by American capital, specifically under the direction of miners and investors from southeastern Arizona. Overall, the process of mining has established the economy of southeastern Arizona, making it a viable source of copper-related minerals in the 21st century's global market.

Bisbee

9780738528946

$24.99

In the early 1900s, it was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco, bustling with the raw material of Wild West legends. Bisbee's infamous Brewery Gulch once supported 47 saloons and was considered the "liveliest spot between El Paso and San Francisco." By the 1970s, opportunists had relieved Bisbee's Mule Mountains of billions of pounds of copper, 102 million ounces of silver, 2.8 million ounces of gold, and millions of pounds of zinc, lead, and manganese. The ore reserves were depleted, and when the last pickaxe struck plain old dirt, a mass exodus of miners collapsed the real estate market. But the lure of cheap land was a magnet for retirees, hippies, and artists. Boarding houses were converted into charming bed and breakfasts. Antique stores, galleries, cafes, and restaurants replaced the saloons. These days, a vibrant and eclectic community of ranchers, politicians, and free spirits; a well-preserved architectural and historic heritage; and "the most perfect year-round climate" make Bisbee, the county seat, a one-of-a-kind gem.

Arizona Rangers

9780738548319

$24.99

Established in 1901, the Arizona Rangers have protected and served the citizenry for over 107 years. Though the initial organization was short lived, lasting only until 1909, the company--with an authorized strength of just 26 men--became the scourge of outlaws within the Arizona Territory and along the Mexican border where, like today, criminal activity was prevalent. In 1957, the Arizona Rangers were reestablished, and for the 50 years since, these modern rangers have continued the tradition of service that was established by their territorial predecessors. Today's Arizona Rangers are officially recognized by state legislation as a volunteer civilian law enforcement auxiliary. In keeping with their motto, "Few But Proud Then and Now," they assist numerous law enforcement agencies and help keep the peace within their communities and state.

Fort Huachuca

9780738529462

$24.99

At the foot of the Huachuca Mountains, the U.S. Army founded one of the most crucial military posts for American expansion into the southwest frontier. Soldiers had been stationed in the region for decades, but in 1877 Fort Huachuca became the symbolic cornerstone of America's western domain. The Native American word huachuca, meaning "place of thunder," described the sporadic but marvelous electrical storms in the area, but the skies would not be the only thing booming. During the tumultuous campaigns to resolve American and Indian disputes, the U.S. infantry and famed Buffalo Soldiers faced off with Geronimo and his Apache nation in both tense negotiations and bitter combat. As time marched on, the fort developed into a permanent installation with barracks, modern training grounds, and other facilities to accommodate troop rotations and eventually became the innovative Center for Military Intelligence.

Visiting the Grand Canyon

9780738528809

$24.99

The Colorado River began carving a course to create the Grand Canyon some four to six million years ago, but organized tourism to the natural wonder is fairly young, geologically speaking. Getting to the view along and below the rim has not always been as convenient as packing up the family car and hitting the road. The El Tovar Hotel, celebrating its centennial in 2005, had just opened to lodgers when the Canyon was declared a National Monument in 1908. Between the 1890s and the 1920s, horses, mules, river rafts, stagecoaches, and later railroads and automobiles permitted increasing access to the area. Recreation areas, businesses catering to tourists, and federal preservation programs would eventually mark the Grand Canyon as the ultimate American travel destination.

Clifton and Morenci Mining District

9781467134316

$24.99

Across America, from big cities to small towns and rural hamlets, there are many stories of challenges, historic events, courageous people, tragedy, and success. Some of the best and most exciting tales may not be well known. Such is the case for the towns of Clifton and Morenci, Arizona. They survived labor strikes, rising and falling copper prices, devastating floods, outlaws and lawlessness, gambling houses, and saloons. All this added to the lore that these towns were some of the roughest communities in the West. Today, after 143 years of mining, Freeport-McMoRan's Morenci copper mine is the largest in North America. Expansion has required new homes in Clifton-Morenci, a modern library, and recreational facilities. Residents are proud of their communities.

Superior and Queen Valley

9780738579658

$24.99

Superior and Queen Valley share a rich history. Superior began with the establishment of Generals Stoneman and Crook's military installation to ward off Apache raids in the 1870s. Soon thereafter, while digging for a new road, a soldier named Sullivan discovered Arizona's richest silver deposit, later known as the Silver King Mine. Then with the help of Col. Boyce Thompson, who developed the Magma Copper Company, Superior also became Arizona's biggest copper operation. In 1915, Queen Valley began with Hart Mullins, the area's first official homesteader. Hart worked as a Superior Route stagecoach hand and helped develop a route from Phoenix through Superior and Queen Valley. Today both Superior and Queen Valley remain two towns where the rich history and close-knit community culture of the Old West are alive and well.

Payson

9780738584577

$24.99

Beneath the escarpment of the Mogollon Rim in Gila County lies Payson, Arizona. Founded as Green Valley in 1882 by ranchers and miners, the town site of Payson was laid out by local blacksmith James C. Callaghan and local merchant and cattle rancher John C. Hise. Two years later, local rancher and Native American fighter Charlie Meadows founded the Payson Rodeo in a mid-town meadow, which ultimately became the world's oldest continuous rodeo. When the cattle and timber industries declined, Payson evolved into a retirement and tourist destination. People looking for places to hike, bike, fish, hunt, and camp are attracted to the Payson area, which is also popular for its festivals and historic sites. A replica of Zane Grey's cabin stands next to the local museum, and the Tonto Natural Bridge is just 11 miles outside of town.

Southern Arizona Cemeteries

9781467131230

$24.99

In a quest to understand an area as diverse as Arizona, there can be no better way than to take a journey to the grave sites of its pioneers and observe the style whereby they made their journey from this world. The sites may be as simple as a cross or a shrine by the side of a road or as large as Tucson's Evergreen Cemetery, which has provided a final resting place to more than 40,000 interments. In this book, one will find the graves of governors, sheriffs, gunfighters, business owners, soldiers, schoolteachers, sports figures, madams, miners, and many others from all walks of life. Where possible, an image of the deceased and a brief bio has been included. The epitaphs, symbols, and expressions of grief on the graves provide an insight into the loss felt by family and friends. The graves are brief glimpses into Arizona's pioneer past.

Grand Canyon's Phantom Ranch

9780738585253

$24.99

Phantom Ranch is nestled in the Grand Canyon basin on the Colorado River--a location hardly visible from the rim and only accessible after a journey through scores of geologic layers. The only way there is by river rafting, hiking, or mule, and with each foot of the journey, the traveler descends 30,000 years in geologic time. While at Phantom Ranch, the view looking above is of 1.7 billion years of geology, all swirling together in an alphabet of colors. Grand Canyon's Phantom Ranch is the story of the rustic buildings designed by architect Mary Jane Colter in 1921, of the park's first peoples, river rafters, the early trail and bridge builders, and dramatic flash floods. When travelers leave Phantom Ranch, they are never the same. For some of them, departing is as if they have just said good-bye to an old friend.

Early Phoenix

9780738548395

$24.99

Like the mythical bird it is named after, Phoenix rose from the desert heat to become a prosperous and vital city. Settled on the lands of the ancient Hohokam Indians, Phoenix began as an agricultural community in the 1860s. It was appointed county seat
of Maricopa County in 1871 and territorial capital in 1889. By 1900, town boosters were calling Phoenix an "Oasis in the Desert" and the "Denver of the Southwest." By 1920, Phoenix was on its way to being a metropolitan city with a population of 29,053 and sporting an eight-story "skyscraper." Many farsighted individuals documented this development through photographs, allowing today's residents to see the community's amazing growth from small town to big city.

Chiricahua National Monument

9781467128490

$24.99

Chiricahua National Monument, located in Arizona's southeast corner, is famous for its scenic and biological wonders. Every year, thousands of people visit the largest of the "Sky Island" mountain ranges to marvel at fantastic rock formations, hike scenic pathways, bolster a birding list, or simply gaze into starry skies while relaxing in a quiet campground. Thorough visitors soon discover that there is much more to the "Wonderland of Rocks" than just rocks. Those rocks are the backdrop to the story of Chiricahua Apache leader Geronimo and the black 10th Cavalry Regiment soldiers pursuing him. James Logan, John Robinson, and other "Buffalo Soldiers" assembled local rocks into a one-of-a-kind monument. Ed and Lillian Riggs, owners of Faraway Ranch, preserved rocks from that monument partially because their families homesteaded and ranched in the area with the soldiers' protection. Faraway Ranch became one of Arizona's first guest ranches, and it provided a way for sightseers to appreciate the Wonderland of Rocks' unique history and appearance.

Scottsdale

9780738548753

$24.99

Just a century ago, the now-tony tourist destination of Scottsdale was a tiny farming village in the pristine desert east of Phoenix. Named for its 1888 homesteaders--U.S. Army chaplain Winfield Scott and his wife, Helen--Scottsdale remained a farming and ranching community through World War II. After the war, businesses and families flocked to Scottsdale for its climate and unlimited opportunities--creating a place they branded "The West's Most Western Town." Throughout the decades, residents and visitors alike have enjoyed adventures in the desert; a thriving arts, crafts, and cultural community; a healthful climate and healthcare industry; and fun-packed events and outdoor sports. Residents have had the additional benefits of living and working in a great hometown, with excelling schools, an international reputation for environmental preservation, and a diverse economy that boasts an eclectic array of businesses.

Phoenix Television

9781467102797

$24.99

Immediately following World War II, television burst upon the American scene. Radio had been the popular way of receiving news and entertainment during the war years, but now, television could provide pictures to illustrate radio's programs. It was like having your own personal movie theater in your living room. Although isolated in the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix citizens were not to be denied the wonders of this new communication medium. KPHO-TV, Channel 5, signed on the air on December 4, 1949, with a selection of programs from all four television networks. Channels 12, 10, and 3 were soon to follow, and the lifestyles of the residents of Phoenix would never be the same. The flickering blue light from the Magnavox or RCA receivers danced on the curtains of the darkened living rooms all over town. Now Phoenicians could experience the televised dramas from New York City or view the films of Hollywood with just the flip of a switch--and maybe some careful adjustment of the rabbit ears.

Cover image for Phoenix Television, isbn: 9781467102797

Kayenta and Monument Valley

9780738586304

$24.99

In December 1910, Indian traders John and Louisa Wetherill opened their trading post--with a tent for supplies (and sleeping) and a store counter of boards laid across two barrels. From that modest beginning, Kayenta became the center of Navajo gatherings and exploring expeditions to Rainbow Bridge, Monument Valley, and the grand cliff dwellings in Tsegi Canyon. Soon came a parade of visitors, including authors, painters, and archaeologists, as well as cowboys, miners, traders, and tourists. The Kayenta Township today is home to descendants of the early inhabitants and the hub for thousands of annual visitors from around the world who come to see the magnificent region known as Monument Valley.

Arizona's National Parks and Monuments

9781467130424

$23.99

Arizona's 20 national parks and monuments celebrate the natural wonders and rich heritage of Arizona, preserved through the efforts of countless citizens and the American Antiquities Act of 1906. Aggressively implemented by eight US presidents, this legislation permits the president to unilaterally proclaim sites as national monuments without congressional action. The Antiquities Act was applied in Arizona 23 times, more so than any other state in the union. Using more than 200 historical photographs, many of which have never been published, this book contains the stories of the creation of each of Arizona's national parks and monuments, emphasizing the importance of the landscape and cultural heritage to Arizona's identity.

Willcox

9780738571775

$24.99

Founded in 1880, Willcox became a major supply center for the military posts, the booming mining towns, and the huge cattle ranches in the surrounding area. Willcox is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges that are just a short trip, and yet a world away, from Tucson. Many historic buildings have been preserved and are now museums and stores, including the original Southern Pacific train depot and the oldest store in Arizona to remain in its original building. The high desert country of Sulphur Springs Valley attracts thousands of rare Sandhill Cranes, which draws birders to the Wings Over Willcox event every January. October brings the annual Rex Allen Days that honor one of Willcox's native sons and last of the silver-screen cowboys. The Old West still lives here through tales of Apache Indians, train robberies, and shootings-Warren Earp was killed at Willcox's Headquarters Saloon. Perhaps the area is most known, though, for its friendliness and Western hospitality.

The Hopi People

9780738556482

$23.99

The diverse people of the Hopi, whose name means "the peaceful ones," are today united on the Hopi Reservation, which is composed of 12 villages on more than 2,500 square miles in northeastern Arizona. In fact, the village of Orayvi is considered the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the United States, dating back more than a millennium. Often referred to as a "corn culture," the Hopis have developed dry-farming techniques that have sustained them in the harsh, arid landscape, where annual precipitation is often only 12 inches or less. The Hopi people are hardworking and spiritual, and their lifestyle has survived for centuries, only minimally changed by influences from the outside world.

New River

9781467115933

$24.99

Long before the cavalry and stagecoaches traveled through on military roads and the Old Black Canyon Stage Road, the ancient Hohokam people relied on New River's peaks for fortresses and lookouts. In the late 1800s, the military sweep of the last native people, the Apache and Yavapai, rendered the region safe for settlers. Situated between the cool north and the hot, arid Salt River Valley below, New River became a key location for watering sheep and cattle driven between seasonal pastures. Ranches, such as the Triangle-Bar, sprang to life in the cactus-studded foothills. From the 1920s to the 1940s, the arrival of tough, capable homesteaders formed the community that thrives today. Still an unincorporated area of north Maricopa County, New River retains its western heritage and scenic desert vistas