Name: Grand Canyon National Park
Brand: Thomas Alan Ratz
SKU: 9780738578569
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Grand Canyon National Park

9780738578569

$24.99

Arizona is proud to have one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World--the Grand Canyon. With the arrival of the Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroad in the early 20th century, the development of the canyon began in earnest. The railroads, along with the Santa Fe's business partner, the Fred Harvey Company, greatly promoted the Grand Canyon as a tourist destination through books, pamphlets, and magazine advertisements. On February 26, 1919, Congress established the Grand Canyon National Park, and the federal government became a promoter of the Grand Canyon, too. But perhaps the best promoters of the Grand Canyon were the people who wrote home on picture postcards telling their friends and families about the amazing canyon. A number of the postcards published about the park can be found within the pages of this book.

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

Early Yuma

9780738548579

$24.99

At the end of the 19th century, outlaws opined they would rather kill themselves than be taken alive to certain slow-boiled death in the caldron of Yuma's territorial prison, known nationally as "The Hell Hole." But to the pioneer residents of Yuma, the prison was the finest structure in town, sitting atop a breezy hill. When the prison was closed, Yuma's citizens used the abandoned structure as a school. That Yuma's residents lived happily where the West's most notorious outlaws feared to die is just one testament to the profound strength and perseverance of the first settlers of the community. This photographic history pays tribute to those men and women-Quechan, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-who looked past the arid landscape to envision a thriving river port, then a mining center, and finally, a verdant valley and winter playground.

Phoenix Zoo

9781467128346

$24.99

In the late 1950s, philanthropist Robert Maytag, the grandson of the Maytag Company founder, had a dream that the growing city of Phoenix needed a world-class zoo. Under Maytag's formidable vision and leadership, the dream became a reality in 1962. Now the Phoenix Zoo is one of the biggest privately owned, nonprofit zoos in the United States and one of the most visited places in Arizona. The zoo maintains a year-round staff of over 300 employees and covers 125 acres housing 3,000 animals, including 30 threatened or endangered species. Without much room to expand, the zoo utilizes its current space to rebuild and renovate. Since opening, the Phoenix Zoo has welcomed more than 43 million visitors through its gates, fulfilling its mission of providing experiences that inspire and motivate people to care for the natural world.

Lake Havasu City

9780738530123

$24.99

Founded in 1964 as a planned community, Lake Havasu City is nestled amid craggy desert peaks on the Colorado River in western Arizona. Perhaps best known as the American home of the famous London Bridge--moved to town, piece by piece, in 1971 and painstakingly reconstructed--Lake Havasu City was first home to natives of the Mohave and Chemehuevi tribes. Steamboats plying the waters of the Colorado, mining interests in the region, and the construction of Parker Dam, which resulted in the 45-mile-long Lake Havasu, all played important roles in the development of this unique community. Today, the city's more than 50,000 residents and 2.5 million annual visitors enjoy myriad recreational opportunities in this desert oasis,
as well as a historical legacy unlike any other.

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.

Goodyear

9780738571171

$24.99

In 1916, Paul W. Litchfield, vice president of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, purchased 16,000 acres west of Phoenix to grow long staple cotton for use in the pneumatic tires the company manufactured. With this, the Southwest Cotton Company was formed. This huge undertaking required drilling wells and building power lines, roads, canals, and, of course, housing for workers. The war years brought Goodyear Aircraft, built by the U.S. Department of Defense on land leased from Southwest Cotton Company, and Litchfield Naval Air Facility. With the arrival of Goodyear Aircraft and the navy base, homes, apartments, and basic retail services sprang up. The town of Goodyear was incorporated on November 19, 1946, with a population of 1,250. Named an All-America City in 2008, Goodyear is now a thriving community of 58,000 residents and the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds.

Northern Arizona Space Training

9781467126137

$29.99

During the 1960s and early 1970s, northern Arizona played a critical role in fulfilling President Kennedy's bold challenge of sending humans to the moon. From the rocky depths of the Grand Canyon to lofty cosmic views from Flagstaff's dark skies, northern Arizona was ideal for activities ranging from moon buggy testing and geology training to lunar mapping and mission simulation. Every astronaut who walked on the moon, from Neil Armstrong to Gene Cernan, prepared for his journey in northern Arizona, and all used maps created by Flagstaff artists to navigate their way around the lunar surface. This book captures the spirit of these pioneers with stunning images from NASA, the US Geological Survey, and others.

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.

A Brief History of Phoenix

9781467118446

$21.99

Though the new metropolis is one of America's largest, many are unaware of Phoenix's rich and compelling history. Built on land once occupied by the most advanced pre-Columbian irrigation society, Phoenix overcame its hostile desert surroundings to become a thriving agricultural center. After World War II, its population exploded with the mid-century mass migration to the Sun Belt. In times of rapid expansion or decline, Phoenicians proved themselves to be adaptable and optimistic. Phoenix's past is an engaging and surprising story of audacity, vision, greed and a never-ending fight to secure its future. Chronicling the challenges of growth and change, fourth-generation Arizonan Jon Talton tells the story of the city that remains one of American civilization's great accomplishments.

Prescott

9780738579061

$24.99

Prescott was founded in 1864 as the territorial capital of Arizona. In 1900, the business center burned to the ground, but the courthouse in the town square was saved, and the burned-out area's former wooden buildings were replaced by brick structures. Because the closest interstate highway is more than 30 miles away, much of Prescott's history and sense of community have been preserved, and historical districts abound. The local chamber of commerce refers to Prescott as "Everybody's Hometown." It is also known as the "Christmas City of Arizona" and holds an annual Christmas parade, with appropriate courthouse lighting.

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.

Grand Canyon Pioneer Cemetery

9781467132237

$24.99

One of the most historically significant places at the Grand Canyon, yet one of the least known, is the Grand Canyon Pioneer Cemetery. Very few national parks have an active burial ground, but the pioneers who rest here represent all walks of life throughout the canyon's history. Pioneer Cemetery is the final resting place for miners, businessmen, park superintendents, rangers, mule wranglers, and even some local characters. Legendary residents of the Grand Canyon, including John Hance, Pete Berry, Ralph Cameron, William Wallace Bass, and the Kolb brothers are also buried onsite, secluded in a beautiful grove of pine trees. It is an area of the Grand Canyon that is seldom written about or discussed.

Bullhead City

9781467132466

$24.99

Bullhead City, situated on the east bank of the Colorado River in the Mojave Desert, is built upon the historical site of Hardyville, founded in 1864 by William H. Hardy. Hardyville was a frontier outpost that flourished for 19 years with a ferry service, trading post, and toll road that extended east to Prescott, Arizona. Gold and silver had been discovered in the mid-1800s, and commerce was thriving as steamboats transporting freight and passengers plied the river. By the 1920s, a series of dams was planned to harness the power of the Colorado River, but work on Davis Dam wasn't started until 1942 and was then delayed until after World War II. Bullhead City evolved after Davis Dam was completed in 1953. Many of the workers who built the dam stayed on, and in the 1960s, land developers promoting the river as a recreational destination made Bullhead a boomtown. Bullhead City was incorporated in 1984.

Dude Ranching in Arizona

9781467116022

$24.99

Dude ranches were Arizona's first destination vacation. The earliest were built on working cattle ranches, stage stops, mining claims, and homesteads. Early dudes were typically wealthy and stayed for a long time, some for so long that one ranch had a school for its guests' children. Dude ranches were built around unspoiled country and offered spectacular views, "healthy" weather, and the chance to experience the cowboy life. Hollywood filmmakers came and, with them, some of the biggest figures of their time. Among those who were guests at dude ranches were John Wayne, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Dean Martin, Tom Hanks, Walt Disney, and US presidents.

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.

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.

Prescott Fire Department

9781467131780

$24.99

Founded in 1885, the Prescott Fire Department began with four 25-man volunteer companies, the Dudes, the Toughs, the Mechanics Hook & Ladders, and the O.K.s. These 100 men reflected both the common man and the leaders of the region. Over the years, their numbers would include governors-to-be F.A. Tritle and Thomas Campbell, business leaders H.D. Aitken and A.A. "Tony" Johns, and numerous members of the Goldwater family. The department and its community survived the great fire of July 14, 1900, as well as the loss of 19 of its own Granite Mountain Hotshots on June 30, 2013. The Prescott Fire Department would go from a volunteer department to a fully paid department of 80 firefighters, operating out of five stations and covering an area of 40 square miles.

Pinnacle Peak

9780738579849

$24.99

Pinnacle Peak is north Scottsdale's most prominent landmark, rising out of the desert floor to an elevation of 3,170 feet. For years, Pinnacle Peak was Scottsdale's "secret" destination for hiking, rock climbing, and horseback riding. In 1985, with urban sprawl surging northward, Scottsdale's city council acted to preserve Pinnacle Peak as a municipal park. Pinnacle Peak visitors are impressed by the sweeping vistas, the rugged beauty of the Sonoran Desert, the manicured golf courses, and the unique wildlife. Few people realize that the surrounding landscape covers the forgotten footprints of prehistoric hunter-gatherers, Hohokam, Yavapai, the US Cavalry miners, homesteaders, ranchers, developers, and colorful characters of the past. Spanning 150 acres, Pinnacle Peak Park has become one of the most popular attractions in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and its scenic beauty is enjoyed by people from all over the world.

Historic Tales of Flagstaff

9781467142410

$21.99

Flagstaff, Arizona, was originally settled in the 1870s as a railroad and lumber town on the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau, amid the ponderosa pines. Now most noted for its proximity to the Grand Canyon, the city offers a tantalizing combination of history and progress. Theodore Roosevelt, the Apollo astronauts, Walt Disney filmmakers, Navajo code talkers and Pluto-discoverer Clyde Tombaugh all feature in the area's fascinating past. Join authors Kevin Schindler and Michael Kitt as they relate the trials and triumphs that have given this town its charm, from the tumultuous days of the Wild West to the fast-paced twentieth century.

Haunted Jerome

9781467141659

$21.99

Jerome was once home to the largest copper mine in Northern Arizona, built on the steep terrain of Cleopatra Hill. The small town, population fifteen thousand at its peak, was shockingly nefarious.

Diversions for the hardworking miners came by way of saloons, gambling and ladies of the evening. Shootouts and murders, violent accidents in the mines and smelters and fires and diseases scourged its denizens. Life was tough on the mountain-death came too soon for many. When the copper mine closed in 1953, Jerome was rendered a ghost town, and its spirits still lurk among the living. The stories in this book will convince you they are here for a reason.

Historic Restaurants of Tucson

9781625859907

$21.99

Tucson's culinary journey began thousands of years ago, when Native American tribes developed an agricultural base along the Santa Cruz River. In modern times, restaurants ranging from tiny taquerias to fine dining spaces all contributed to the local food culture. El Charro, serving Mexican cuisine since 1922, still attracts crowds from all over. Folks head straight to Pat's for a hot dog, Lucky Wishbone for some fried chicken or eegee's for a grinder and a cold, frosty drink. On any given night, the patio at El Corral is filled with diners anticipating their famous prime rib and tamale pie. Local food writer Rita Connelly brings to life the stories of beloved eateries that have endured for decades and continue to delight with incredible flavors.

Murder & Mayhem in Prescott

9781467144322

$21.99

Despite its early law enforcement presence, Prescott's place in the violent history of Yavapai County is written in blood. .

The jealousy, greed and pure meanness of some of its citizens produced shocking trails of destruction and death. The Keystone Saloon couldn't keep a proprietor--a series of owners was found dead with gunshot wounds. A driver-for-hire was brutally assaulted and his car stolen in Prescott's first homicidal carjacking. Two nurses conspired to poison a rich patient in their care. From the shootout that began Virgil Earp's career to knifings and dynamite attacks, Prescott history blogger Drew Desmond and Whiskey Row historian and author Bradley G. Courtney tell rarely heard stories that once rocked the town.

Cave Creek and Carefree

9781467130394

$24.99

The towns of Cave Creek and Carefree are nestled in the lush foothills of the Sonoran Desert 35 miles north of Phoenix. Theprehistoric Hohokam first inhabited the area, settling along Cave Creek and elsewhere above the washes. The settlement of Cave Creek dates to the 1870s and has a rich history of mining, ranching, and homesteading. Early settlers persevered in this beautiful but rugged environment, isolated from the conveniences of urban life. Carefree, in contrast, was a master-planned town built in the late 1950s, providing modern amenities and infrastructure. Both towns offer a dramatic landscape and profuse desert plant life. Visitors are drawn to the area for the abundant recreational activities, community festivals, and art fairs as well as a unique blend of Western and contemporary cultures. The two towns are committed to protecting the desert environment and the welcoming, small-town atmosphere that is their historical legacy.

Tombstone

9780738579337

$24.99

In the 1800s, Tombstone was a rowdy silver-mining camp and the scene of a famous gunfight that enhanced its wicked reputation. When the rich silver mines were tapped out, Tombstone managed to survive and lived up to its motto, "The Town Too Tough to Die." The movie industry enhanced this wild reputation by portraying legendary gunfights at the O.K. Corral--which never actually took place at that location. For many years, the town has used its history to attract visitors by giving them a sense of life in the Old West. This volume includes many of the postcards tourists mailed home depicting romanticized and legendary views of Tombstone.

Midtown Phoenix

9781467115551

$24.99

At the turn of the 20th century, downtown Phoenix was the center of commerce and government of the young city. North of downtown, the homes of business and civic leaders, along with farms and ranches, lined Central Avenue, informally known as "Millionaires' Row." As the city grew, houses and agricultural operations eventually yielded to subdivisions, commercial buildings, and high-rises. While midtown Phoenix changed dramatically over the years, it has retained much of its historic character and is continuously evolving to meet the needs of the community.

Pearce and Sunsites

9780738584737

$24.99

Discovery of gold in 1895 brought fortune seekers to the Sulphur Springs Valley, once the stomping ground of Cochise and Geronimo. A lawman turned train robber, an Arizona Ranger murdered by his wife, and a famous artist were just a few of the people who settled in Pearce. The Commonwealth Mine provided resources for a flourishing community until the Depression and the mine's decline. In the early 1960s, the Horizon Corporation began marketing Valley land as a utopian retirement destination for the World War II generation. Bit by bit, Sunsites sprang up just 2 miles from sparsely populated Pearce. Today the residents of Pearce and Sunsites share amenities, a quiet lifestyle, and views of the spectacular Chiricahua and Dragoon mountain ranges.

Glendale

9780738578958

$24.99

More than a century ago, the building of a canal allowed a barren and dry area to flourish. Soon settlers were drawn to the canal, and they created a thriving community. From those early beginnings, Glendale has become one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

Apache Sunrise

9781626198616

$21.99

In July of 1970, a red Volkswagen bus pulled into the dirt parking lot of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' offices on the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona. It was 113 degrees as Sonja and Richard David, with their three children, stepped into a new world. On a job reassignment, the family left the turbulence of Chicago for a new start on the expansive high desert where the Apache leader Geronimo fought for his freedom against the United States Cavalry a century earlier. Over five years, the family immersed themselves in the community and formed deep bonds, some of which remain strong. In this poignant collection of true stories, author and activist Sonja White David vividly describes those years at San Carlos with delicacy and respect for the local Apaches.

A Legal History of Maricopa County

9780738548159

$24.99

The roots of Maricopa County's legal community reach as far back as the Spanish conquest of the New World. Since that time, soldiers, farmers, miners, adventurers, and others transformed this wild, lawless desert into a productive agricultural community, a tourist destination, and a center for commercial, financial, and political activity in the Southwest. The region's legal community--populated by diverse, distinguished, and sometimes infamous men and women--participated in every aspect of this development of Phoenix and the surrounding metropolitan area. The history of Maricopa County law, illustrated here in vintage photographs, reflects the social, political, economic, environmental, architectural, and cultural journey of what has become one of America's fastest growing and most populous counties.

Petrified Forest National Park

9781467104906

$24.99

Petrified Forest National Park in Northeast Arizona was set aside in 1906 by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt to protect the scientifically important Mesozoic forests. With a boundary encompassing 225,000 acres, the park protects not only the largest and most colorful deposits of petrified wood in the world but also significant archeological and ecological resources and other important fossils, like the oldest dinosaurs in North America. The park has been a crossroads for travelers and a destination for scientists, including Albert Einstein and John Muir. As a work site of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the only national park crossed by the famous Route 66, and a centerpiece of the National Park Service's Mission 66 initiative, Petrified Forest National Park has a history that rivals that of more familiar national parks.

Arizona State Museum

9781467131629

$24.99

In 1893, nineteen years before statehood, the first anthropology museum in the Arizona Territory was created on the campus of the fledgling University of Arizona. Located in the small desert city of Tucson and originally occupying a single room, what was first called the Arizona Territorial Museum had one part-time curator and has steadily grown over the last 120 years. Dedicated to the archaeology, history, culture, and arts of the peoples of Arizona and the Southwest, the Arizona State Museum is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the region. It cares for the world's largest collections of Southwestern Native American pottery, basketry, textiles, and fiber arts, all of which have been designated American Treasures. Its exceptional artifactual, biological, and documentary collections, maintained by an accomplished staff and faculty, keep its programs at the forefront of scholarly investigations while providing public outreach to Arizona's multicultural communities and visitors from around the world.

Greeks in Phoenix

9780738556345

$24.99

The Greek community in Phoenix began in 1907, when the Sanichas brothers, Charles and Chris, arrived in the city to establish the Sanichas Confectionery Store. By 1912, the year of Arizona's statehood, the community had grown to nine families, including the Georgouses family of five brothers. In 1930, ground was broken for the construction of the Hellenic Community House, where religious services were held until l947, when the Hellenic Orthodox Church was built. Today the legacy of the area's Greek pioneers lives on through the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, which has established a research archive and museum to preserve and celebrate the Greek history of Phoenix.

Jewish Settlers in the Arizona Territory

9781467154659

$24.99

Pioneers in Broadcloth
In the 1800s, territorial Arizona offered excitement and adventure to new arrivals, including many Jewish families. Anna Solomon tended the family's general store in the remote Gila River Valley while her husband, Isadore, cut timber and burned charcoal for the furnaces at Henry Lesinsky's Clifton copper mines. In Phoenix, young Morris Goldwater sat at the telegraph in his father's store, sending and receiving the messages that kept the town in touch with the outside world. To the west, Ike Levy navigated his barge around treacherous shoals and sand bars on the Colorado River.
Join author and historian Blaine Lamb as he reveals the unique characters and events that shaped the pioneer Jewish community of Arizona.

Jewish Settlers in the Arizona Territory

Haunted Cochise County

9781467151894

$21.99

Some of the most notorious characters in American history once called Cochise County home. From the well-known shootout at the OK Corral to the Greenway Manor, Southeastern Arizona is haunted by the shades of its violent past. Go beyond the tales of the restless spirits buried at Boothill, and discover an abandoned train tunnel plagued by a tragic death. In Douglas, the ghost of young Mabel haunts the halls of the Avenue Hotel, hoping someone will solve her murder, while the spirit of a Bisbee fireman still works tirelessly to save lives. Join author and paranormal historian Francine Powers as she uncovers the stories behind the hauntings, banshees and apparitions of Cochise County.