Arizona History

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An ad from an old Arizona newspaper advertising clothing designed to combat heat
Arizonans haven't always had air conditioning to beat the desert heat. The Show spoke with Chris Reid of the Pinal County Historical Society to learn how early Arizonans handled the scorching temperatures.
Sep. 15, 2022
montezuma well
Most Arizonans have heard of Montezuma Castle, but there's a little-known oasis just down the road from it: Montezuma Well.
Sep. 12, 2022
The front page of the Arizona Republican on July 6, 1911
Despite all the attributes of being the country’s fifth largest metropolis, what Phoenix is really known for is the heat. The Show series Hot Town explores the Valley's hotness in all its forms. The Hot Town series starts with a look back at Phoenix's heat history.
More Arizona history stories
Sep. 6, 2022
route 66 women cast
A documentary, "Route 66: The Untold Story of Women on the Mother Road," examines how women navigated segregation and gender discrimination to build lives for themselves along America's most famous highway.
Sep. 6, 2022
Navajo Code Talkers
Aug. 14 marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Navajo Code. This year, that day will also mark the groundbreaking for the first national Navajo Code Talkers museum in New Mexico.
Aug. 12, 2022
Entrance to the Papago Park City Boundary Project​ also known as the Tree of Life
Phoenix's Papago Park is known for its natural rock formations, but it’s also home to a mysterious manmade structure. Hear the story behind the park’s "Tree of Life" structure.
More Q&AZ questions answered
Jul. 31, 2022
Canyon Records record label
One of the oldest independent record labels in the country is right here in Tempe. We have more on this very special Valley gem.
Jul. 29, 2022
black and white photo of original fire station with firefighters standing outside
Phoenix is accepting proposals to turn an old firehouse into a restaurant next to Margaret T. Hance Park near downtown.
Jul. 27, 2022
Arizona Heritage Center
A new exhibit at the Arizona Heritage Center uses virtual reality to boost awareness about environmental justice. “Climates of Inequality” explores the history of climate justice with an eye on the present and future as well.
Jul. 16, 2022
revised statutes of the arizona territory
Arizona's attorney general says an Arizona law banning abortions that dates back to territorial days will be enforced. That got The Show wondering: What other laws from 1901 are still on the books?
Jul. 13, 2022
ASU Old Main
The first female African American graduate from Arizona State University has been identified after she was believed to be someone else.
Jun. 11, 2022
Boxes of tile, metal pipes and traffic cones are the only signs of life in this part of the tunnel.
Through KJZZ's Q&AZ reporting project, a listener asked: Whatever happened with the empty space in the middle of Interstate 10's Deck Park Tunnel in Phoenix?
More Q&AZ questions answered
May. 18, 2022
hall of flame museum
Visitors to Papago Park are familiar with the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden, but have you ever heard of the Hall of Flame?
May. 11, 2022
Camp Naco
A former military camp that once housed units of Buffalo Soldiers has been recognized as one of America’s 11 endangered historic places.
May. 7, 2022
The Belle of Tombstone
Phoenix Theatre Company’s annual Festival of New American Theatre includes a trip to the Old West this year.
May. 4, 2022
Sedona
Through our Q&AZ reporting project, a listener asked how the legend of Sedona’s vortexes got started. Turns out, it all started with a woman visiting the red rock area in 1979.
Apr. 18, 2022
Chris Paul Phoenix Suns
After their last season, eyes are on the Phoenix Suns to see if this will be the season they snag the team's first-ever NBA championship. But to do that, the Suns will have to beat four other teams and win 16 postseason games — a huge challenge in any season.
Apr. 15, 2022
Big Surf Waterpark
The former site of Big Surf Waterpark, one of America's oldest water parks and a Tempe icon, was sold this week, according to a press release from Velocity Retail Group. California-based Overton Moore Properties, a commercial real estate company, bought the 35.5 acre site for more than $49 million.
Apr. 13, 2022
Tovrea Castle East Patio
Phoenix may not have a history of monarchs and royalty, but the city is home to a castle fit for a queen. In the case of Tovrea Castle, the queen was Della Gillespie Tovrea Stuart, and she protected her kingdom with sharp wit and a shotgun.
Apr. 13, 2022
KJZZ's The Show
In the late 19th century, when most Navajo children were being forcibly taken from their homes and educated in government-run boarding schools rife with abuse, one place on the reservation did things differently: Ganado Mission. The complicated history is rigorously documented in Jim Kristofic’s book, "Medicine Women: The Story of the First Native American Nursing School."
Mar. 30, 2022

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