History

Looking back on the impact of 1918 Flu, hantavirus outbreak in the Four Corners
I reached out to Andrew Gulliford, Professor of History at Durango’s Fort Lewis College, to learn how the Four Corners handled the 1918 influenza outbreak.
Looking back on Teddy Roosevelt’s history in western Colorado
The area around Glenwood Springs, Rifle, and Silt was once “Teddy Roosevelt country.” A century after his death, he’s still remembered as a larger-than-life figure – in both American history and that of Western Colorado.
The teddy bear truth
What’s the real story behind the famous stuffed animal? A surprising tale of Theodore Roosevelt’s refusal to shoot a subdued bear.
A region uplifted: Center of Southwest Studies explores heritage of Four Corners states
Devoted to scholarly research but open to the public, the center focuses on the history, people and culture of the American Southwest.
“I’m not a miner, I’m a provider”
Onofre Tafoya spent 40 years moving the earth in an underground copper mine near Tucson. But it was more than hard work. It was the place where, as he says, he “became a man.”
Some thrived, some died
Tracking the history of Arizona’s boom and bust towns. Bisbee and Globe survived, Helvetia and Ruby didn’t.
“The kinds of things he believed, he tried to live…”
Gordon Hirabayashi objected to how Japanese Americans were treated in World War II. His fight took him from the Supreme Court to a prison camp in Arizona.
A Roman colony in the Sonoran Desert?
A collection of lead crosses and swords found near Tucson has led to a nearly century-old controversy: Was a Roman colony established in the area around C.E. 800? Some are convinced it proves that Romans settled in the area; others say it’s a hoax.
Re-enacting the Civil War in the Southwest
The Battle of Picacho Pass on April 15, 1862, was the westernmost engagement of the Civil War. Some say it was just a “skirmish,” but each year, it’s brought back to life a dedicated group of re-enactors.
Historic steam locomotive kicks off Arizona’s centennial
We climbed aboard Union Pacific’s historic steam locomotive known as The 844 in 2012 to talk with the engineer and record the sounds of the legendary iron horse.
Remembering the Serling brothers
“We were rank sentimentalists and rank romanticists, both of us.”
Separating truth from myth in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral
A closer look at an enduring tale of the Old West.
Homolovi State Park reopens as research continues
Budget cuts forced the state park to close last year. But Homolovi has re-opened and is operated jointly by Arizona State Parks and the Hopi Tribe. Meanwhile, archaeological research continues at the site.
New book explores Boy Scout deaths in ‘58 mountain blizzard
What happened to three boy scouts hiking on southern Arizona’s Mt. Baldy in 1958? They disappeared into a sudden snowstorm and were never seen alive again. New evidence may hold the answer.
Amerind adapts to change, continues archaeological research
The Amerind Foundation in southeast Arizona has assembled an extensive collection of archaeological artifacts and Southwestern art. Director John Ware talks about the research organization’s history and the evolving nature of archaeology.