Litchfield Park/Goodyear Independent: Ron Rayner honored as Arizona Historymaker

Local agricultural leader Ron Rayner was named one of the 2025 Arizona Historymakers at a ceremony in Scottsdale. Rayner was recognized for his lifetime of contributions to Arizona agriculture and his impact on the surrounding community.

The event, hosted by the Historical League, celebrated Rayner alongside nine other individuals whose life stories have shaped Arizona’s history. 

Along with Rayner, the 2025 Arizona Historymakers included notable figures such as Bob Boze Bell, Diana ‘Dede’ Yazzie Devine, and Dr. Oliver Harper, among others. 

According to Arizona Historymakers, Rayner’s agricultural innovations have had a lasting impact on the industry, particularly in the West Valley. As a nationally recognized leader in sustainable farming, he developed arid land double-cropping and no-till farming practices that conserve water, reduce pesticide use, and improve soil health.

Rayner also served in leadership roles across various agricultural and community organizations, including as a former board member of the Central Arizona Project, past chairman of the National Cotton Council, and founding chairman of Electrical District No. 8.  According to Arizona Historymakers, his commitment to supporting fellow farmers and improving agricultural practices has earned him respect across the state.

Rayner’s family farm, A Tumbling T Ranches, has deep roots in the region. The Rayner family moved to the area from northern California in 1914, settling in what is now Goodyear and Litchfield Park. Over the years, the farm expanded from growing potatoes and onions to a diversified agricultural operation. Today, A Tumbling T Ranches produces a variety of crops in Arizona and California, including wheat, alfalfa, and cotton, and continues to be a leader in sustainable farming practices.

Visit historicalleague.org for more information.

Zona Lorig

Research - that’s how Oral History starts and one of the first interactions with Arizona Historymakers. 

"A Historymaker's oral history is a recording, via audio, video or both, of an individual's lifetime of memories including family, education, career, philanthropy, and interests. Prior to the interview, the interviewer researches the Historymaker's background and prepares a series of questions, adding appropriate questions during the interview." Zona Lorig has been a big part of Historymakers and their oral histories for years. "It's fairly intense because you are under a time constraint of two hours and you're searching for this person's most important life experiences. It is very interesting and fascinating to have the honor to take oral histories."

The Historical League is blessed with some incredible members

who learned about each 2025 Arizona Historymaker. We are grateful for the diligent research and interviews from members Norma Jean Coulter, Zona Lorig, Josephine Pete, Diane Smith, and Laurie Sue-Retts.

Listening to them speak is a great way to get to know Arizona Historymakers 1992-2023. The oral histories are available at www.HistoricalLeague.org/historymakers

Diane Smith, Norma Jean Coulter, Josie Pete, Laurie-Sue Retts

NHD students attend 2025 Historymakers Celebration

 Having National History Day students attending the 2025 Arizona Historymaker Celebration was a perk for Historical League members, honorees and guests. The 5 students brought their exhibits, papers, documentary to share. They also brought parents, sponsors, teachers. It was great to meet the support team for students who have such talent and determination. They chose a topic, researched it and competed all the way to Washington D.C. for National Competition this past June 2025.

Creations by Sergio wins Silver at Taco Fest 2025

Congrats to Creations by Sergio for winning Silver at Taco Fest 2025. This is the team that prepares those delicious lunches for our Historical League meetings. We get spoiled once a month with their yummy food selections. (Kudos for being interviewed on Arizona Family TV 3).

 

Arizona Historical Society Seeks Community Support to Help Repair Tempe Museum

The Arizona Historical Society (AHS) has announced the temporary public closure of the Arizona Heritage Center in Tempe beginning November 10, 2025, through January 5, 2026, while critical repairs are made to restore the building and safeguard the collections. Staff will remain onsite and available for public outreach and questions, and may be reached at their regular phone numbers and emails. The Heritage Center building is facing numerous maintenance issues following the recent storms that hit the Valley and a break-in attempt in August, both of which caused significant damage to the building. Extensive water damage has affected several areas of the museum, including some exhibit galleries, the Steele Auditorium, and the front entrance and lobby. The attempted break-in and vandalism at the end of August contributed to the flooding. These extensive repairs and other critical maintenance are necessary to bring the facility back to a suitable standard for public operations, thus necessitating the temporary closure of the museum exhibits to the public.

“We are responding to the recent storms, but also taking this as an opportunity to address other concerns while shut down,” according to AHS executive director David Breeckner. “Coming out of the shutdown, we will have restored our ability to fulfil our mission of preserving Arizona’s history and provide the public with an improved museum experience.”

Among the most substantial repairs needed are to the building’s HVAC system to maintain proper climate control for the museum’s collections and archives. The cost of these repairs is estimated to exceed $308,000. Additionally the auditorium’s AV system, vital for community events, lectures, and programming, needs to be replaced and upgraded, which is expected to cost between $100,000 and $200,000. Other needed repairs include correction to cracks, uplift, and subsidence in the flooring of the museum’s exhibition galleries; inoperable elevators; damaged wall and ceiling panels; and crumbling exterior stone and brick facades.    Most significantly, to allow for the repairs, some exhibits will need to be demolished or moved. AHS is using this as an opportunity to begin improvements and alterations to the museum’s permanent exhibition spaces. Long-term updates are currently estimated to cost over $600,000 to complete. Repairs to the most immediately affected areas will be completed by the shutdown’s conclusion.  Located on College Avenue in Papago Park, the Arizona Heritage Center first opened to the public in 1994 after a decade-long effort of public fundraising and private and corporate sponsorship. The building houses a museum focusing on the history of Phoenix and central Arizona, a research library, event space, and an extensive collections storage area that safeguards many of Arizona’s historic treasures. During the closure, AHS staff will remain onsite to continue critical operations, and researchers and volunteers will still be able to access the archives by appointment. However, they will require a staff escort due to limited building access. Educational programming will be paused, with the exception of previously-scheduled field trips.

Some repair work on the building has already begun, particularly in Steele Auditorium, but much work remains to be done around the building. The Arizona Historical Society is thankful to the State of Arizona Department of Administration and Risk Management for its support and aid in addressing the flood damage.  The Arizona Historical Society is asking the community for support to help address these unexpected repair costs and improve the Arizona Heritage Center’s mission of connecting people through the power of Arizona’s history.  Monetary donations will directly fund repair and exhibition-upgrade efforts and ensure the museum’s timely reopening. Those wishing to contribute can do so through the AHS website at arizonahistoricalsociety.org/support/donations, or click the donate button below, designating their gift to the Arizona Heritage Center. AHS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and all donations are tax-deductible. The Arizona Historical Society anticipates reopening the museum to the public on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Updates about progress and reopening events will be shared via AHS social media and email newsletters.

3rd Grade Postcard Contest 2026

 Calling all Arizona 3rd grade teachers, it's time to kickoff our 4th annual Postcard Contest!

Our annual postcard contest is open to 3rd graders across Arizona! Submissions should creatively celebrate Arizona through the 5 Cs, historical events, landscapes, people, or animals. All work must be hand-drawn and include the AHS copper “Bug”, the X symbol in our logo. See contest rules for more information and submission details on our website. One submission per classroom will be considered. Must be postmarked by January 30, 2026.

Visit: https://arizonahistoricalsociety.org/.../ahs-postcard.../

to learn more or email krex@azhs.gov

Mohave Middle School begins research for 2026 National History Day competition

 Arizona Historical Society Education team worked with 7th and 8th graders at Mohave Middle School on their topics for the 2026 NHD theme Revolution, Reaction and Reform in History today! Looking forward to seeing their projects at the east regional.

The Historical League is a proud sponsor of this project.

Leonard Moody with students

Emily Hahn helping students

Arizona Historymaker Alfredo Gutierrez Celebration of Life

 Celebration of Life for Arizona Historymaker Alfredo Gutierrez was an amazing tribute to him.

Daniel Gonzalez and Wren Smetana Arizona Republic | USA TODAY NETWORK

People gathered on the afternoon of Oct. 26 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Phoenix for a celebration of the life of Alfredo Gutiérrez, a progressive political leader whose influence in Arizona spanned decades. h Gutiérrez died July 29 from cancer. He was 79. Gutiérrez’s life was filled with many roles — Army private, civil rights activist, state lawmaker, Arizona Senate majority and minority leader, gubernatorial candidate, political consultant and radio host, among others — linked by his desire to improve the lives of immigrants and increase access to education.

His video, biography, oral history and photos at https://historicalleague.org/projects/alfredo-gutierrez/