Arizona History is on the move

 Over 1,000 linear feet of Arizona History has officially made its way to its new home! 

After 3 months of planning, 2 days of moving, 700+ boxes, and 4 trucks, our Northern Division archival collections are now safely at the Arizona History Museum in Tucson. 

A huge THANK YOU to our incredible staff, movers, and our partners at Northern Arizona University-Cline Library for making this move possible! 

The collections will become accessible to researchers and the public once our Library & Archives team organize the materials over the coming months. To learn more or for any questions please email AHSreference@azhs.gov 

Rattlesnake Dress

 Rattlesnake Dress: Talk About Fashion with Teeth!

These photos of Edith Holbert of Tucson, were taken in the 1930s. She was a rattlesnake fancier who hunted and captured the snakes on trips into the desert. She would tan the snake skins and create one-of-a-kind outfits. She kept newspapers on the floor of her house in case a snake got loose. This way she could hear the snake on the newspapers and catch him.

Would you wear one of her creations?

Courtesy of Arizona Historical Society archives.

Arizona Inn reorders Tastes & Treasures II

An email from Emma at the Gift Shop in Arizona Inn said, "Are we able to order another box of 10 of the Tastes & Treasures II books?  The first batch sold so well when we received them!"

Then she changed her mind, "2 boxes would be wonderful!  The Gift Shop is trying to be prepared for the busy season coming up."

We love to hear it!! Linda Corderman personally delivered the books to her.

tiny BLTs from Arizona Inn

DeGrazia Gallery in Tucson

Joan Galloway, Susan Howard, Dee Steen, Karen Overton, Carolyn Mendoza

Norma Jean Coulter

DeGrazia tour on Historical League tour Day 3. Felt inspired to see all his works: sketches at 3 am, cholla slices embedded in cement for the floor, stations of the cross . . .so much artistic expression in his home.

Cholla slices in cement floor

Drew delivers Tastes & Treasures II to Arizona Inn

Arizona Inn is featured in the new Tastes & Treasures II: A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona. When they ordered a box of books, Drew Nullmeyer was available to deliver them to their historic Tucson location. Historical League member Cathy Nullmeyer has enlisted her wonderful son as a new volunteer!

Historymaker Esther Don Tang 1917-2015 Remembered

Esther Don Tang 97, of Tucson, Arizona, died Saturday, February 28, 2015. She was born March 5, 1917 in Tucson to Don Wah and FokYut Ngan.  Her childhood home was a store/house at the corner of Jackson and Convent streets, where the Tucson Convention Center now stands. Growing up in the Tucson Barrio/Chinatown, she became fluent in Spanish and Chinese. She and her husband David were owners of a Campbell Avenue retail center in Tucson. Esther helped establish Pio Decimo Neighborhood Center, serving 20 years as Executive Director. Her later career included real estate development as part of an all-woman company whose vision was to create a unique brand of quality living facilities for the elderly and families with children.

Esther was named Tucson Woman of the Year in 1955. Her volunteerism, leadership, and achievements included works for the YWCA, The Diocese of Tucson, The Salvation Army, Pima Community College Board of Governors, Pima Council On Aging, La Doña de los Descendientes del Presidio de Tucson, Tucson Chinese Cultural Center and countless others.

The Historical League was very pleased to honor Esther Don Tang as a Historymaker at the Gala in 2003. Her story is remarkable and an inspiration to all. It was a pleasure to work with her documenting her life with video, oral history, photographs and artifacts. We are deeply saddened to lose this remarkable lady.

Esther Don Tang’s energy and enthusiasm for life is an inspiration to the next generation. During her Historymaker interview she was quoted, “A person should never do any kind of work unless they’re happy in it. That’s the only way you’re going to succeed. So I say, never do anything unless you enjoy it and then you grow with it.” As a community activist, Mrs. Tang continued to promote diversity and tolerance of age, ethnic, and religious differences. She was diminutive in stature, but her achievements for the Tucson community stand tall.

Excerpts from Arizona Recollections and Reflections, An Arizona Centennial Historymakers Commemoration and the Arizona Daily Star (Mar. 8, 2015)

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Holiday time and our daughter-in-law made this delicious soup. Takes time but so-o-o worth it.
Tastes & Treasures cookbook has a similar recipe on page 106 that includes Pumpkin. Thanks to Arizona Inn in Tucson for contributing this historic recipe to the Historical League.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1 (3 pound) butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste 

8 strips bacon, chopped 

1 large onion, chopped 

6 stalks celery, chopped

6 carrots, chopped 

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons curry powder 

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

salt and ground black pepper to taste 

1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored, and cubed

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1 cup apple cider 

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional) 

1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place squash in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; mix to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread squash into a single layer on a baking pan. Roast the squash in the preheated oven, turning once, until fork-tender and caramelized; 30 to 40 minutes.
Place the bacon in a Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pan.
Place the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper in the Dutch oven; cook in reserved bacon drippings until the carrots and celery are soft. Mix in the apples and cooked squash and cook another 5 minutes. Stir the garlic into the mixture and cook another 1 minute. Pour the apple cider over the mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer; allow to reduce to about half its original volume. Stir in the chicken stock; simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.
Puree the soup in small batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender. If using a blender, don't fill the blender more than half-way. Always remove the center lid piece of a stand blender when blending hot liquids so the steam can escape. Cover the hole with a dish towel while blending. Stir the nutmeg into the soup. Garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and some of the bacon pieces to serve.
Makes 12 cups
Thanks to allrecipes.com 

Roasted Garlic Mushrooms

Mushrooms are delicious no matter how they are prepared but his recipe is very tasty. We also like the Roasted Portabella Mushrooms in Tastes & Treasures cookbook, page 108 from historic Arizona Inn in Tucson.

Roasted Garlic Mushrooms
Ingredients:

16 even-sized open cup mushrooms, stalks cut level
3 tbsp corn or vegetable oil
1/4 c unsalted butter, softened
3 cloves garlic, chopped very finely
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 c fresh breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F. 

Lightly fry the mushrooms, cap-side down, in hot oil for 20 seconds.

Arrange the mushrooms in a shallow roasting tin with the stalks facing upwards.

Mix together the butter, garlic, thyme, lemon juice and seasoning. Spoon a little garlic butter on to each mushroom, then lightly press the breadcrumbs on top. Either refrigerate for later use, or cook immediately in the oven for 10 minutes.

Cookbooks to Tucson Distributor

Treasure Chest, located in Tucson, supplies books to stores all over the state. Every year they order 100 or more copies of Tastes & Treasures cookbook.  I am loading the car as it is time to ship to them again. . .

Madelines

The Arizona Inn has served hundreds of visitors to Tucson since it was built by Isabella Greenway in 1930. This recipe for delicious cookies is found on page 109 of Tastes & Treasures. The cookie molds give it this distinctive shape.
A more detailed history of The Arizona Inn and AZ Congresswoman, Isabella Greenway, is documented in the book An Enterprising Woman by Kristie Miller. Miss Greenway was a long time friend of Eleanor Roosevelt corresponding with over 200 letters between them. For a good story of early Arizona, pick up this book.