Williams Bus Tour

Tours of historic sites and other locales of interest are organized monthly for League members, and November's trip to Williams turned into an unforgettable experience. As recounted by Delores Tomasek, a 7:15 a.m. departure meant very early rising since she lives in Fountain Hills. She needn't have been so punctual. The bus had a flat tire and a new bus had to be sent from Gilbert, pushing their departure to 9:15 a.m.

Arriving in Williams, the group discovered that their planned tour guide was no longer with the company. They were greeted by a guide who specialized in telling the town's ghost stories, not what they'd signed on for.

Lunch was fine, but the group joked that it was a long way to go for a hamburger.

The ride home began at 3:00 p.m. and shortly after, the bus pulled off I17 to the shoulder and stopped. The bus wasn't going to make it and a new bus had to be sent from Gilbert. The wine and cheese they'd brought along helped "ease" the wait, and they enjoyed waving at the truckers.

Everyone finally got home and all agreed: in spite of everything, they had a lot of fun.

Recipes to Try

Zona Lorig recently made the Cashew Pea Salad on page 150 and reports that it's delicious.

The Arizona Date Cake, page 140, submitted by Betty Rhodes, the late Congressman John Rhodes’ wife, is the same recipe that Zona’s grandmother Edith Davis made and is wonderful. Her grandmother was born in Tombstone in 1885.

Happy Customer

I learned about it (Tastes & Treasures) from the Old Ned's News, which I received I guess because I'm a member of the AZ Historical Society. I received the cookbooks and loved them so much I gave them away as gifts. I need two more! Is the free shipping still available? Shall I order just like I did before?

Naomi M.

Desert Botanical Gardens is venue for Historical League Open House

What a beautiful place to hold the annual Historical League Open House October 23. Most of the guest toured the Monarch Butterfly Exhibit prior to meeting at Webster Hall. Our guest speaker, Beth Brand, was very informative and presented the history of Webster Hall and the Botanical Gardens as well as the construction of the new entrance. Several members and guests took the opportunity to purchase our Tastes & Treasures Cookbook. We munched on lovely appetizers and desserts and enjoyed the unusual cactus centerpieces. Meeting in one of the most unique desert dwellings in the world is a wonderful experience.

Love to hear from history buffs

Celeste emailed in an order and will get free shipping (good for the month of October).

"I am giving your cookbook to each of my three children who grew up in Arizona and also using one for an Auction item in our Church Charity Ball that is a fundraiser for our St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School.

Thanks for creating such a nice cookbook as it will make a very special gift."

Celeste Crouch
Founder of our Litchfield Park Historical Society and
active in state historical ventures

Satisfied Cookbook Customer

Michele from Oro Valley, Az sent us a nice email.

"I am a member of the Arizona Historical Society and received Old Ned's Newsletter. The write up of the cookbook was on the front page. I will use them for Christmas gifts for two wonderful ladies who collect cookbooks and love to visit me here in Arizona. I am sure they will love it!"

Guest Speaker Author Jan Cleere at October League meeting

We thoroughly enjoyed the Powerpoint presentation from our speaker, author Jan Cleere. Jan graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University West. She writes about the unique characters, creatures and vegetation of the desert southwest. Her writings have appeared in many Southwestern periodicals. She has received many awards for her writing and belongs to many associations including The Arizona Historical Society.

Jan discussed her new book "Amazing Girls of Arizona: True Stories of Young Pioneers". It’s so fascinating to hear about pioneer women, what they went through and how they did it without air conditioning!

Jan autographed her books for League members after the talk and Sharron McKinney presented her with our Historical Cookbook.