Statehood Day festivities at the Capitol on Feb. 14 celebrated Arizona’s past while anticipating its future.
Nearly 40 tables manned by volunteers representing museums across the state dotted the Senate lawn as part of the annual “Museums on the Mall: Celebrating Arizona’s Statehood” display.
Former state Rep. Phil Hanson said he had been walking from table to table for an hour and was only one-third of the way through the exhibit.
“I plan on spending a good part of the day here,” he said.
Hanson, who had represented Peoria and Sun City, is on the board of the Central Arizona Chapter of the Arizona Historical Society.
Liz Zveglich, president of the board of the Rosson House Museum, came dressed in a turn-of-the-century costume to Museums on the Mall.
When Zveglich is in character, she “steps back in time” to Phoenix in 1895 and takes on the persona of Virginia Mahoney, wife of the superintendent of the county hospital.
“She was one of the movers and shakers of the Phoenix area,” Zveglich said. “(When in costume), we try to bring in the culture of what was going on in 1895 Phoenix,”
Harry and Mary Hensell of Tempe were representing the Arizona Military Museum on the lawn. Harry Hensell, who served 34 years in the United States Army and Army National Guard, pointed out and described a WWII flight jacket sitting in front of the display.
As the displays on the Senate lawn reminded Arizonans of their history, the Statehood Day proceedings in the old historic Senate chamber focused on things to come.
In her Statehood Day proclamation, Gov. Janet Napolitano assured legislators and citizens in attendance that the future of the state is bright, despite budget concerns.
“Today, we have a lot to commemorate,” she said. “We have a proud past to commemorate — a proud future to note.”
Not every aspect of the future is equally bright, however.
“We do have some challenges ahead of us,” Napolitano said. “We’re heading into an election year and things get kind of tough, things get kind of gnarly.”
To prepare for Arizona’s 100th birthday in 2012, Napolitano established an Arizona Centennial Commission to design a master plan for a year-long Centennial celebration.
During the program, former Senate President Brenda Burns was awarded the Polly Rosenbaum award for her 16 years of service in the state Legislature. ?