Sign In
Free Newsletter
Big Snow in Flagstaff
One of the biggest snowstorms in Flagstaff history began early on the morning of Dec. 30, 1915. During the subsequent 48 hours, 64 inches of snow fell on the town.
History of the Historian: Sharlot Hall
Don’t let this picture of Sharlot Hall fool you. She may look gentle enough, but in 1926, around the time this picture was taken, she got the only slaughtering license ever issued to a woman and was quite proud of it. Her acclaim does not stem from this dubious distinction however, but rather from her work as a writer and a historian.
Flagstaff grows up: 1920s – 1970s
The some 2,000 Flagstaff residents in the 1920s were filled with optimism and vigor toward the future of their burgeoning town.
Stargazer
This is Percival Lowell, founder of Flagstaff’s Lowell Observatory and early-day astronomer. He spent the better part of a lifetime probing the solar system — gazing into the lens of this Clark 24-inch refractor telescope (now a registered national historic landmark) from atop Mars Hill in Flagstaff.
A Fortune and A Legend
John Horton Slaughter, who came to the Arizona Territory in 1879, when he was 38, made himself a fortune and a legend.
Planting the Flag in Flagstaff
Flagstaff’s abundant natural resources of water, grass, and timber drew the initial settlers in the 1870s. At the time, there were no fences or rules about grazing livestock and more and more livestock operators moved their herds in. Loggers also arrived to harvest the majestic ponderosa pine forest.
The Priests of St. Mary’s
This photo, taken in 1958, shows a number of prominent priests standing in the doorway of St. Mary’s Church rectory at Monroe and Third Streets. The occasion was the 25th anniversary of the ordination of Father Gilbert Zlater, the first St. Mary’s “boy” to become a priest and the first Franciscan from Arizona.
Gold’s 1912 Buick Racer
Martin Gold arrived in the Valley around 1880 after emigrating from what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Gold was part of a generation that seemingly lived to work, and in less than two generations, the efforts of men like him transformed a wasteland into the city of Phoenix.
Need a Rest? Lolomai Lodge, 1909
A 1909 ad in Flagstaff’s Coconino Sun newspaper enticed readers to take a break at the lovely Lolomai Lodge in Oak Creek Canyon. The lodge was one of several in the canyon, all catering to those seeking a respite from hectic days.
The Sunrise Choir
It was Easter of 1944 when the Arizona State Teachers College a capella choir, under the direction of Eldon Ardrey, stood at the chilly south rim of the Grand Canyon to perform in the annual Easter sunrise service and have this picture taken.
A Tucson Civic Leader
Merrill Freeman was a pioneer Arizonan active in territorial politics and education. But his route to Arizona was circuitous, and he didn’t arrive in Tucson until he was well into middle age.
Southern Arizona’s Many Noons
Dr. Adolphus H. Noon arrived in Tucson in October 1879, with his oldest son Alonzo and a friend. Noon was looking for a place to settle, where he could set up a medical practice and also do some mining.
