AZ: The History of Arizona podcast

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A podcast tracing the history, events, people and places that made the Grand Canyon State.

David Rookhuyzen


    • Jun 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 226 EPISODES

    5 from 78 ratings Listeners of AZ: The History of Arizona podcast that love the show mention: arizona, history, fun, david has done.


    Ivy Insights

    The AZ: The History of Arizona podcast is a true gem for history enthusiasts. As a dedicated listener of podcasts like Mike Duncan's HoR and Isaac Meyer's History of Japan, I was thrilled to stumble upon this fascinating series hosted by David. From the very first episode, I was captivated by the grandeur and richness of Arizona's history, which I had never truly appreciated before.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is David's ability to make history come alive. His storytelling skills are impeccable, and he has a knack for weaving together intricate details to create a compelling narrative. Whether he's discussing the Native American tribes that inhabited the region long before European settlers arrived or delving into more recent events like the growth of Phoenix as a major metropolitan area, David brings each era to life in a way that is both informative and engaging.

    Furthermore, I greatly appreciate David's commitment to transparency when it comes to historical uncertainties. Rather than presenting a one-sided account, he acknowledges differing interpretations by historians and presents them in an unbiased manner. This attention to detail and historical accuracy adds depth to the podcast and allows listeners to form their own opinions.

    If there were any shortcomings in this podcast, they would be minimal. Occasionally, there may be instances where certain topics are not explored in as much depth as others due to time constraints or the availability of historical sources. However, this is understandable given the vast scope of Arizona's history and should not detract from the overall quality of the podcast.

    In conclusion, The AZ: The History of Arizona podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in history or simply looking for an entertaining and educational way to pass their time. David has truly done justice to his state's proud heritage, uncovering hidden stories and shedding light on lesser-known aspects of Arizona's past. I have recommended this series to my daughter and many others who share my passion for history, and I will continue singing its praises for years to come.



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    Latest episodes from AZ: The History of Arizona podcast

    Episode 220: Mars Hill

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 31:29


    In May 1894, a rich, globetrotting, and brilliant mathematician from Boston came to Flagstaff for a special purpose - finding evidence of life on Mars.

    Episode 219: Odds and Ends

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 32:02


    The Great Depression is a historical period best told through on-the-ground stories. Here is just a smattering of what it looked like in Arizona.

    Episode 218: A New Deal for Arizona

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 31:02


    In 1932, FDR pledged to bring his “New Deal” to the American people. You can debate its effectiveness, but in Arizona in general and Phoenix in particular you can see remnants and effects of the New Deal programs to this very day.

    Programing Notice 5

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 2:29


    Delays in the present, but plans for the future!

    Episode 217: The Okies

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 31:56


    During the 1930s, millions of migrant workers and their families fled from the Dust Bowl. Tens of thousands of them drifted into Arizona, lured by the promise of plenty of work in the cotton fields. These workers would find themselves taking the place of displaced Mexican workers, both economically and socially.

    Episode 216: Depression and Repatriation

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 32:53


    In October 1929, the bottom fell out of the stock market, and three of Arizona's famous 5 C's each took massive hits in the ensuing depression. But the downturn didn't just hit people's pocketbooks; in the case of many Mexican nationals or Mexican-Americans, it affected their ability to live in Arizona at all.

    Episode 215: If This Was My Lake

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 33:47


    In 1930, thousands of Arizonans came together to celebrate the official dedication of the unique Coolidge Dam. It was the culmination of years of work to get a dam on the Gila River, but its legacy remains a bit complicated. But, hey, at least it gave us one really funny joke.

    Episode 214: Cajoling Coolidge

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 29:27


    After getting through the House and the Senate on unanimous votes, the bill to build the San Carlos Dam had to clear its final obstacle - the potential bill killer known as "Silent Cal."

    Episode 213: S. 966

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 30:52


    After more than a decade of trying and only getting a portion of the San Carlos project funded, Hayden and his allies set their sights on one big push to get the San Carlos Dam funded. The first step? Getting it through the Senate.

    Episode 212: The Florence-Casa Grande Project

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 33:02


    Throughout the 1910s, Carl Hayden and others failed to get their storage dam on the Gila River. However, in the early 1920s they were able get a smaller reclamation project approved. Too bad it would do little, if anything, to help the water-strapped Maricopa and O'odham living on the Pima Reservation.

    Episode 211: Surveying of the Pima Reservation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 28:02


    In which someone suggests a radical idea - actually collecting hard data on and documenting the impact of upstream diversions to the O'odham living along the Gila River.

    Episode 210: The Colorado River Compact, Part VI: Arizona's Characteristic Obsession

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 30:39


    The end to the decades-long saga of trying to divide the Colorado River.

    Episode 209: The Colorado River Compact, Part V: The Swing-Johnson Bill

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 30:35


    With both versions of the Colorado River Compact seeming to hit brick walls, proponents switched their focus to helping California pass the Swing-Johnson Bill, which would basically enforce the terms of the compact. But guess which state and its leaders really had a problem with this bill…

    Episode 208: The Colorado River Compact, Part IV: The Six State Solution

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 31:22


    After growing tired of Arizona's refusal to ratify the Colorado River Compact, the other states contemplated how to move forward. Their best solution was to just ignore Arizona completely.

    Episode 207: The Colorado River Compact, Part III: Hoover Will Run Up Against a Brick Wall

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 30:43


    The Colorado River Compact had been signed by the commission delegates, but soon enough a whole new round of squabbling started in the individual state legislatures. And the biggest roadblock of all would turn out to be Arizona and its forceful governor, George W. P. Hunt.

    Episode 206: The Colorado River Compact, Part II: Upper Basin, Lower Basin

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 38:01


    When the Colorado River Commission reached an impasse, Delph Carpenter proposed an idea. To get around the myriad of competing entrenched interests, he went with something both simple and (eventually) problematic - why not avoid talking about individual states all together?

    Episode 205: The Colorado Compact, Part 1: Stalemate

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 38:17


    By 1922, everyone along the Colorado River agreed to get together and decide how to split up the water amicably. Unfortunately, their first attempt would only last four days.

    Episode 204: The League of the Southwest

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 38:45


    Throughout the 1910s, states came together and fell apart as they all discussed differing visions for the use of the Colorado River. Finally, in 1920, one lawyer from Colorado had a brilliant idea — Why didn't everyone just sit down, come to a final agreement and put it all into writing?

    Episode 203: Imperial Dreams

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 33:51


    By the 1920s, everyone was thinking that it was time to tap the Colorado River for irrigation. However, before we cover that, I think we need to go over the ground rules for water rights in the Western United States. Also, just for fun, let's look at the disaster that followed one of the earliest attempts to harness the Colorado for agriculture.

    Episode 202: The Mother of Highways

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 29:31


    As automobiles grew more popular in the 1920s, Arizona suddenly had to invest a lot into building the infrastructure that would allow them to get around. From bridges to tunnels to actual highways, let's look at some of the first projects to cater to the car-loving crowd.

    Episode 201: How to Build a Highway

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 35:58


    Let's take a trip down some dusty history by examining how Arizona went from a territory of wagon trails to a state of highways. Hint - it involves a lot of hand-wringing over how to pay for everything.

    Episode 200

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 51:31


    To celebrate 200 episodes of getting together to talk all things Arizona history, here's a jumbo-sized episode where I take your suggestions for what we should cover!

    Episode 199: The Unsung Hero

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 35:18


    With tourism exploding across Arizona in the 1920s, the state had to make sure its new visitors had some very nice places to stay … even if those places ostensibly raised cattle.

    Programming Notice 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 1:48


    It's a bad news/good news situation

    Episode 198: Indian Detours

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 33:28


    As tourism exploded across Arizona in the 1920s, everyone was suddenly interested in Amerindian culture, much to the benefit and detriment of the state's native population.

    Episode 197: Controlling the Grand Canyon

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 39:26


    The Grand Canyon might be Arizona's greatest asset for tourism. But between 1900 and 1926, one man tried every legal and extralegal means he could to control access to this wonder of the world.

    Episode 196: The Health Seekers

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2024 29:57


    With no cure for their respiratory ailments, people flocked to dry, warm places like Arizona in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some did find the healing they sought, but many more found only poverty, prejudice, and an early grave.

    Episode 195: Building Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 31:04


    By the end of the 1920s, there were plenty of new, exciting ways to get to Phoenix. But depending on if a person new to the city was a minority or not, their experience living in Arizona's capital could vary greatly.

    Episode 194: Let's Do Away With the Desert

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 29:36


    Phoenix saw phenomenal growth during the 1920s, with new homes and new neighborhoods rapidly expanding outward. Phoenicians also wanted to make sure that no one would mistake their tree-lined city for something as base as a desert.

    Episode 193: Of Economic Value

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 28:40


    With the cotton boom happening across Arizona in the late 1910s and the early 1920s, the demand for cheap labor during the harvest season increased exponentially. To meet that demand, large-scale farming operators turned to both Amerindian and Mexican labor to get the job done.

    Episode 192: Queen Cotton

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 30:06


    The demands of World War I included an insatiable hunger for cotton. Arizona farmers would cash in on this need, but they would wind up going a little too far in betting on this white, fluffy gold.

    Episode 191: The Balloon Buster

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 29:52


    World War I may be one of America's more forgotten conflicts, but you don't have to look too hard to find Arizona's memorials to its famous, high-flying, balloon-busting native son.

    Episode 190: The Power Cabin Shootout

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 28:25


    In 1917, the U.S. went to war, and men and women across the country - including Arizona - jumped to do their part. However, when two brothers refused to be drafted, it set off the largest manhunt in state history.

    Episode 189: The Battle of Ambos Nogales

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024 29:39


    In the waning years of the Mexican Revolution and after the outbreak of World War I, the international border with Mexico was transformed from the more open and lax line to the fenced, patrolled boundary we know today.

    Episode 188: The Punitive Expedition

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 30:38


    In 1916, Pancho Villa made the rash move of attacking the U.S. in order to get back into the revolutionary game. All this got him was a swift reprisal from the U.S. Army.

    Episode 187: The Mexican Robin Hood

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 30:18


    The second phase of the Mexican Revolution kicked off in 1913 after the death of President Francisco Madero. This meant a stronger - though still woefully deficient - presence of troops along the Arizona border and the rise of a certain famous bandit turned revolutionary.

    186: ¡Viva La Revolución!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 29:27


    In 1910, Mexico suddenly erupted in violence and chaos. Though it was (mostly) an internal rebellion, it definitely impacted the communities sitting just across the international boundary line.

    Episode 185: The Historian

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 31:14


    The time has finally come to carry out my threat to do a whole episode about early state historian James H. McClintock, plus two other state historians, just for good measure.

    Episode 184: The Bisbee Deportation, Part VIII: The Copper Collar

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 25:09


    The saga of the Bisbee Deportation comes to an end. By 1920 everyone behind the illegal measure had gotten off scot free and by 1925 the Wobblies as an organization were pretty much dead. For all intents and purposes, Arizona was now in the hands of the copper companies.

    Episode 183: The Bisbee Deportation, Part VII: Regardless of Law

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 25:22


    Following the immediate aftermath of the Bisbee Deportation, we move into the weeks and months that followed and the response on a national level. It turned out to be just as anemic and apathetic as the local level.

    Episode 182: The Bisbee Deportation, Part VI: A Black Eye for Arizona

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024 30:35


    In the aftermath of the Bisbee Deportation, the exiled men demanded help returning home, but were mostly met with apathy from officials. Meanwhile, Bisbee itself went into something of a paranoia-fueled lockdown.

    Episode 181: The Bisbee Deportation, Part V: The Wobblies Are Not Coming Back

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 29:00


    After rounding up a couple thousand of their neighbors and acquaintances during the morning of July 12, 1917, the citizens of Bisbee held them at a local ballpark before stuffing the majority into the cattle cars of an eastbound train. About 15 hours later, the deported men founxd themselves abandoned, cold, thirty and starving in the middle of New Mexico.

    Episode 180: The Bisbee Deportation, Part IV: The Loyalty League Call

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2024 27:51


    On the evening of July 11, 1917, a group of roughly 100 men gathered at the Phelps Dodge medical dispensary to discuss what to do about striking miners in town. At 6:30 a.m. on July 12, these men and 1,900 more began a systematic program of arrests, beatings and thefts to round up any and all undesirables - whether they were participating in the strike or not.

    Episode 179: The Bisbee Deportation, Part III: The Jerome Deportation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2024 30:40


    Just two days before the eruption of the major historical set piece that is the Bisbee Deportation, a dress rehearsal of sorts was occurring in Jerome. And this smaller instance of vigilantism would show the copper companies exactly how much they could get away it.

    Episode 178: The Bisbee Deportation, Part II: The Bisbee Citizens' Protective League

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2024 28:34


    In a fit of passion, the IWW decided to launch a strike in Bisbee in June 1917. Unfortunately, this just set up the dominoes perfectly for the copper companies to prepare their counterattack.

    Episode 177: The Bisbee Deportation, Part I: A Foothold in the Paradise of Capitalism

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2024 28:54


    As we move into discussing one of the big black marks on Arizona history, we first must talk about Bisbee and that one time when the Western Federation of Miners was able to just barely gain a foothold in the company town.

    Episode 176: Labor Strikes, Part VI: You Cannot Compromise With a Rattlesnake

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2024 31:54


    After the U.S. entered World War I in the spring of 1917, another wave of strikes erupted across Arizona. But the owners of the state's copper mines had learned a trick or two and were able to brand unions as anti-American agitators. Eventually the heavy hammer of company authority would fall everywhere , even in places as staunchly pro-labor as Globe and Miami.

    Episode 175: Labor Strikes, Part V: Boogeymen and Backlash

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 29:16


    As labor made its gains in the early 20th century, the companies they were agitating against embarked on a concerted campaign to co-opt, malign and marginalize any dissidents. One particular target was the IWW, which the companies soon managed to turned into villains in the public imagination, despite them doing very, very little.

    Episode 174: Labor Strikes, Part IV: A Qualified Victory

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2024 30:16


    In 1915-1916, the miners and Clifton and Morenci participated in a strike that was unusual - it was non-violent, didn't involve strikebreakers, and no troops were called in to stop it. But most unusual of all - the strikers basically won.

    Labor Strikes, Part III: The Miami Scale

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 22:50


    In 1915, miners at both Miami and Ray decided that they wanted a bigger piece of the pie. And, surprisingly, in both instances they were able to put together an effective walk out. Even more surprisingly, though they wouldn't get exactly what they had demanded, they were both able to secure important concessions from the copper corporations.

    Episode 172: Labor Strikes, Part II: The Trouble in Cananea

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024 29:39


    You would think that the workers at the Cananea Consolidated Copper Company mines in Sonora going on strike would be outside this podcast's purview. But, oh, how did Arizona - and its territorial rangers - found a way to be involved.

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