Arizona Valenine

By

Gerry Niskern

We all know the only sight more gorgeous than the golden glow of an Arizona sunset is a delicate desert sunrise of silvery pinks.   But did you know that our beautiful state is celebrating its 103^rd  birthday this month?  On Valentines day, February 14^th, 1912, President Taft signed the bill granting statehood to Arizona.

The Spanish claimed this land until the Gadsden Purchase created the Arizona Territory. Way back before then, the only inhabitants of Arizona for thousands of years were the Native Americans. They were Navajo, Apache, Zuni, Hope, Pima, and Papago, to name just a few of the many tribes.

We know the early settlers arrived in covered wagons; but do you know how your first family arrived?  Our family, on the other hand, came to Arizona in a 41 Plymouth. We piled into the car in Moundsville, W. Va,  and crossed the United States, taking time to see America on the way.  In that wartime summer of 1942 Dad often stopped to pick up young soldiers, sailors and marines on leave who were hitching their way home across the country or back to their base. We stopped to see an uncle stationed at an Army base in Texas.

Everything was fine until we came through the mountains of Eastern Arizona.

Then my dad said, “We’re getting close to Phoenix”. Then we stopped fighting in the back seat and sat up and paid attention.  First we came to Globe. Our hearts sank. We dropped down through the little mining towns of Miami and Superior and our hearts sank even lower. Is this what Arizona towns looked like? Soon we were on the hot desert floor in the middle of an Arizona August and on the home stretch. We prepared for the worst.  Finally, we were on Van Buren Street in Phoenix.  There were Palm trees and orange trees. And  cute motels, parks and grass, lots of grass! It was wonderful!

Ken  used to tell  a different story about his family’s introduction to Arizona.  His family traveled from Texas to our great state of Arizona in a 1933 Ford on Route 60 also.

“As we descended down the mountain, instead of putting the car into second gear, Dad rode the brakes. By the time we reached the bottom, they weren’t holding and smoke was pouring out.  It’s a wonder the whole car didn’t burn up”.

He always concluded, “If you are ever up that way on highway 60 look down into the canyon below. You will see remnants of the old highway we traveled in the l940’s. It is quite a sight.”

Both our families, like thousands of others, came for health reasons, as did the family of a friend of mine. She was five when they rode the train from Arkansas in 1942. She remembers an uncle meeting them at Union Station in Phoenix.  “ He drove us to Mondo’s farm out in the Glendale area where my dad was going to work. It was on 67^th Ave, South of Northern. When I got out of the car the first thing I saw was a huge mound of carrots. I ran and jumped right in the middle of them. Imagine my surprise when I sank to the bottom of an irrigation ditch full of water. Vegetables were routinely thrown in the ditch for cleaning.  If it hadn’t been for the quick thinking of a farm lady who was hanging out her clothes, I wouldn’t be here today. I don’t remember that woman’s name, but thanks goodness she saw me and jumped in to pull me out!”

Almost everyone remembers how they arrived in Arizona, but, whatever your story and  reason for coming, don’t you love it? Happy Valentine’s Day Arizona!