On this date in 1888, an Apache Indian who had fired one shot that killed two men was tried for murder in one of the deaths and acquitted. He later was tried again for the murder of the second man and convicted on precisely the same set of facts.
On this date in 1904, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported noteworthy success with cotton planted in the Yuma valley as an experiment.
On this date in 1930, Tucson celebrated the opening of its greatly enlarged municipal airport.
On this date in 1936, fire destroyed a service station, cafe and several tourist cabins at Salome. Exploding gasoline tanks from the burning service station threatened to spread the blaze over the entire town.
On this date in 1822, Abraham Harlow Peeples, who came to Arizona in 1863 and with Pauline Weaver,organized the prospecting expedition which discovered the Rich Hill gold placers, was born.
On this date in 1868, philanthropist and civic leader Maie Bartlett Heard was born. She later endowed the Heard Museum in Phoenix, donated land for the Phoenix Civic Center, founded the Welfare League and gave a gymnasium to the Phoenix YMCA.
On this date in 1876, the Chiricahua Apaches were moved from their reservation in Cochise County to San Carlos.
On this date in 1928, more than 1,000 acres (4 square kilometers) of timberland were destroyed in the Ajo Mountains by a raging forest fire.
On this date in 1851, Camp Independence was established on the east bank of the Colorado River near its junction with the Gila River under the command of Lt. Thomas W. Sweeny. Camp Independence was replaced by Fort Yuma in December, 1851.
On this date in 1903, Gov. Alexander Brodie ordered the Arizona Rangers to Morenci and Clifton where miners were striking.
On this date in 1933, the first concrete was poured at Hoover Dam.
On this date in 1936, the first barrel of tequila made in the United States was produced at the San Andres distillery in Nogales.
On this date in 1871, Armijo, one of the principal chiefs of the Navajo Nation died.
On this date in 1928, bids were opened for the construction of the North Rim Road of the Grand Canyon.
On this date in 1928, Northern Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff graduated the largest class in its history as President Grady Gammage presented 81 certificates.
On this date in 1996, Winslow’s temperature hit 100 degrees, breaking the record of 96 for the day set back in 1957.
(I was here that day, having arrived just the day before to monsoon rains, and my makeshift roof had blown off. It was hot, and I wondered if I had made a mistake leaving a stable career & family behind in Ohio. I can say now that it was the right move.)
On this date in 1868, the eighth and final treaty between the Navajo Nation and the United States was concluded at Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. This treaty included the establishment of the present Navajo Indian Reservation.
On this date in 1906, the mule-drawn street car made its last run to the gates of the University of Arizona beside the electric car which had gone into operation five days before.
On this date in 1910, fire destroyed the stable of the Pioneer Transfer Co. in Phoenix. Four horses were burned to death.
On this date in 1896, the first commencement of Phoenix Union High School was held at the Phoenix Opera House. Keynote speaker John E. Merriam talked on “What Electrical Science is Doing for the World.”
On this date in 1910, it was announced that Picacho Mine, which had sat idle in the Cababi Mountains for many years, was to reopen.
On this date in 1892, the Arizona Medical Association was organized in Phoenix. It was incorporated on June 16, 1950.
On this date in 1929, Yuma Mesa Grapefruit Co. announced it would erect a $25,000 packing house in Yuma and the Bomberger Seed Co. would construct a $10,000 warehouse and seed laboratory.
On this date in 1869, John Wesley Powell and his party began their historic exploration of the Colorado River.
On this date in 1915, Arizona and California celebrated the opening of the new “Ocean to Ocean” highway bridge at Yuma.
On this date in 1925, R.J. Jones of Phoenix, who owned a 160-acre 165-hectare) tract of land located a mile and a half( (2 kilometers) from the Casa Grande ruins, announced that the land would be subdivided and a new town called Coolidge would be built.
On this date in 1930, the State of Arizona presented a bronze statue of John Campbell Greenway to Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C.
