stories

Embracing Tucson: Shopping Centers of the past

They were the anchors of neighborhoods and parts of town. If you said you lived near a specific one then your conversant probably knew about where you lived and how to get to your house. Each had its own collection of stores. Usually anchored by a grocery store and a drug store, they may have […]

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Embracing Tucson: Tucson Festival of Books

If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I would not have believed it.  the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona Campus is huge–it takes over the mall for two days every April. This year I was invited to this event by my author friend, Lisa Schnebly Hedinger. She and her co-author, Julie

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Embracing Tucson: Car Dealers (in the day)

The automobile was king in Tucson in the 1960s. The brand of car and model your parents drove said something about your household. And the dealers who sold them shaped the landscape of the town. Some names were local, a few national who came to this untapped market. This is all well before the Auto

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Embracing Tucson: The Rodeo Parade

Every February, usually the last Thursday and Friday of the month was rodeo break from school. It was our week to dress up in boots and pearl button shirts and cowboy hats. And the big event was the parade. The La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros rodeo parade is the longest, non-mechanized parade in the world.

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Embracing Tucson: Pop McKale’s Place

It has a power and magnetism few places have. From the “A” on the basketball floor to the banners in the rafters, it is the spirit of Arizona. McKale Center is an electric place. I had the chance to see a game in the hallowed structure. The first time I’ve been there in some time.

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Embracing Tucson: Memories of Dime Stores and Downtown

My sister related a story to me earlier today about a memory she had of downtown Tucson as a little girl. “There were three dime stores downtown,” she related to me.  “I remember the cosmetic counter at McLellans, the lunch counter at Woolworths, and the escalator at Kresge’s.” The “Five and Dime” stores she mentions

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David Yetman Trail West Hike

The Tucson Mountains are full of trails and adventures. The latest one for me is the David Yetman Trail. Another “get familiar with Tucson” hike, thanks to my “coffee dealer.” Vicki described it perfectly: beautiful views and a great example of the Sonoran desert. We thought we were starting on one end and actually started

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Embracing Tucson: The Fox Tucson Theatre

A friend recommended that I take the monthly tour of the revitalized and restored Fox Tucson Theatre downtown.  It was well worth the 2 hours. Held at noon on the first Tuesday of each month, the tour is led by a staffer knowledgeable in the history of the place.  I learned today that the Fox

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Embracing Tucson: Street names and strong women

It started with a purpose of finding the origins of street names. What I discovered was more than names but some powerful stories. Including stories of strong women. I found a story on the Arizona Daily Star site after searching “Tucson street names.” I started with the ones nearby: Swan, Craycroft and Campbell. Alexander (A.R.)

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