In forty years of service in the Arizona House of Representatives, the "First Lady of the Arizona Legislature" has supported and sponsored many pieces of legislation in such diverse areas as criminal justice, highway safety, and public health. For longer than that forty years, however, Polly has made it her business to concern herself with the preservation of Arizona's history.

Billy is a long-time supporter of history and historical preservation in Arizona. She is a charter member and five-time president of the Pinal County Historical Society, was appointed to the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission, worked on Governor Bruce Babbitt's Task force on Parkways, Scenic and Historic Roads, and is the 1988 recipient of the Governorís Award for Historic Preservation.

Historian, researcher, writer, Constance Altshuler was born in Chicago, Illinois. She received her college education at the University of Chicago as well as receiving a degree from the University of Michigan. Connie worked as a reporter on the Chicago Sun-Times as well as writing fiction.

Journalist and author, Thelma Margaret Heatwole began her journalistic career in 1946 as a reporter for the Glendale News Herald. Before joining the staff of the Arizona Republic, Heatwole served as a "stringer" for the Phoenix Gazette. During her 16-year career as a reporter for the Arizona Republic, she covered the news of eight cities, as well as Luke Air Force base.

Clara Lee (Fraps) Tanner, (b. 1905 - d. 1997) an anthropologist, archaeologist, writer and teacher, was considered at one time to be the one of the most knowledgeable people alive on the subject of Southwest Indian arts and crafts. Born in Biscoe, North Carolina on May 28, 1905, Ms. Tanner was an Arizona resident for 90 years. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Archaeology at the University of Arizona and was one of the first three students to receive a Master's Degree in Archaeology there in 1928.

The first Sharlot Hall Award for outstanding contributions to “the understanding and awareness of Arizona and its history” was presented to Byrd Howell Granger on October 13, 1984, at the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame luncheon.

By Barbara Patton

Old cemeteries are full of history — and some puzzles.  For example, historian and poet Sharlot Hall, founder of the museum that bears her name, is buried within the sloping confines of the Arizona Pioneer Cemetery on Iron Springs Road in Prescott.  The Hall family enclosure lies at the top of the hill.  There can be found the graves of Sharlot and her parents — and someone named Kate Cory.  Visitors often wonder — who was Kate Cory?  Why is she here beside Sharlot?

By Kylin Cummings

The history of hats goes back a very long time. One of the first evidence of hats was found in a Neolithic cave drawing depicting women in turbans.
 

First of a two-part article based on the recollections of Marvin Evan Bennett. 

Late one hot afternoon in 1931 several mule wranglers were relaxing at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, when a “dude” stumbled into their midst.  “Please,” he asked, “may I have a drink of water, I haven’t had a drop since I left the North Rim.”  “But,” asked a wrangler, “the trail crossed Bright Angel Creek 19 times, why didn’t you just drink from the creek?”    “I didn’t have a cup,” he replied.

By Gail Van Horsen

During the tumultuous times of the 1930s and 1940s, as the economy failed and soldiers fought in a world war, women stitched colorful and cheerful quilts for their homes.  Why did they choose these cheery patterns?  Perhaps the economic chaos of the Great Depression and anxiety associated with World War II made women turn to happy colors and designs when making quilts for their homes.