AZ: The History of Arizona podcast

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Episode 216: Depression and Repatriation Apr 28, 2025

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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 Apr 21, 2025

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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 Apr 14, 2025

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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 Apr 07, 2025

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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 Mar 31, 2025

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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 Mar 24, 2025

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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 Mar 17, 2025

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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 Mar 10, 2025

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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 Mar 03, 2025

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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 Feb 24, 2025

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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.

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