Arizona: A Cavalcade of History

by Marshall Trimble

An authoritative chronology of Arizona's colorful past, presented in a factual, comprehensive manner, interspersed with delightful legends and yarns. Suitable for pleasure reading as well as educational study. Over 80 b&w photographs, maps.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Reference

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1989

Reviews

[Elise Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading this book over a period of months like I do most non-fiction I buy. I bought it several years ago, when I was new to Arizona and thought it would be interesting to read about its history. Like most books in my “I thought it would be interesting” category, it sat on my bookshelf for a long time. But, in thinking about writing a historical romance series, I decided it was time to pull it off the shelf and read it over breakfast in small bites.

I’m sorry I waited so long. This is an extensive, entertaining history of Arizona, highlighting the events, and even more the people, that created it. I’ve heard of many of these over the course of the years I’ve lived here and some of them long before, thanks to the popularity of cowboys and Indians shows on television during my youth, but this book put them into perspective, filled in the blanks I didn’t even know were there.

There are maps throughout the book, making it easier to visualize locations, and photographs of people, both average and famous, sprinkled within the text. There’s also an extensive bibliography I can refer to as I seek out more information on a particular topic.

There was only one thing I found problematic. Most of the chapters are organized by topic: the native people, the Catholic missionaries, mining, cowboys, railroads, etc. I noticed where people and events in different chapters overlapped those in other chapters, but there’s no timeline that includes all of them. I would have liked an easy reference so I could tell if the discovery of gold and the mining boom occurred at the same time the railroads arrived, earlier, or later, as one example. I’ll have to create that for myself in the future.

But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I began this book in January 2013 just before a trip to Arizona. It was suggested reading by Northern Arizona University which ran the program I visit under at that time. I put it down after the trip and picked it up during my March/April 2014 trip to AZ and have now finished it.

I am reading this book & I begin to learn a bit - the Apache it seems held the Spaniards & Mexicans at bay & out of Arizona for 300 yeArs before mAking their long fight against the Americans - they weren't used to losing - more understandable.

I had to get past the Spanish for the book to have more relevance to me. It personifies much of the people and events and circumstances (mining - timber - post Civil War immigration) contributing to the history and development of the state.

One should know that the book is from 1989 - 25 years ago - and written only 77 years after Arizona achieved statehood.

It is a good book. It delves into the history and people but is certainly a positive book. Few dirty dogs. Optimism at the end for the future of Arizona.

None the less the author admits in 1989 that Arizona is using more water than is replenished by nature.

But there is much to learn - Barry Goldwater, who ran fro Pres in 1964, had a Jewish father. He wasn't but his father was. Maybe Chelsea Clinton's child (expected since this past week) can run for President without being Jewish if she doesn't become Jewish (if she isn't yet since marrying a Jewish man)

This is sort of similar to Bill Clinton's autobiography where he said almost nothing negative about anyone as his wife was planning to run for President. Here the author says almost nothing at all negative about Arizona while promoting his (I assume his) state. (He is credited with at least 7 other books on Arizona)

[David Corleto-Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book about the history of Arizona, from prehistoric Indian times until the twentieth century. It had a great deal about the Indians, Spanish and Mexicans in the territory, and alot about the Indian Wars, the Mexican War of 1846-'48 and the Civil War in the west that I hadn't known about. It took the U.S. Army 25 bitter years of fight and pursuit before they were able to subdue the Apache, most of that violent and brutal history made cartoonish by shows like "F Troop" or trivialized. Trimble sort of matter of factly lists the atrocities committed on both sides, (the U.S. and Mexican governments hired "scalphunters"--private contractors--to go and hunt down the Apaches, but eventually stopped when the scalphunters found it easier to just collect scalps from Mexicans or peaceful Indians). There are a few heroes: Geronimo, for his heroic resistance and then desire to make peace, Kit Carson, the greatest scout and mountain man in American history, soldier, surveyor, explorer, and the Jesuit, Father Eusebio Kino, who helped all who needed help. The book is divided into chapters like "The Indians" or "The Missions" and contains alot about the pioneer days, the Santa Fe Trail, mining, boom and bust towns, prostitution on the frontier, the gunfighters and rustlers of the 1870s and 1880s, and the early political development of the territory, which was not granted statehood until 1912. I found it very interesting.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I moved to Arizona 50 years ago and took Arizona history and government classes in school but there was a whole lot more I learned by reading this book. It's a great read for anyone interested in learning about Arizona and those who love the state!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to Arizona history. From the begining of time to now. Most history books can be dull, but this had great stories and flowed well. Very east to read and fun to learn about the state we are living in.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise, well researched, and interesting history of the Grand canyon state.

[C.E. Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and easy-to-read history of Arizona, focusing mostly on pre-WW1. Lots of little stories and trivia. But very...very...long...

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very readable history of Arizona by a former Arizona state historian, first published in 1989 and revised in 2003. There's a chapter on the early history of Indigenous people of Arizona, but after that the focus is definitely on white settlers and developers, and extractive industries. Still, a good overview, written in a chatty style that occasionally takes the folksiness a little too far.

[Daniel Toujours · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a little difficult for me to find a good book on Arizona history. I'm not a local, but this is one of the states I love, and so I was so happy to finally find this book. I came away both inspired and informed.

[Cactuskid · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've had this book for awhile and finally read it together. Very interesting history about Arizona. It was published in 1989 but a lot of it is still pertinent.

[David Iverson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lived in the state for almost 20 years...learned a lot from this book about the history of Arizona that I hadn't known.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good history of Arizona. It starts way back in history. The Apaches were a tough bunch to beat, they fought very hard to keep their land. That was the most interesting thing I liked in the book.

[Gerry Czerak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trimble is a local historian, and I enjoyed it because I really enjoy Arizona as a vacation destinatioin.

[Mills College Library]

979.1 T831 1989

[Dhagedorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accessible history by former state historian that my folks owned