April 4, 2025 • Arizona Heritage Center, 1300 N. College Ave., Tempe
 April 5, 2025 • Tempe History Museum, 809 E. Southern Ave., Tempe

Welcome to the 2025 Arizona History Mini-Convention

This year we are offering a two-day, in-person conference. On Friday evening, April 4, we feature a talk by Dr. Tyina Steptoe at the Arizona Heritage Center, followed by a hosted reception. On Saturday, April 5, we will feature 12 speakers and 10 poster presentations at the Tempe History Museum.

The posters are a new feature that we are excited about. They allow individuals to explore a topic with feedback from conference attendees and allow organizations to tell us about their product.

As always, we invite the historically minded public to hear the latest research from professional and avocational historians at the largest statewide forum dedicated to Arizona History. Here’s the lineup for this year’s conference:

Friday, April 4

AZ Heritage Center
1300 N. College Avenue, Tempe


The Friday evening program will be held in the Auditorium at the Arizona Heritage Center, 1300 N. College Ave., Tempe.

ASUSHPRS logoDr. Tyina Steptoe will deliver a talk on her newest project, "Rhythm and Blues and Western Migration," in the auditorium followed by an outdoor reception hosted by Arizona State University's Public History Program. There is no charge for the Friday event, but you must be registered for the Conference to attend. Each attendee may bring one non-registered guest to the Friday evening talk and reception.

Dr. Steptoe is an associate professor at the University of Arizona who explores the histories of race, gender, and culture in the United States and who is committed to presenting history beyond the walls of the university. She hosts a weekly radio program in Tucson called “Soul Stories,” has worked as a historical advisor for PBS and national news programs, and has published multiple articles in popular publications as well as two books which explore life under Jim Crow. Click here to read her full biography.

AZ Historical SocietyMany thanks to the Arizona State University's Public History Program for sponsoring the talk and reception, with support from the Arizona Historical Society.

 4:45pm — Check-in for all registered conference attendees and their guests

 5:15pm — Dr. Tyina Steptoe, Steel Auditorium

 6:00pm — Hosted reception in the outside courtyard

Click to Register Online

 

Are you a first time attendee?

Learn more about the Arizona History Convention, its history and organization.

Saturday Morning, April 5

All sessions will be held in the Community Room at the Tempe History Museum, 809 East Southern Avenue, Tempe.

 8:00am — Setup for poster displays and vendors

 8:30am — Check-in for all attendees

 8:50am — Welcome Address:   Erik Berg and Heidi Osselaer

Mining 9:00am — Mining

John Lacy, moderator

• Trevor Malley (Arizona State University) “Beneath the Surface: Investigating the Memory of Arizona's Miners and The Mining Boom Town”

• Jay Spehar (independent historian) “Arizona’s Confederate Mining Company”

• Stephanie Brown (WestLand Resources) “History and Archaeology of the Pinal City Townsite”

 10:30am — Break — please visit the Poster Exhibits

Community and Education 11:00am — Community and Education

Norma Jean Coulter, moderator

• Summer Cherland (South Mountain Community College) “Where is South Phoenix and Why Does It Matter?”

• William Hussey (Arizona State University) “Traumatic Landscapes: Memory and Erasure of Indian Boarding Schools in Arizona”

Arizona Education• Harrison Davis (Northern Arizona University) “Education for Whom? A History of Public Schooling in Phoenix, 1895-1940”

 12:30pm to 1:30pm — Lunch Break — please visit the Poster Exhibits

Saturday Afternoon, April 5

Shaping the Environment 1:30pm — Shaping the Environment

 Sponsored by Vishnu Temple Press 

Dennis Preisler, moderator

• Jeremy Rowe (independent historian) “A Photographic and Postal History of Roosevelt, Arizona”

• John Mack (Georgia State University) “Unbridled Legacy: The Complex History of Wild Horses in Arizona”

Flagstaff Forest• Ciaran Doherty (Northern Arizona University) “Man-Made Forest: The History of Flagstaff's Ponderosa Pine”

 3:00pm — Break — please visit the Poster Exhibits

Architecture 3:30pm — Architecture

 Sponsored by CORE Construction 

Michael Amundson, moderator

• Don Larry (independent historian) “Dr. Chandler & Frank Lloyd Wright: An Arizona Legacy”

• Jasper DuBois (Arizona State University) “The Protection of Legacies: Taliesin West and the Ethics of Monuments”

Navajo Bridge• Tom Martin (independent historian) “The Navajo Bridge; Ralph Hoffman, Jerry Cannon, and Two Bridges Named as One”

 5:00pm — Conference After-Party — Fate Brewing Company pizza party

 Must pre-order to attend. — 201 E. Southern Avenue, Tempe

Poster Exhibits

Sponsors

ASU-SHPRS CORE Tempe History Museum AZ Historical Society Vishnu Temple Press

The full conference program, registration information, and meal selections for Saturday April 5 are available at: https://arizonahistory.org/2025-az-convention

All registration will be online. Please complete your registration before the conference, April 5, 2025. We can only accept cash or checks at the door. Seating is limited, so register early to guarantee your spot.

Conference Registration Fee: $25.00

$15.00 registration available only for enrolled students and K-12 teachers

Boxed Lunch

Boxed lunch will be offered to all participants. We highly recommend this option to all poster presenters so they can visit with conference attendees during the lunch break. If you would like to order a lunch, please make your choice by March 22 (there will be no refunds after that date). Lunches include a water bottle, chips, fruit, dessert, and a choice of sandwich, salad (gluten free), or a vegetarian option, all for $15.00. The box lunches will be delivered around 12:15 to the museum on the day of the conference.

Conference After-Party

We will be having a pizza party at Fate Brewing Company, 201 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 111, Tempe, 85282, following the conference. It is located about a half mile west of the Tempe History Museum. Overflow parking is available after 5pm in the U. S. Post Office lot directly east of the restaurant. Our event will take place upstairs in the Loft, with access by interior stairs or exterior elevator. The cost is $35.00 for an appetizer and pizza, and includes a choice of soft drinks, coffee, or tea. Also, a no-host bar is available. Please register for the Fate Pizza Party by March 22. Seating is limited.

Dining on Your Own Options Near the Tempe History Museum

Early Morning

• Connections Café is located on the lower level of the Tempe Public Library and opens at 9:00am for specialty coffees, teas, cold beverages, and pastries.

• Starbucks is located at 3255 S. Rural Road, on the northeast corner of Rural and Southern, inside the Fry’s Food and Drug.

Additional Lunch Options Within Walking Distance

• Connections Café, located on the lower level of the Tempe Public Library, has a limited selection of salads, sandwiches, and beverages.

• Jimmie John’s, 840 E. Southern Ave, is directly across the street from the Tempe History Museum

• Culver’s fast food, 630 E. Southern Ave., is directly across the street from the Pyle Adult Recreation Center.

Where to Stay if You are Traveling from Out of Town

Below is a partial list of nearby hotels. The conference will not provide a block of rooms this year and cannot vouch for any of the local hotels, so this list is offered as a courtesy only.

• Embassy Suites by Hilton Phoenix/Tempe is located less than a mile south of the conference at 4400 South Rural Road, 85282

• Motel 6 Tempe is 2.2 miles from the conference, at 513 W. Broadway, 85282

• Holiday Inn Express is 3.2. miles away, at 1520 W. Baseline Road, 85283

• SpringHill Suites by Marriott, 3.5 miles away, at 5211 S. Priest Dr., 85283