The prominent Woman’s Club of Phoenix was determined that City of Phoenix needed to collect art with the ultimate goal of establishing an art center (the Phoenix Art Museum opened in 1959). But how did that come into fruition?

Nestled between Highland Canal and South Mountain, in the middle of a city park, quietly stands a shaded two-story stone building. A plaque near the building’s entrance indicates that this structure is on the City of Phoenix Historic register, but city staff know little about its former life…

In the beginning years of Phoenix, there were limited options to cool-off in the hot summer months. H.H. Shoup wanted to change that by creating his own inexpensive opportunity for all.

Are you the type who buys new clothes each year to keep up with that year’s changing styles? For buildings, changes to a “new” style may be as simple as applying stucco over bare brick or removing parapets. Change is something we all encounter or recognize. Or do we?

As anyone who has experienced the valley monsoon knows, sudden and torrential downpours can create “rivers” as the rushing water fails to soak into our caliche soil. But do you know the history behind Arizona’s relationship with rain?