Videos & Podcasts
Vanishing Waddell; A History Tour
Waddell, Arizona is that unincorporated part of Maricopa County on the eastern side of the White Tank Mountains. We are not a town, but a postal district. The Waddell post office was established by Donald Ware Waddell in 1934, when the area was an emerging new farming community. As the farms around us vanish, will Waddell disappear as well?
A map handout shows the locations discussed in this presentation. Download it here. >>
Mexican Women's Work and Cultural Lives in a Company Town
View this fascinating and informative program by Dr. Gloria Cuádraz, ASU Associate Professor, School of Humanities, Art and Cultural Studies.
The history of the Latino farmworkers who helped develop the southwest Valley - A Valley 101 Podcast
Before the southwest Valley was filled with grocery stores, an airport and real estate, it was home to Latino farmworkers employed by Goodyear Farms.
Hundreds lived in five different camps made up of tents and wood-framed houses.The tight-knit communities were the first permanent residents of what is now Litchfield Park.
In this week’s episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, producer Maritza Dominguez walks us through the history of the Mexican laborers who were recruited to work in Arizona’s cotton industry, the campsite communities on Goodyear Farms and the Latino farmworkers’ impact on the development of the southwest Valley.
goodyear's first 75 years
If it had not been for the world wars of the previous century it’s unlikely the city of Goodyear would exist today. Now celebrating its 75th anniversary, Goodyear has transformed from a rural town to one of the most populous cities in Arizona. Join presenter Mark Pelletier as he traces Goodyear’s development.
A life-long student of history, Mark Pelletier became active with the Three Rivers Historical Society after moving to Goodyear in 2006 with his wife, Sue. Born the same year as its founding, he quickly developed an interest in researching Goodyear’s history. In the process he has become acquainted with and heard first-hand accounts of the people intimately connected with the city’s early years as well as those shaping its future.
History of the Goodyear Blimp
The cities Goodyear and Litchfield Park have had a role in the history of the Goodyear blimp. Learn about Goodyear’s innovations in lighter-than-air aircraft and the connection to this area of the Phoenix metro area.
Who was Paul W. Litchfield and how did he help develop Phoenix's West Valley?
In this episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, Maritza Dominguez interviews our own Judy Cook about Paul W. Litchfield and the history of the Southwest Valley. What took it from the desert to what it is today?
The Spanish Flu of 1918: A Pandemic's Local Legacy
Did you miss our latest presentation? Check out the video.
The years 1918-1920 brought startling devastation to nearly every corner of the world. In raw numbers, the influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people than any other disease outbreak in human history by the time it ran its course. Half of those who died were young, healthy adults, and its spread was inextricably linked to the circumstances of WWI. The ravages of the disease inspired fear, stretched resources to the limit, and often overwhelmed existing health services. It left lasting changes on the communities it touched, including Litchfield Park. Here, it impacted public infrastructure and necessitated the creation of an emergency hospital and a cemetery. This program examines the broad impact of the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and its legacy in our community.
Presented by Litchfield Park Historical Society Vice President, Lisa Hegarty. See her exhibit on this subject at our MUSEUM.
Arizona's Great Escape
Did you miss this LPHS presentation? Check out the video.
On Christmas Eve 1944, twenty-five Nazi German prisoners of war escaped from Papago Park POW camp on the outskirts of Phoenix and headed towards Mexico after digging a nearly 200-foot underground tunnel over four months. Presenter Steve Renzi will tell the story of what happened to these German POWs and the Arizona residents who encountered them.
A University of Arizona graduate with a degree in history, Steve Renzi has published over 200 magazine and newspaper articles. As a writer, photographer and certified teacher, he is always searching for new ways of exploring our history and believes each generation must learn about who and what came before them.
Archive Tour / Eyes for the Navy Video
Join Litchfield Park Historical Society and Museum archivist Judy Cook to learn about what an archivist does and the connection between Litchfield Park and the Eyes for the Navy initiative during World War I.
LPHS Museum Exterior Tour
Join Litchfield Park Historical Society and Museum docent John Donahue on a tour of the Museum’s outside grounds including a collection of historic plows and a 1950’s tractor tire.