Arizona Origins

Arizona Origins We share unique stories, photos, and rare items that embody the rich history of Arizona and US SW

We are based outside Tucson, Arizona with the focus of sharing rare antiquities that capture the history of the American Southwest. As of 2021, we serve as a virtual museum and private historical society with hopes of having a physical location open to the public. We are active buyers with the intent of giving people fair prices for items that tell a story about early prehistoric (documented prove

nance) and historic Native American material culture (Pima "Tohono and Akimel O’odham), Hopi, Apache, Navajo), the Spanish Empire in the New World, 18th to early 20th century frontier life in Arizona/New Mexico, rare taxidermy, skulls, antique firearms, early general store memorabilia, rare first edition books, unique 19th century and early 20th century advertising, rare stereoviews, boudoirs, daguerrotypes, cabinet cards, or other early southwest photographs, and any other interesting historical items relating to the American Southwest. We can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 781-296-5806.

Beautiful Saguaro Custom Shelf/Curio Cabinet
05/30/2026

Beautiful Saguaro Custom Shelf/Curio Cabinet

Beautiful Fourmile Butterfly Olla (1200-1350AD) Private Collection
05/28/2026

Beautiful Fourmile Butterfly Olla (1200-1350AD) Private Collection

Absolutely love Saguaro Frames.
05/24/2026

Absolutely love Saguaro Frames.

Prehistoric copper bell traded among the prehistoric tribes of Arizona (1100-1300AD). Manufactured in Western Mexico usi...
05/24/2026

Prehistoric copper bell traded among the prehistoric tribes of Arizona (1100-1300AD). Manufactured in Western Mexico using the lost wax method and traded for different goods and services.

When early archaeologists and explorers first documented this symbol at Casa Grande Ruins in the late 1800s, they noted ...
05/23/2026

When early archaeologists and explorers first documented this symbol at Casa Grande Ruins in the late 1800s, they noted how unusual it appeared for the American Southwest. The design had been carefully etched into the plastered wall of the Great House by the ancient Hohokam and was recorded during surveys of the ruins in Arizona Territory. Researchers at the time compared the symbol to the famous labyrinth design seen on ancient coins from Crete associated with the legend of the Minotaur.

The symbol was discovered during a period of growing archaeological interest in the American Southwest, when expeditions were beginning to formally study and preserve ancient Indigenous sites. Casa Grande itself became one of the first protected archaeological landmarks in the United States after increasing attention from explorers and scholars in the late nineteenth century.

What made the find especially notable was that it appeared inside the massive adobe structure known as the Great House, a building already considered extraordinary because of its age, scale, and mysterious purpose.

The origins of the Arizona Pageant at Casa Grande Ruins. In 1926 and 1927, something almost unbelievable happened in the...
05/23/2026

The origins of the Arizona Pageant at Casa Grande Ruins.

In 1926 and 1927, something almost unbelievable happened in the Arizona desert.

At the ancient Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, hundreds of Arizonans gathered beneath the open sky to stage one of the most ambitious historical pageants ever attempted in the Southwest.

Long before modern amphitheaters or outdoor productions, the ruins themselves became the stage.

More than 300 performers from Tucson, Phoenix, Mesa, Florence, Casa Grande, and Coolidge participated. Hopi dancers, University of Arizona performers, Tucson musicians, descendants of the Mormon Battalion, and local residents all took part in the spectacle.

The Arizona Pageantry Association was formed after Katherine V. MacRae envisioned a production that would reveal “the beauty and romance of Arizona” instead of the harsh desert stereotypes often associated with the territory.

The effort was massive.

Communities across Arizona donated funding. Prison labor helped build seating, grade the grounds, dig wells, and even bring electrical power miles into the desert. Eagle Scouts directed traffic and parking around the ruins.

One of the most fascinating details was admission itself.

Rather than traditional tickets, organizers sold special buttons bearing the ancient Pima maze symbol for one dollar each. The buttons served as admission to the pageant and also acted as wearable advertisements when attendees pinned them to their clothing across Arizona.

Scenes portrayed the ancient Hohokam world, the arrival of Coronado and Father Kino, and the Mormon Battalion entering Tucson during a Mexican fiesta.

As the sun set over the desert, hidden electric lights slowly illuminated the ruins while performers marched beneath the evening sky.

For a brief moment in the 1920s, Arizona turned one of its oldest sacred places into a living theater of history.

Honestly, it must have felt magical.

DesertHistory ArizonaOrigins TucsonHistory PhoenixHistory WildWestHistory

1890s Relic Room (American Southwest)
05/19/2026

1890s Relic Room (American Southwest)

05/14/2026

Prehistoric copper bells found in Arizona that were produced in Western Mexico and traded among the prehistoric tribes (1100-1300AD). These are very rare to find in 2026.

05/10/2026

The origins of the rarest and most expensive book related to Arizona. “Reid’s Tramp, 1858.”

Address

11061 N Oracle Road Suite 150
Oro Valley, AZ
85737

Opening Hours

Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm

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