Gatsby Style! Phoenix in the 20s

@ Phoenix Metro Retro

708 W. Hazelwood, Melrose District

Thursday, January 12

Tom Mix

7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

$7.00 at the door

Join Marshall Shore: RetroSpectacular  (New Times Best Unofficial Phoenix Historian – 2011) for a look back at the idiosyncratic Phoenix places and events that informed one of the greatest style decades of the past.  Marshall shares stories about the Riverside Ballroom, Prohibition in Phoenix, the history of KOY – our first radio station, the curious tradition of the Masque of the Yellow Moon, the Powderpuff Derby, and more.

Come stop by and learn, gather, shop for the Retro/ Modern perfect Holiday gift.

Sunday, October 16
80th Anniversary of Phoenix’s Infamous Trunk Murder!
RetroSpectacular: Winnie Ruth Judd Bus Tour
Where: Meet at MacAlpine’s Soda Fountain to board the bus
When: 3:00 – 6:00 pm
Cost: $32.00 Tickets

Relax and let someone else drive, while Marshall escorts us down the twisted streets, and behind the closed doors of the most grisly murder from Phoenix’ past.  Did she do it? Was she insane? You be the judge.

(The bus tour begins and ends at MacAlpine’s Soda Fountain, where we will learn about MacAlpine’s surprising connection with the Judd murders and can wash the blood off our hands with a classic ice cream soda.)

October 24
RetroSpectacular: Scared Straight
Where: FilmBar
When: 7:00pm
Cost: $5.00

Wear your best school days costume (Scout uniforms, pleated skirts, crossing guard
sashes…you get the picture) and join Marshall for a trip down memory lane as he presents a hilarious retrospective of unintentionally funny educational films created to scare the living crap out of us as teenagers.  Safety begins at home!

Friday, October 28
RetroSpectacular: Spooktacular in Tempe
Where: Tempe History Museum
Cost: Free
Come dressed in your Halloween best, enter to win prizes, and join Marshall as he lifts the veil on hauntings, evil deeds and nefarious characters from Arizona’s past.

ABOUT MARSHALL SHORE
Named New Times Best Unofficial Phoenix Historian – 2011
Marshall Shore, Arizona’s funkiest information curator, creates unique Arizona history events with a popular culture twist.  Available for public and private events. Learn more at retrospectacular.net.

What can you expect: Phoenix Metro Retro is a great Mid Century Modern shop that host the Marshall Shore: Retro Spectacular shows. Meaning the audience gets to sit on great chairs, couches, lounges… while enjoying a beverage seeing and hearing about amazing history and some of the cool stuff history that I have uncovered. Here is a teaser

Bob's Big Boy

What makes it new and improved? FOOD! There will be a food truck available ease your hunger pains. This show will feature beet strEAT. Come early have a d’lish nosh and stay for the show.

There will be more like my First Arizona… Meal. What are your First Arizona… Memories? It can be written or a video. How was your First Arizona… Kiss, road trip, skinny dipping, or cocktail?

The goal is to share your First Arizona… Memory.

Before delving into them

I want mention a very special C that’s time is a coming and for limited time. Centennial! Feb, 14 2012 will be 100 years of  Arizona State Hood.

There are special events happening across the state to celebrate. How can you find out about them? The official list of events,also check your favorite museum, visit a library or other cultural institutions to see the array of events they are hosting. I know I have a few libraries booking Marshall Shore: Retro Spectacular shows and also talking with a venue outside of the valley. I have a few things in the works to bring Arizona to you with a unique twist. More on those later!

Five Cs of Arizona

The first time that Five Cs appeared in print was in 1939 in an issue of Arizona Highways. The research and finding  this came from a Valley Leadership as part of a project to talk about the Historical Five Cs and update them to match what is going on in Arizona, now. Let’s talk about the Historical 5 Cs, the next post will be on their findings of modern  5 Cs and then I’ll wrap up this trio of post with a list of my own Cs for Arizona .

Copper: People have been digging in Arizona for precious metals for a long time. Native Americans used them for tools, weapons,  for jewelry and in paint for pottery. People started to come to the state to seek riches and settle in the 1700 and 1800s. Copper ore is still mined in the state for many different uses. Copper is used in mostly in wire or coins, such as a penny.  See how Youth got involved in collections Pennies for the Arizona CENTennial Penny Drive

Is it live or plastic?

Cattle: People began raising stock in Arizona around 1690. Spanish ranchers settled, around the same time, Jesuit missionaries gave the O’odham Indians livestock after they agreed to live in mission communities.

Ranching began in growing in the 1730s around the time of the mining boom. The Arizonian countryside was converted into a large livestock ranch in a short amount of time.

Ownership of the Cattle was identified by brands. Brands are supposed to be used on livestock – not as logos – but that doesn’t stop folks from owning them. It costs $75 to register a new brand with the state, and it’s good for five years.

Citrus: Citrus refers to agriculture and farming in the state. Grapefruit, lemons, limes and oranges are among the most popular citrus grown.

 Climate: Climate refers to the weather in the state.  Because it is sunny most of the time many people like to visit the state. Spending money on hotels, food and sight-seeing. As well as many folks using the outside as an extra room or playground almost year around.

Cotton: The Arizona Cotton boom occurred during World War I. The boom was a result of it’s use in making wartime products such as making tires. The town of Goodyear established in by the tire company specifically for its factory and employees there. By 1920, cotton was so profitable, that almost all other crop productions were ceased to grow cotton. However, after World War I many of the government contracts for cotton dried up, since there was no longer a need for it. The resulting glut in the market resulted in the eventually end of the boom of cotton in Arizona.

Which leaves me preparing additional post on updating these historical Cs to reflect a more modern Arizona economy of a 100 year old state. In the mean time go Celebrate the Centennial.

The story begins in the early 1800s long before the United States had acquired the territories that would become New Mexico and Arizona from Mexico. It is the only land in northern Arizona to trace back to a Spanish Land Grant. Meaning it might still be subject to Spain’s law not US? The original Baca homestead was near the city of Los Alamos, New Mexico and was abandoned because of violence. Years later the family returns and finds their homestead inhabited. Kind of like goldilocks and the three bears, but here instead of the returning bears scaring her off. Congress authorizes the bears to select 5 plots of uninhabited land. Baca float No. 5, is located in our own Yavapai County, about fifty miles northwest of Prescott. Colonel William Cornell Greene bought the Baca Float #5 and the Mahon Ranch in the 1930s, turning them into the ORO Ranch (pronounced “oh-are-oh”). Operated under the same name but it is owned and kept under lock and key by the secretive JJJ Corporation. Kind of interesting to think that a road trip to Spain is possible without a plane or boat, or that anyone could get hitched there.