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Legendary Locals of Marana, Oro Valley, and Catalina
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About Legendary Locals Of Marana, Oro Valley, And Catalina
Product description Running west to east along the northern boundary of Tucson is a corridor of unique and inspiring communities. In Legendary Locals of Marana, Oro Valley, and Catalina, readers will discover the historical riches, courage, and determination of the Western spirit that shaped the state and the country. George Pusch was a member of the Arizona Territorial Legislature that guided Arizona from territory to statehood. Sam Chu, a Chinese immigrant, turned barren land into one of the most productive cotton farms in America. Sheriff John Nelson helped establish Arizona's reputation as cattle country. Under the guidance of Dick Eggerding, the public arts program made Oro Valley one of the best small towns in America. America's talented athletes have called the corridor home, including Hank Leiber, 1930s baseball star; Maren Seidler, Olympic shot-putter; and Sherry Cervi, barrel racing champion. In these communities, charity work, artistic talent, and military courage are found in abundance. If people make history, then the corridor is a treasure trove of the country's past and future. Review "Barbara Marriott knew very little about Southern Arizona when she moved to SaddleBrooke from the East Coast 15 years ago. ""I didn't think there was anything between New Orleans and California,"" she jokes. ""I told myself that if this was going to be my home, I was going to learn something about it."" Today, Marriott, 80, probably knows more than most about the history of the region, particularly northern Pima County and the tri-community of Mammoth, San Manuel and Oracle. She's written four books on the area. Her latest, ""Legendary Locals of Marana, Oro Valley and Catalina"" examines the people who shaped the three towns, from early settlers like George Pusch and Pima County Sheriff John Nelson to contemporary figures such as Marana's Ora Mae Harn and James D. Kriegh, one of Oro Valley's founding fathers. ""Most historians focus on places like Tombstone or Tucson,"" Marriott said. ""This is an area that people don't know much about unless they've lived here for a period of time."" The book is part of a series of ""Legendary Locals"" books put out by Arcadia Publishing, a company that specializes in regional history works. It hit store shelves Monday. You've written extensively about northern Pima County's history. Why focus specifically on the people this time? I ran into a quote not too long ago that said history is really about people. Everything, whether you are talking about a battle or a town, revolves around the people. For me it was a different and interesting approach to the history of the area. Did you have a list of legendary locals when you first started or did you find them along the way? I found them along the way. One of the biggest helps was James Kriegh, who really was the father of Oro Valley. I not only got the history of Oro Valley from him, but he also introduced me to some interesting people like Hank Zipf, the grandson of George Pusch, the founder of Steam Pump Ranch. Hank, bless his heart, was a fountain of information. Not only were these old timers willing to talk about life back then, they were willing to refer you to others. I also advertised in newspapers and newsletters and received assistance from the Oro Valley Historical Society and the Marana Heritage Conservancy. Who were some of the characters you found most interesting? Sarah Gorby was really fascinating. She never did get enough publicity. She was the first licensed wildlife rehabilitator. She was an interesting person. She had a hard life, but she devoted so much time and energy to that field and never got credit for it. She was more contemporary. How about the early settlers? George Pusch was fascinating because he contributed so much to the Oro Valley area. In the Catalina area, I have to give a lot of credit to Mariano Samaniego, the Sutherlands and the Nelsons, who were early ranchers here at the turn of the century. John Nelson in part
