Wild horses still run in desert near Maricopa
By Michael K. Rich
Cell phones, laptops, the Internet…the world is transforming into a place in which everyone is connected one way or another through...
DNA test reveals a father – and a family
It’s said life can turn on a dime. For Mike Otis, it changed on a $69 DNA test.
Otis, a retired technical writer, did what...
How Mike Ingram brought together building blocks of Maricopa (VIDEO)
Mike Ingram is not crazy or stupid.
That may be obvious to observers now, but 25 years ago, many of Arizona’s most knowledgeable movers and...
Street names a road to city’s history
People are moving to Maricopa every day. But do the newcomers — or the old timers, for that matter — give any thought to the...
Dwarf Car Museum: Classic cars you already love, only smaller
They often say one must think small to make it big, but for Ernie Adams it’s better to think big to make it small.“I...
The last years of Lorenzo and Olive Oatman
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the last in a series of articles dealing with the Massacre of the Oatman family in 1851 and those who...
Life with the cotton, the cattle and The Duke (VIDEO)
Alice Kulbeth Johnson-McKinney first traveled from Arkansas to Arizona in 1955 at age 15.
“My dad had a heart condition, and the doctor said, ‘If...
Pool is gone, but history remains
A community pool once sat just north of where the Silver Horizon Zephyr railcar now sits. The Zephyr railcar came to Maricopa in 2000...
Pedestrian bridge would link Heritage District, South Bridge
Two highly visible economic development projects – the Heritage District and South Bridge – would blend together as envisioned by city staff.
During a recent...
The Oatman Massacre: Shock at Maricopa Wells
The massacre of the Oatman family in 1851 sent a shock wave through the Arizona Territory.
Undoubtedly, the residents of Maricopa Wells (ancestor of the...
A blast from the past
In Maricopa, shops and storefronts have come and gone over the past few decades. In the black-and-white photo from the 1960s, you can see...
History photo: Headquarters blaze
In 1954, the Headquarters nightclub and bar was a place for people to gather and dance to hits like “Shboom” recorded by The Crew...
Restoration of Silver Horizon progressing
The renovation of one of Maricopa’s most iconic historical landmarks, the Silver Horizon rail car, is progressing – with a milestone coming soon.
Paul Shirk,...
A water tower and an overpass
In the 1930s, a couple of men came to Maricopa and set up a woodcutting business. They contacted the people on the reservation and...
The Oatman Massacre: Rescued by the Mojave
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the latest installment in a series dealing with the Oatman massacre and the experiences of the family members who survived...
History photo: high school scene
The black-and-white view of Maricopa High School was taken in 1998 by Gray Photographs of Phoenix. The high school, which opened in 1955 with...
History photo: flood of memories
This flooding scene near the Richfield service station on the old Maricopa Road in 1949 was captured by a photographer looking north from atop...
Where are they now: Former MUSD superintendent enjoying retirement
Steve Chestnut, who led the Maricopa Unified School District from 2012 to 2018 as superintendent, is now living happily in Scottsdale.
Chestnut left MUSD to...
History photo: The Corner Lot
The Maricopa Hotel was owned and operated by Arthur Deal (pictured with his son) from 1917 to 1931. Called Edwards Hotel in the 1890s...
History photo: Yes, Maricopa can flood
One of Maricopa’s more memorable floods came in 1983, when Santa Cruz waters invaded most existing structures south of the tracks, including the elementary...
Veterans Day: Ex-paratrooper brings get-it-done attitude to Ak-Chin Council
When Octavio Machado enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 19, he was following a family tradition that went back to his grandfather, who...
John Wayne Parkway draws scrutiny for namesake’s old comments
After a group in Orange County, California, started a movement to remove John Wayne’s name from the airport in Santa Ana, the chatter began...
Curtis: Battle of Pima Butte made history
Like most Maricopa residents, I have driven past Pima Butte (“M” mountain) many, many times. But only recently did I learn that a significant event...
There yesterday, gone today
Shown is a picture of the NAPA Auto Parts from the 1960s. The store was razed at the end of 2020 due in large...
Native Grill owner tastes success despite 9/11, housing crash, fires and COVID-19
All business owners encounter hurdles as they are getting things going; it’s part of the process.
Pat Kieny, the owner of Native Grill & Wings,...
Curtis: Bright light will soon shine on city history
As a relative newcomer in Maricopa, I have been surprised by how much there is to do in our town. True, we have no...
‘Lost mine’ in Sierra Estrella: Fact or Folklore? (VIDEO)
Embedded in Arizona is a history rife with facts, folklore and fantasy.“The structure is one of the more substantial mining structures that I’ve seen....
CURTIS: The Oatman Massacre – Part Two: rescued by the Mojave
This is the second in a series about the massacre of the Oatman family in 1851 after leaving Maricopa Wells.
You will recall that two...
Ghost stories from Maricopa’s past
By Michelle ChanceHave you experienced paranormal activity in Maricopa? Tell us about it at Facebook.com/InMaricopa.
Maricopa’s history is chronicled well into the mid-19th century, when...
History photo: 19th century scene
This photo from the 1890s looks east along the railroad tracks while a steam engine is stopped at the Maricopa Depot, on left. The...