History

A water tank that held 500,000 gallons of water sat just west of the railroad station in Maricopa in the early 1900s. Southern Pacific...

  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...

In the photo above, the Maricopa eighth-grade class of 1955 is pictured. In the fall, 28 students would enter as freshmen in the new...

Used as both a school and a Catholic church, St. Francis of Assisi Mission was built in the Ak-Chin community in 1920-21. Despite changes over...

The O.S. Stapley store opened in 1955 south of the railroad tracks and east of Maricopa High School on Maricopa Road. The store carried...

The city of Maricopa has witnessed numerous changes since its incorporation in 2003. New homes bloomed, businesses formed and the population swelled. Kazi Haque, zoning...

This building was Southern Pacific Railroad’s Maricopa depot from the early 1930s through 1961. The depot was then moved to Phoenix as a playhouse in...

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,...

Completion after years of restoration work on the city’s Silver Horizon rail car is, well, on the horizon.   InMaricopa got a sneak peek on...

The Maricopa Historical Society announced the Nov. 14 historic tour of Maricopa’s California Zephyr from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Amtrak station. There...

The first Founder's Day celebration was held at The Duke in honor of the 1-year anniversary of Maricopa's incorporation. The city was incorporated on Oct....

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a measure to transfer the ownership of the California Zephyr railcar to the Maricopa Historical Society. ...

Rancho El Dorado is among the first subdivisions in Maricopa. Below you can see the subdivision in 2003 and 2007, courtesy of El Dorado...

By Patricia Brock and the Maricopa Historical Society Bertha Anderson Easley and her husband Jay Easley came to Maricopa in 1947. “We lived on Porter Ranch,...

  A look back 15 years: In 2008, while most of Maricopa was kicking back to celebrate the passing of another year, Maricopa Police Chief Patrick...

Trains have always been a part of Maricopa and are the reason the town exists where it does. The first “trains” were horse and...

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visits a Japanese internment camp in Maricopa's backyard April 23, 1943. The controversial camp housed Japanese-Americans forced by politics, prejudice and...

The State Route 347/John Wayne Parkway railroad overpass was a major step forward in moving traffic through Maricopa. It came at a price, however. The...

It was a who's who of Maricopa at the reception that preceded Mayor Nancy Smith's first State of the City address on Oct. 19. Captains...

Some parts of Maricopa have not changed much in 60 years as evidenced by before-and-after photographs. The first photo was taken in the 1950s...

This story was published 15 years ago this week, written by RuthAnn Hogue. Maricopa's annual fishing derby for kids attracted 579 anglers, hosts and representatives...

Two highly visible economic development projects – the Heritage District and South Bridge – would blend together as envisioned by city staff. During a recent...

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...

The Maricopa and Pima tribes farmed the lands adjacent to the Gila River and raised beans, corn, pumpkins, watermelons, muskmelons, cotton and their principal...

This black-and-white photo (left) shows a young Maricopa 4-Her with a prize cow. In 1953, area residents began teaching the youth cooking and sewing, which...

This 1913 photo looks south from the Southern Pacific railroad crossing to the main street leading into Maricopa. The path through the trees eventually...

By Patricia Brock and the Maricopa Historical Society Do you know the rivers of Maricopa? The Gila River is one of the largest desert rivers...

EDITOR's NOTE: This post has been updated to reflect funeral arrangements.  Pat Brock, who documented the history of Maricopa in her books “Reflections of a...

Now with the confidence of having future storage and display space for their many items of historical significance to the community, Maricopa Historical Society...

While you prepare your Thanksgiving feast, take a moment to review some recipes that Maricopans have shared through the years.  Right out of a historic...