National Trust for Historic Preservation Bestows Prestigious Award To O’Connor House

 Honored in 1992 as an Arizona Historymaker, Sandra Day O'Connor continues to be a positive influence for Arizona.

September 25, 2025.  The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute is proud to announce that the O’Connor House in Tempe, Arizona, has been awarded the esteemed National Trust for Historic Preservation Trustees’ Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship. The honor was presented in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at its annual PastForward Conference in September. Only eight historic projects and organizations nationwide were recognized for exemplary preservation work.

The O’Connor House, conserved by the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, is the historic adobe family home of retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman appointed to the nation’s highest court. To prevent its demolition, the home was meticulously relocated brick by brick to the pristine desert setting of Papago Park in Tempe, Arizona. Today, the O’Connor House stands as an icon for the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, serving as a symbol of Justice O’Connor’s lifetime work and a gathering place for civic engagement and civility.

“Justice O’Connor’s vision was to create a place where people could come together to address society’s problems through respectful dialogue,” said Gay Wray, Co-Chair of the O’Connor Institute Board of Directors. “The O’Connor House embodies the work of Justice O’Connor, and we are deeply honored that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has recognized its enduring significance.”

The National Preservation Awards, established over six decades ago, are among the highest honors in the field, spotlighting distinguished individuals, organizations, and historic places that enrich their communities through preservation. This year’s awardees reflect the power of historic places to strengthen community engagement, nurture culture, and inspire future generations.

Raising Cane's donates 15% of sales on Oct 16 to NHDAZ

  Mark your calendars! On Thursday, October 16th, Raising Cane's is donating 15% of sales from participating Valley and Flagstaff locations to support National History Day Arizona!

All you have to do is mention National History Day Arizona at checkout or use code RCFUND96 on app/online orders between 3-9 PM.

Every meal helps Arizona students bring history to life.

Historical League celebrates Arizona Historymakers in Scottsdale

The Historical League’s Turquoise and Treasures Celebration will soon honor one couple and seven individual Arizona leaders who will share their life stories and contributions to Arizona and its community issues, such as the homeless, farming with less water and the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

The celebration begins at 3 p.m. Oct. 25 at The Scott Resort & Spa, 4925 N. Scottsdale Road, in Scottsdale, according to a press release.

The Historical League Arizona Historymaker’s Recognition Program puts a spotlight on men and women who have distinguished themselves with noted achievements and contributed to making Arizona history.

Those being honored are John R. Graham , Dr. Eric M. Reiman, Sharon Harper, Sister Adele O’Sullivan, Diana ‘Dede’ Yazzie Devine, F. Ronald ‘Ron’ Rayner, Bob Boze Bell, Dr. Duane Wooten and Dr. Oliver Harper.

For more information, visit https://historicalleague.org/2025-arizona-historymakerstm%20-turquoise-treasures-celebration/.

Jeron Velasco Arizona Historical Society's Al Merito Award Winner

 Jeron Velasco, Az Social Studies Teacher of the Year and Arizona Historical Society’s El Merito award. Congratulations to Jeron. Keep up the great work you do with history and National History Day Arizona!

2025 ARIZONA HISTORYMAKERS CHANGE OF VENUE

 

Jessica Finnie is National History Day winner and award winning photographer

 Multi-talented NHD winner Jessica Finnie is also an amazing photographer. She captured these lovely pictures earning recognition from Arizona Highways. Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest Winner in September 2025 issue.

She also took 1st place in the 2024 Arizona Highways Adventures in Nature Photo Contest. In her submission she describes her winning photo titled Reprimand, “This picture captures two wild mustangs engaged in a fierce chase. Mustangs establish their dominance within the social hierarchy of a herd and reprimand younger stallions who challenge their rank. In this photograph, the younger horse is being reprimanded by the reigning mustang.”
More than 400 talented Arizonans, ages 13-18, entered nearly 700 photos taken in Arizona.
🔗 Click the following link to see 2nd and 3rd place winners and honorable mentions: https://www.arizonahighways.com/.../student-photo-contest...
Job well done to all participants!

Marshall Trimble talks about 75th birthday of Arizona State Little League Baseball Tournaments.

 Leave it to Marshall to share the wonderful history of Arizona State Little League Baseball Tournaments.

"Route 66 is celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2026. Another event, celebrating its 75th birthday is the Arizona State Little League Baseball Tournament. The first one was held in Prescott in July 1951.

The towns of Ash Fork, Williams and Seligman along Route 66 formed a league earlier that season and were invited to participate. I was one of the players selected. The other teams were the leagues in the Verde Valley, Winslow and Prescott. We were the Tri-City All Stars and were the underdogs but we made it to the championship game against heavily favored Prescott. It turned out to be a close game and Prescott held a 2-0 lead until the bottom of the last inning. With two outs, Tri-City had two runners on first and third. I was standing on first, another runner was on third and our cleanup hitter was coming to bat. If he hit one out we would be state champs But, like that fateful day Mudville, our Mighty Casey struck out."

Honored as AZ Historymaker in 2014, he tells his story at https://historicalleague.org/projects/marshall-trimble/