A Visual Postcard of Arizona's Historical Sites

Contents: About the Collection | Collection History | Metadata | Tech

About the Collection

Arizona is a beautiful state, rich in history, and is ready to be explored. This project, “A Visual Postcard of Arizona’s Historical Sites”, connects four unique regions from around the state. These locations show their cultural and geographical significance while providing historical context, in addition to emphasizing the physical attributes of the sites. We chose these sites to illustrate their historical significance, and how it has impacted Arizona. Arizona is a diverse state and we are exploring only a small part of it. The items contained within the collection were picked based on their quality, descriptive information, as well as their ability to contribute to the collection in a constructive and informative way. Our collection covers a wide range of time from 1783 to 2006 and contains 19 images and 2 audio recordings. We welcome researchers and fellow enthusiasts about Arizona to pursue our collections. It is intended to help researchers and for the casual traveler to discover more about the state. We searched the Digital Public Library of America to find just the right objects to round out our collection, creating a rich and full experience for everyone. We welcome you on this journey through Arizona as you explore the Coronado Trail, San Xavier del Bac Mission, Fort Defiance, and the Grand Canyon!

Collection History

The Coronado Trail was the first Federal Highway in the United States. It connected the state in ways never before seen and is a way to view the beauty Arizona has to offer. The Coronado Trail follows the path theorized to have been used by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1540 as he searched for the fabled “Seven Cities of Cibola” (Coronado Trail, n.d.). Digital resources include scenic images and historic markers along the trail.

The San Xavier del Bac Mission, also known as the “White Dove of the Desert”, is located in Tucson Arizona on the Tohono O’odham Nation Indian Reservation. The mission was founded by Padre Eusebio Kino (Father Kino) in 1692. The mission continues to serve people today as a place of worship and sanctuary. Digital resources include images of both the interior and exterior of the Mission.

The Grand Canyon is considered one of the most iconic and most visited sites in Arizona. Grand Canyon National Park is located in Northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands, and is located on the ancestral homeland of eleven associated Native American Tribes. The historical, cultural, and geographical significance of the Grand Canyon makes it a perfect addition to the visual postcard of historic Arizona. Digital resources include images of the Grand Canyon, sounds of wildlife, and a map of the area.

Many outposts, camps, and forts were built to protect settlers and communities from outlaws and Indigenous communities. One example of this is Fort Defiance established in 1851, about 61 years prior to Arizona becoming a state. Fort Defiance is located in Apache County on the eastern border of Arizona roughly 120 miles south of the Four Corners Monument within the Navajo Nation. Digital resources include historical images of Fort Defiance.

Metadata

Our metadata includes both descriptive, administrative, and technical metadata. The names, locations, subjects, dates, creators, and descriptions of the objects contribute to the descriptive metadata while the source, URL links, and property rights apply to the administrative metadata. The file formats, file size, image dimensions, and object types associated with each item within the collection are affiliated with the included technical metadata. All metadata types and information were carefully curated to facilitate researchers in finding what they need while showcasing the objects selected. This is also to ensure the objects within the collection can be preserved, accessed, and identified in the future.