In 2006 The Oro Valley Historical Society made an outstanding video presentation of interviews with Henry Zipf, Grandson of George Pusch, original owner of Steam Pump Ranch, and town founder James Kreigh. The presentation includes wonderful old photos intertwined with the interviews.
The stories these two gentlemen relate gives anyone who watches a great insight into the history and background of The Steam Pump Ranch, and, relatively speaking, the recent history of how Oro Valley came to be a town.
I found the video during an attempt to learn more about the history of Steam Pump Ranch, and although it is on The Town of Oro Valley's web site, I'm not sure how many of us know about this wonderful presentation.
I promise you----it will be educational, informative, interesting and very enjoyable.
So---click on the link and learn a lot about our community. It will be time well spent.
http://www.ci.oro-valley.az.us/TownInfo/History_Video.htm
Learn more history from the Oro Valley Historical Society site. http://www.ovhistory.org/collections.htm
4 comments:
Confession: As someone who had a major role in producing that video/DVD, I can tell you that it was a wonderful experience to sit down with those two gentlemen. It was a chore to gather all the information, formulate the questions, edit the tape, insert the music and choose the pictures. [Like a mini Ken Burns project]. I'm glad that you've enjoyed it, and I hope that others will check it out from the Oro Valley Library. You'll see that this town has a rich history, and some of the characters who lived (and continue to live on these blog postings) were truly unique.
Good for you Boobie-baby!
Everybody has a story. Some more intesting then others. We need to know where we are coming from to understand where we are going.
If you want to read an interesting book, check out "Lazy B" Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest. It was written by Sandra Day O'Connor and H. Alan Day.
Enjoyable book. Noteworthy to me was that it focused on the regular people who worked on or were involved in the ranching life.
Sandra Day O'Connor grew up on that ranch with real people and real "characters".
Not once did I hear a complaint or a "poor" me from her. This was about the whole experience of ranch life.
Maybe somebody or a group could show this video at the library.
Just an idea.
"boobie-baby"--- To must of us, as a result of your previous comments on the blog, you came across as a person quite familiar with the OV government,and quite knowledgeable as to zoning codes, General Plan, etc.
Inasmuch as you opt to comment using a pseudonym, I'm afraid you will not receive the praise you deserve in having a major role producing this outstanding video.
Hopefully, this posting will make many more people aware of the video,and it will get a lot more recognition that it certainly deserves.
As for you----you will have to accept my accolades in anonymity, but that does not lessen your achievement. Congratulations. Well done!
Boobie-baby
I thouroughly enjoyed this presentation which most certainly enhances that which has become the Town of Oro Valley. Having, myself, participated as one of the subjects in a professional production of a biographical documentary short, I can attest that, while an end product may appear to have been a simple task, it is, in fact, a very complicated process. This endeavor was concise, informative, and very well executed.
I hope that, if the Steam Pump Ranch restoration and usage does become a reality, that future generations will appreciate it and it's 'raison d'etre'. I believe that our (at least my) generation honors historical nostalgia; I regret that I am a bit uneasy that this kind of value will perpetuate.
I feel that it must also be accepted that, while we conserve the past by the recognition of 'things' that are of special historical ilk, we must also proffer that the values of future significance be recognized in the preservation of 'Mother Earth' as an historical necessity in itself, one that will assist in the conservation of 'spirit'.
B-b, thank you for your delightful contribution towards the understanding of our heritage and of our self.
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