Claiming the Desert: Settlers, Homesteaders and Ranchers in Oro Valley, Arizona, 1865-1965/James A. Williams

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Description What was it like to live in Oro Valley in 1900? 1940? This detailed book takes the reader into the lives of early settlers, homesteaders and ranchers when Oro Valley was an open and desolate, desert area. Claiming the Desert describes the settlers' world of simple adobe homes, kerosene lamps, rough roads and difficult lives. Learn how they claimed the land, established schools and roads, grew citrus and raised cattle. Discover what everyday life was like on the homestead, and the special issues faced by women and Hispanic settlers. This book includes a profile of each original homesteader in the Oro Valley area. About the Author Jim Williams is a retired social studies educator who worked as a teacher, department chair and district coordinator in the Central Bucks School District, Doylestown, PA. He is a graduate of Ursinus College and Lehigh University. He was recognized by the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit for contributions to education. During his years in public education, Jim served as president of the Pennsylvania Council for Social Studies and as a member of the New Britain Borough Council. He has published several journal articles on local history in Pennsylvania, as well as a history of Montgomery Township, Pennsylvania, a workbook on the Constitutional Convention, and The Filipino-American War, with Charles Penacchio. The latter was a project with the Organization of American Historians. Since retiring to Oro Valley in 2006, Jim has written two articles for the Journal of Arizona History. He teaches courses in history for the Sun City Oro Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement and offers programs on local history to community groups. He also leads "history hikes" for community groups and the Sun City Oro Valley Hiking Club. Jim has served on the board of the Oro Valley Historical Society for six years and recently as president of the organization.