August 2022


A partnership among Scottsdale Neighborhood College, Scottsdale Public Library and the Scottsdale Historical Society to provide information, news and resources about Scottsdale history.
 


Winfield Scott biography now available from the Scottsdale Heritage Connection

The Scottsdale Public Library's Scottsdale Heritage Connection has added the classic Richard Lynch biography of Scottsdale's founder Winfield Scott to the collection as a digital file. You can now access the biography anytime in the free PDF format.

This is an invaluable resource ideal for anyone interested in learning about Scottsdale's founder. From his birth in West Novi, Michigan in 1837, his service in the Union Army in the Civil War, his career as an US army chaplain, to pioneering the town of Scottsdale. The most remarkable thing about Winfield Scott is all that he did in between those highlights!

The biography of Winfield Scott was published in 1978 by the city of Scottsdale. The book is 206 pages long and has many photos from his life and times. The book is the definitive work on the life of Winfield Scott!

 



Scottsdale Neighborhood College announces fall history classes

The fall class schedule for Neighborhood College is now available and you can register for classes. There will be two classes offered at two different times. You don't have to sign up twice, it's the same class repeated.

'Til Death Do Us Part
1-3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, or 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the Community Design Studio, 7506 E. Indian School Road. Learn more about two local romances gone wrong. In 1962, a couple was murdered just north of Scottsdale, on county land, and the case was not solved for nine years. But did the police catch the real killer or was he framed? In the second case, a Scottsdale woman was spotted dumping part of her husband's body in Mesa. We will revisit the story of his death which gripped the Valley in 2000. This is a repeat presentation. Instructor: Bruce Wall, city of Scottsdale.

Scottsdale: Fact or Fiction?

9:30-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 15, or 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Community Design Studio, 7506 E. Indian School Road. Did it happen or is it a myth? This class will examine several tall tales and determine if it is fact or fiction. Stories include: Did Winfield Scott, who was Scottsdale's namesake, serve in the Union Army as a general in the Civil War? Was Scottsdale a dry town until the 1930s? Is there a tree on the northeast corner of Brown Road and Main Street that's over 100 years old? How much truth was there to the a prank at a local high school in the 1970s? This is a new presentation. Instructor: Bruce Wall, city of Scottsdale.
 



Expanded Hometown Happy Hour presentations at the Scottsdale
Public Library

The Scottsdale Public Library is expanding Hometown Happy Hour get-togethers

across town. The series includes:

  • Stories from the files of the Scottsdale Police Department by historical raconteur, Citizen Advisor, Bruce Wall. 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8 at the Mustang Library.
  • Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Scottsdale Historic Preservation Program by award winning architect Doug Sydnor. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Appaloosa Library.
  • Scottsdale as a mecca for the fabulous and fashionable of the southwest by community historian Joan Fudala. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5 at Mustang Library.

All programs begin at 5:30 p.m. Registration isn't required, but space is limited. Light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be available at each of the libraries as you enter the presentations. For more information, check our online calendar of events at Scottsdalelibrary.org.

 



Famous alumnus

This alumnus of a Scottsdale school recently was in the news after selling a stake in his 50-year-old company. The company was started by his father and a partner in 1971 as a onetime fundraiser in Scottsdale. The event was successful and it grew and evolved. In the 1990's the original founders retired and the next generation took over. The event has expanded and is now held in other states.

He started at the bottom working for his father, even did the trash run at the event. He grew to become the chair and CEO. He introduced: Using the internet; Nighttime entertainment and Customer surveys leading to a better customer experience.

Scroll down to find out who is this famous Alumnus.


Photo credit: Ancestry.com U.S. school yearbooks 1900-1999.
 



Little known history - The first officer involved shooting in Scottsdale

A barber shop and pool hall were located on the north side of Main Street near where Crazy Horse Gallery is located today at 7232 E. Main St.

On Saturday, March 5, 1938, Constable Al Frederick sat waiting for his turn in the barber shop on Main Street in Old Town Scottsdale. Suddenly someone ran in yelling that some guy was going crazy in the pool hall next door and was beating proprietor Guy Roberts with a pool cue!

Frederick jumped into action, grabbed his service weapon and went to the pool hall. The scene he saw was surreal. Henry Crist, a 44-year-old California man employed as a chauffeur for a winter visitor to Scottsdale "went crazy" in the pool hall. Proprietor Guy Roberts told him to settle down and tried to hit the man with a pool cue. Crist grabbed the pool cue and began beating Roberts. When another man tried to stop Crist, he was also beaten with the pool cue.
 

Al Frederick was elected Scottsdale's constable from 1922-1950. 

Constable Frederick ordered Crist to put down the pool cue. Crist responded by cursing at Frederick and saying, "I'll kill you, too." Crist approached Frederick with the billiard cue raised over his head.

Frederick saw the muscles of Crist's arms tighten and knew Crist was about to attack. Frederick shot once and the bullet struck Crist two inches above the left temple, killing him instantly. A friend of Crist's named A.L. "Shorty" Lovelady corroborated Frederick's account.

Frederick was exonerated of the killing by a coroner's jury on March 8, 1938 after hearing from Frederick, witnesses, and the Maricopa County Attorney. The Justice of the Peace ruled the shooting was "in the line of duty and in defense of his own life, he was justified in taking such action."

Frederick was elected Scottsdale's first constable in 1922 and was re-elected each term until his death in 1950. His wife Ivy Donn Frederick took over as constable after his death and finished his term.

You can find out more about the history of Scottsdale at the Scottsdale Historical Society. The Scottsdale Historical Society operates the historical museum located in the Little Red Schoolhouse near Main Street and Brown Avenue in Old Town. Although currently closed for the Civic center Renovations, they will need volunteers to serve as docents when they reopen their doors around January 2023. Volunteering involves about four hours of time, generally once a month, and is a great opportunity to meet visitors from all across the country as well as all over the world and to introduce them to Scottsdale. Learn about the Scottsdale Historical Society.

Above images courtesy of the Scottsdale Historical Society.
 



Back to school with the Scottsdale Heritage Connection

Scottsdale Community College "The Artichoke" is part of the Scottsdale Heritage Connection

Scottsdale Heritage Connection at Scottsdale Public Library has a digital collection of Scottsdale Community College student newspapers ranging from 1970-2012 thanks to a loan of digitized newspapers from the college a few years ago. Find out how the Artichokes got their name, learn about faculty, students, activities, reviews of local concerts, and much, much more!

The
Scottsdale Heritage Connection is located in the Civic Center Library at 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. It's open Monday thru Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. Look for the Messinger Family Research Room that houses the Scottsdale Heritage Connection.



 

Image at left courtesy of Scottsdale Public Library.
 



How the streets got their names: McCormick Parkway

Fowler & Anne McCormick around 1946

In 1942, Anne and Fowler McCormick purchased land around Scottsdale Road and Indian Bend to create an Arabian horse and angus cattle ranch. They eventually owned more than 4,200 acres of land when it was sold in 1970 to Kaiser-Aetna to develop the McCormick Ranch master planned community.

Anne supported the artisans of Scottsdale and helped create the All Arabian Horse Show at Paradise Park on McCormick Ranch from 1956 to 1968. The McCormick-Stillman family donated 100 acres of land to Scottsdale for the creation of the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park at Scottsdale and Indian Bend.

The east/west roadway in the southern section of the old ranch from Scottsdale to Hayden Roads was called McCormick Parkway after Anne and Fowler McCormick.
 



Answer to Famous Alumnus

Craig Jackson was born in Michigan but the family moved to Scottsdale in 1960. He attended Coronado High School and graduated in 1977.

His father Russ Jackson partnered with Tom Barrett to start the Scottsdale Car Auctions in 1971. It began as a onetime fundraiser, but was so successful it became an annual event and was renamed the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in 1979.

Russ Jackson died in 1993 and Craig and his brother Brian took over the company. Brian died in 1995 of colon cancer at age 49.

Craig is the chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. Although Scottsdale remains the premiere event, Craig now produces Barrett-Jackson auctions in Florida, Nevada and Texas.

Craig Jackson introduced online bidding to the auction and used customer surveys to improve the experience. He added nighttime entertainment and included vendors. If you've never been to the Barrett-Jackson you should go at least once - even if you're not looking to buy a car!

The Barret-Jackson Collector Car Auction is one of the signature events in Scottsdale and begins the event season every January. It's followed by the Arizona Indian Festival, Waste Management Phoenix Open, Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, Parada Del Sol, Scottsdale Arts Festival, Spring Training and all the rest.

Photo credit: Barrett-Jackson.com
 



Next Time

Our next Scottsdale history newsletter will come out November/December highlighting the spring history presentations at the Scottsdale Public Library and Neighborhood College. There will be more news and resources about Scottsdale history!
 

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