21 Then And Now Photos In Arizona That Show Just How Much It Has Changed
By Monica Spencer|Published August 07, 2015
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
Arizona has changed a lot through the decades. From territory to state; from the epitome of the Wild West to a bustling urban center. Check out these photos below to see how different areas have evolved over the years.
1. Let’s start with a look at the Grand Canyon’s south entrance. This was taken in 1951.
5. Some displaced cotton pickers from Texas make improvements to their makeshift home in Chandler, circa 1940. The photographer’s notes mention the family lost their Texas house and farm three years earlier.
13. This image of Mission San Xavier del Bac was taken between 1898 and 1900. It features small homes of local Tohono O’odham families south of the mission but not much else in way of structures.
17. It wasn't that long ago that seeing old grandmas and Navajo families purchasing goods at the trading post was a common sight. This picture is from 1971 and shows women purchasing and selling items for their families.
18. Today, most trading posts have either closed or been rebranded as tourist locations. Hubbell, located in Ganado on the Navajo Nation, is one example of a place that caters more towards tourists than residents these days.
