Getting a glimpse into the past is one of the best aspects of photography’s history. With some light and the push of a button, we get a permanent record of everything in life; from the delicate fingers of a newborn to a landscape before development blocks its view.

Today, we’re going to take a look at Arizona’s past from roughly one century ago. Plenty has changed since then, including landscape, jobs, fashion, and daily life. If you’re curious how life looked in Arizona back then, check out the photos below.

1. One of the big industries in Arizona at the time? Logging. This photo shows a train hauling away 16-foot logs from Coconino National Forest.
Forest History Society/Flickr
2. Here’s a man working at a pumping plant at a Globe mine in January 1912.
freeparking/Flickr
3. A little more than 100 years later, the Verde Canyon Railroad is still in operation and generally looks the same. What do you think?
Verde Canyon Railroad/Flickr
4. Here is famed astronomer Percival Lowell in his observatory in 1914.
Wikimedia Commons
5. In 1915, the Santa Cruz River flooded and caused enough damage to wreck this bridge near “A” Mountain.
Wikimedia Commons
6. Known today as the official beginning point of the Grand Canyon, Lee’s Ferry received its name from the ferry boat service initially operated by John Doyle Lee. Here’s a look at the area at one point during its 60-year operation.
Ashley Van Haeften/Flickr
7. Here is Roosevelt Dam in 1915, a few years after its completion date. How different does it look from today?
waterarchives.org/Flickr
8. Here’s another look at Roosevelt Dam in 1917, this time with guards on patrol. I wonder what for?
waterarchives.org/Flickr
9. During the decade-long Mexican Revolution, both Mexican and U.S. military stood guard at the international border. It looks quite different today.
Wikimedia Commons
10. This photo shows miners and other workers being deported out of the state in 1917, many by gun point.
Wikimedia Commons
In 1917, a major labor dispute and strike occurred among mine workers against Phelps Dodge. In retaliation, the company forcefully deported thousands of miners, supervisors, local businessmen, and union leaders from Jerome and Bisbee to surrounding states. The workers were also threatened against returning.
11. If you have been to Chiricahua National Monument, you might recognize the Faraway Ranch seen in this photo from 1915.
Wikimedia Commons
12. Camelback Mountain in 1917 sure looked a lot different than it does nearly a century later.
Wikimedia Commons

Were there any places you recognized? What do you think Arizona will look like in another 100 years? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Facebook page!

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