Pinal County Historical Museum

It's Wednesday, already, and Don and I both enjoyed our respective Bible Studies over in the Activities Building. 

Afterwards, we met Tom and Sharon Peterson and their friend Ellen Hampton at Mimi's Restaurant for lunch. 

Next on our Wednesday agenda was a short road trip to Florence, Arizona.  The Peterson's followed us.  Florence is the county seat of Pinal County, where we are. Our main destination:  The Pinal County Historical Museum.  Admission is free, with a donation jar by the door on the table where all visitors sign in.

This Farmall tractor is of particular interest to me as it looks very much like one that my daddy used while cotton farming in west Texas.

Tom and Don examining items from Florence's past.

Sharon checking out an old wagon.

Inside, a museum attendant took us on a tour.  She was a wealth of local history knowledge.

Can you imagine typing on this typewriter? Upper and lower case on separate keys; numbers on the outside keys.

Don and Tom liked the double barrel, but I was partial to the silver barrel.

Old west items such as branding irons.  These are sheep brands.

Chuck wagon utensils and cookware.

Have you ever seen a sidesaddle?  

A very interesting collection of old saddles.

And barbed wire.  There is probably a similar collection in every museum in the western states.... west of the Mississippi River, that is.

As you might guess, this display was of particular interest to me.  Mama Trudy had a Brownie camera similar to the box, center top shelf.  I have taken pictures with it.

Across from the state prison exhibit was this contraption that we all thought was probably an apparatus used for torturing prisoners.  Negative.  It's a permanent hair curling machine.  Torturous, I'm sure.  The price women pay for beautification!

This was interesting.  Item on the right is a gallows floor displayed upside down to show how it worked.  The chairs are the first gas chamber double chairs built in the U.S.  There are still two large state prisons in Florence. Behind the glass in the wall cases are hanging rope nooses, framing a picture of the criminal hung with that rope.  In 1930 – Eva Dugan (<<<click for picture) receives a sanity hearing in the court house after a conviction of murder. She is deemed sane and put to death by hanging. Her head comes off during the execution and death by hanging is immediately discontinued. She remains the only woman executed in Arizona. Ernest McFarland served as the attorney for the prosecution.A very interesting version of Eva's demise can be found >>here<<.  This version doesn't state that all evidence her was circumstantial.  There were no eye witnesses or finger prints.

On to more pleasant memories of Florence, Arizona... here is a radio table.  When the table top is closed, you would not know this is a radio.  The speakers face toward the floor, the controls are behind the fake drawer on the front, and even the cord is concealed in the hollow table leg in the back.

A Florence, Az parlor during the success of the silver mines in the area.

Very tiny wedding boot high heels.  When I say tiny, I mean 1 1/2" across the top of the foot.

Furniture made out of local cactus plants are like their surroundings... they have a beauty all their own.  Here is a table made from cholla cactus.

I was most intrigued by this display:  furniture made from Saguaro.

A portal ex-ray machine and a dentist chair... no anesthesia except a shot of whiskey.

And the favorite item.  Steinway & Sons, New York, 1871, square grand piano.

We said good-bye for the day to Tom, Sharon and Ellen and....

headed to the Second Pinal County Courthouse.

Pinal County Courthouse built in 1891.

Florence contractors, A.J. Doran and T.A. Adams built the courthouse for a cost of $29,000. A shortage of funds resulted in painted metal clock faces in the distinctive cupola. Thus, "time stands still" at 11:44.

A dead tree!! With it's last fruit still hanging.

The Arizona desert sky on our way back to the Q.

Ok, back up a little to the pictures of the Saguaro furniture.  This is the Havins house, located less than a mile from our park.  I will get a better picture on another day out.                    

Hope you enjoyed this trip to Florence, Arizona.  We sure did and would recommend seeing the museum.  Don't forget to leave a donation at the door.