Wednesday, December 30, 2009

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.100_4494100_4493100_4495100_4496100_4497

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.100_4498

Tom and Don examining items from Florence's past.100_4499

Sharon checking out an old wagon.100_4500

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.100_4503

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Don and Tom liked the double barrel, but I was partial to the silver barrel.100_4506

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

Chuck wagon utensils and cookware.100_4508

Have you ever seen a sidesaddle?   a side saddle

A very interesting collection of old saddles.100_4510100_4513

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

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.100_4512

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!hair curlers for giving a perm

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.double gas chamber chairsA 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. radio cabinet

A Florence, Az parlor during the success of the silver mines in the area.a Florence Victorian parlor100_4524

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

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.table made of cholla cactus100_4529

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I was most intrigued by this display:  furniture made from Saguaro.100_4534Saguaro cactus furniture100_4536100_4537100_4538100_4542

A portal ex-ray machine and a dentist chair... no anesthesia except a shot of whiskey.100_4544

And the favorite item.  Steinway & Sons, New York, 1871, square grand piano.100_4547

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

headed to the Second Pinal County Courthouse.

Pinal County Courthouse built in 1891.100_4550100_4552100_4553

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.

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A dead tree!! With it's last fruit still hanging.100_4558 100_4557

The Arizona desert sky on our way back to the Q.100_4572

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.                     the Havins stone house where the Saguaro cactus furniture was

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.

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