Ring's reflections: Tucson grew - and changed - with statehood

1912 to present

Ring's reflections: Tucson emerges from frontier-village roots

1854 to 1912

Ring's reflections: Tucson presidio formed nucleus of the town to come

1775 to 1854

Ring's reflections: Spanish influence reaches north

1694 to 1775

Ring's reflections: New picture emerges of Hohokam culture

A.D. 450 to A.D. 1694

Ring's reflections: This was another place in 9000 BC

In the beginning ...

Ring's reflections: Trip reveals S. American wonders

Earlier this month, Pat and I returned from our trip of a lifetime - a two-week visit to South America, including highlights of Chile, Argentina and Brazil. We were on Tauck's Essence of South America tour with 30 other travelers from across the U.S., two from Canada, and one each from the U…

Ring's reflections: Weavers, spinners pulling together big show

Two years ago at this time I was counting teapots and tea cozies for Pat, my better half, who was helping her weaving buddies get ready for their biennial fashion show and luncheon.

Ring's reflections: Photo skills soar with pro's help

As part of my never-ending quest to improve my skills in writing this column (usually with accompanying photographs), Pat and I recently completed a two-day Arizona Highways photography workshop.

Ring's reflections: Photo skills soar with pro's help

As part of my never-ending quest to improve my skills in writing this column (usually with accompanying photographs), Pat and I recently completed a two-day Arizona Highways photography workshop.

Ring's reflections: Quirky building is an enduring club

Did you ever wonder about that odd-shaped building - the one that looks like an old drive-in food establishment - near the northeast corner of North Main Avenue and West Speedway?

Ring's reflections: Bad penmanship causes good deal of IRS problems

How can poor penmanship get you into trouble with the Internal Revenue Service?

Ring's reflections: Tucson is 'Bicycle Town USA'

Tucson has been praised as a "Bicycle Paradise" and the "No. 1 Bike Town in the U.S." So I decided to do a little research on where bicycles came from and what Tucson has to offer.

Tucson Fire Dept.'s history can be found on new site

A fantastic new treasure - the history of the Tucson Fire Department - is now available online.

Ring's reflections: A 'fantastic week' in Flagstaff

Pat and I spent a week in Flagstaff just before Labor Day to escape the summer heat. We invited Pat's son David and his girlfriend, Krista, to split a two-bedroom timeshare, just east of town.

Ring's reflections: Water series continues with look at CAP, future issues

Last week in Part 1 of this series I wrote about what happened to Tucson's waterways and the subsequent mining of groundwater.

Ring's reflections: Our area once had plentiful water

For the last 3,000 years, Tucson's waterways - including rivers, streams and creeks - ran freely much of the time and were a reliable source of water for everyday use and irrigation farming.

Ring's reflections: Primer on our mountains continues

Last week I presented the first in a two-part primer of Tucson's fascinating and numerous mountain ranges. Here's the second part.

Ring's reflections: Get to know mountains surrounding Old Pueblo

I've looked at the mountains around Tucson for years in wonderment and awe, appreciating their beauty, but lately realized that I had some questions. How many mountain ranges are there? Where did they come from? So I put together a two-part primer to answer some of those questions.

Boston vacation yields lots of fun, busy sites

Honoring the name of this column, here are a few reflections from my recent trip with Pat to Boston.

Ring's reflections: Stagecoaches fill need

A couple weeks ago I wrote about overland stagecoach operations through Tucson. This week I'll tell the story of how Tucson stagecoach pioneers provided service to Southern Arizona mining areas and local settlements.

Ring's reflections: Stagecoaches set stage for Tucson's growth

If it weren't for stagecoaches, Tucson wouldn't have developed to be the town we see today.

Ring's reflections: Research leaves columnist awash in Tucson history

My last two columns told the story of two early 1900s Tucson communities that were successful because of reliable water in the Rillito River. I had so much fun researching and writing those columns - and spent so much time working on them - that I thought you might be interested in some of m…

Ring's reflections: Let's go back in time and explore Fort Lowell area

Last week I wrote about the pioneer Mormon community of Binghampton. Now I'll tell the story of another early Tucson community that succeeded because of plentiful water in the Rillito River - Old Fort Lowell.

Ring's reflections: Hohokam, Mormons all part of Rillito's past

A few months ago Pat and I walked one of the Rillito River Park pathways along the dry riverbed and learned that the river flowed freely many years ago and has an interesting and probably little-known history. Here's what we found out.

Ring's reflections: Fun continues at Lake Atitlán

Last week I talked about my trip to Antigua, Guatemala, with Pat; this time I'll tell you about our visit to beautiful Lake Atitlán.

Ring's reflections: Guatemala: a 'very compelling' place to visit

Even though I don't know one end of a knitting needle from the other, I am a veteran of knitting retreats to exotic places. Most recently Pat and I spent 12 days in Guatemala.

Ring's reflections: A look at events leading to Arizona statehood

I've been brushing up on early Arizona history so I can better appreciate the big milestone Tuesday - Arizona's 100th birthday as a state. Here are what I think are the most important events leading up to Arizona statehood.

Fire plays big role in 'Public Enemy No. 1' capture

Al Ring (my brother and partner in numerous historical-research projects) was a volunteer firefighter for 26 years in St. Matthews, Ky., a suburb of Louisville. Now retired in Tucson, Al is working with the Greater Tucson Fire Foundation to document the 130-year history of the Tucson Fire De…

Ring's reflections: Tucson Originals: Good food, good for our community

Are you looking for a fabulous restaurant experience in Tucson? Chances are that restaurant would be a member of Tucson Originals - an alliance of 52 (and growing) independently operated restaurants that foster the rich culinary spirit of Tucson.

Ring's reflections: Let's spread holiday cheer

My better half, Pat Wood, has some thoughts to share on this Thanksgiving:

Ring's reflections: For great weekend excursion, try cabins, Silver City, N.M.

Three years ago, when we talked about making "bucket lists" - the things we wanted to do before we die - Pat's 34-year-old son David volunteered his list of things he wanted to do before he turned 40.

Ring's reflections: 'The Last Gunfight' teaches readers much about Old West

If you like reading history, especially Arizona history, I have a book to recommend: Jeff Guinn's "The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the OK Corral - And How It Changed the American West," published in May.

Ring's reflections: Retracing steps of gold-rushing ancestors is, well, a rush

In the summer of 1849 my great-great-grandfather Moses Ring crossed the Great Plains in a wagon train to try his luck in the California Gold Rush. Moses was headed to Hangtown (now Placerville) to begin his quest for gold.

Ring's reflections: Computer doc makes much-needed house call

Pat's system was sluggish. She had to give up on simple tasks and start over a lot. Even I was affected. We had communication problems. The close ties of our life together rapidly turned sour.

Ring's reflections: Computer doc makes much-needed house call

Pat's system was sluggish. She had to give up on simple tasks and start over a lot. Even I was affected. We had communication problems. The close ties of our life together rapidly turned sour.

Ring's reflections: Fall classes to begin at community center

The Lew Sorensen Community Center is set to begin fall classes in pottery, fiber arts and visual arts after a successful summer program in its new digs at 2300 N. Tanque Verde Loop Road.

Ring's reflections: When air conditioning kicks off, our thoughts turn to the sweaty settlers

Recently Pat and I camped out in our bedroom for days at a time. No, it wasn't a romantic holiday - it was because the darn air conditioning in the main part of the house bit the dust four times in 10 days.

Loose in the foothills: In Boston's historic Faneuil Hall, young voices carry on tradition

I was in Boston last month listening to a speech in Faneuil Hall, where people have been giving speeches since 1742, including orators such as Samuel Adams, who spoke to huge throngs to encourage independence from Britain.

Loose in the foothills: Aravaipa Canyon: Feeding body and soul

Pat and I have found paradise, and it's only about an hour's drive north of Tucson. I'm talking about Aravaipa Farms, a country inn along Aravaipa Creek, just outside the west entrance of the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness Area.

Loose in the foothills: Awash in drops, praise: cataracts are history

Ugh … those eye drops almost killed me!

Loose in the foothills: Libraries offer so much to my family, community

I've always loved reading, and have frequented libraries all my life. It's nice to have two branch libraries, Dusenberry-River and Kirk-Bear Canyon, to serve the Foothills and Tanque Verde Valley.

Loose in the foothills: Folk art, archeological sites make Oaxaca City interesting

After our family-history rediscovery tour of Mexico's Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Pat and I began March with a week in Oaxaca City.

Loose in the foothills: Visit to Mexico is emotional, fun

There Pat and I stood, in the village of San Juan Guichicovi in the middle of southern Mexico's Isthmus of Tehuantepec, staring at a huge, old church.

Loose in the foothills: He's retracing great-grandfather's journey

If all has gone as planned, Pat and I are in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico right now. We are on a great adventure to retrace my great-grandfather Eugene Ring's trek across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Loose in the foothills: How your cell phone came to be

The subject of this column - cell phones - is a departure from my typical fare of personal experiences and local history. I am belatedly discovering the power of today's cell phones, and when I remembered that my uncle was involved in their development, I couldn't resist my history-researche…

Loose in the foothills: Building memories is best gift of holidays

Last month Pat and I drove to San Diego to celebrate Thanksgiving and my 70th birthday with family.

Loose in the Foothills: How Bashas' survived its bankruptcy journey

Second in a two-part series.

Loose in the foothills: Basha family survives hardships, grows business

Editor's note: This is the first in a two-part series.

N.M. resort town offers great sights, day trips

This past summer, Pat and I spent a week in Ruidoso, Texas … er, New Mexico. (That's an easy mistake to make, because most of the automobiles you see in Ruidoso have Texas license plates.)