Yesterday in Arizona

My Dad, Robert Mullen (Mullen Advertising and Public Relations), had used these vintage photos in an advertising campaign for Heritage Graphics back in 1990.  Being that Arizona celebrated its 100 year anniversary, I thought you would enjoy seeing what Phoenix looked like back then.

This farmer and his team of horses were cutting hay in the vicinity of 64th Street, just south of Camelback Road when there were few homes in the area and a wagon trail was the main arterial at the west end of the mountain.

The year was 1929 and Mae West, branded "America's Most Startling Woman," was in town for the opening of her latest movie, "I'm no Angel."  Balcony seats at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Phoenix were going for 30 cents which included the feature movie, plus "Tarzan the Fearless" and the latest edition of Paramount Sound News!

Hamburgers and hot dogs were 15-cents in 1928 at the Coffee Pot Drive-In at 7th Street and McDowell in Phoenix.  Long before fast food and McDonald's, the Coffee Pot was a popular spot for local high school students and was referred to as an "Auto Teria."

On November 5, 1887 (almost 125 years ago), Phoenix's first streetcar arrived at the end of its first run for this historic photograph.  The horse-drawn conveyance ran from Seventh Street to Seventh Avenue on Washington Street.
Things certainly have changed since then!