The Santa Cruz Patagonian Newspaper was first published in Patagonia on December 1912. The Patagonia Museum, the Patagonia Library and the Friends of the Patagonia Library have partnered to reformat copies of this local newspaper on electronic media. The total collection purchased from the Arizona Library State Archives includes 693 editions of this newspaper from 1915 to 1929.

Special thanks to Abbie Zeltzer, Bill Eifrig, Bob Ollerton and Murphy Musick who made this possible.

View all these editions here.

In 2009, a grant was secured with the assistance of the Patagonia Public  Library from the Arizona State Library Office of Records and Archives to collect oral histories in eastern Santa Cruz County. Ralph Schmitt and German Quiroga proceeded to collect oral histories from long time area dwellers over the next three years.

The Patagonia Museum is grateful for the support from the Patagonia Public Library, Arizona State Library (Public Records and Archives Division) and the Patagonia Regional Community Foundation, in affiliation with the Arizona Community Foundation, for providing resources to complete this project. Thanks go to Abbie Zeltzer, Patagonia public librarian, Laura Palma-Blandford and Carlos Lopez of the Arizona State Library Office of Public Records and Archives for providing support and technical assistance and Kate Ervin of Typewell who provided the transcription service.

Very special thanks go to the twelve interviewees who provided us with their recollections of the early days in eastern Santa Cruz County. To read the histories for yourself, please click to download them.

The O’odham people inhabited a large area of desert, foothills and river valleys south from the Gila River (in Arizona), east to the Rio Sonora , west to the Colorado River and south into Sonora, Mexico.

Built before 1905 of adobe and used as a schoolhouse through the 1970’s, the property which is owned by the Patagonia School District, became a site for vandals and litterbugs. In 2010 The Patagonia Museum leased the schoolhouse property from the Patagonia School District for the purpose of preserving this historic site as a historic and educational facility for our students and community.

The Crossroads Quilters of Sonoita, Elgin, and Patagonia hosted a quilt show on Saturday, April 22  from 12 noon to 4 pm and Sunday, April 23 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Patagonia Museum. The show featured over 50 award winning quilts and several vintage quilts.

The quilt show was co-sponsored by the Friends of the Patagonia Library who were hosting a fundraising brunch at 10:30 am on Saturday, April 22 at Cady Hall in Patagonia.

Dwight Thibodeaux of The Rio Rico Historical Society has complied a list of Santa Cruz County Historical Organizations.

The Weekly Bulletin – January 26, 2016

The Patagonia Museum celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, January 23, 2016. The Patagonia Museum will occupy the Patagonia 1914 Grammar School, 100 School Street, Patagonia AZ 85624.

The museum will be open from 2 pm to 4 pm, Thursday thru Saturday, beginning on January 28, 2016. Other times by request or appointment.

(L to R – Superintendent Denise Blake , German Quiroga, Bob Ollerton and School Board Clerk Cindy Morriss)

The Weekly Bulletin – October 21, 2015

The Patagonia Museum signed a contract with the Patagonia Public Schools on Monday to promote awareness and appreciation of the history and culture of eastern Santa Cruz County by providing displays, exhibits and demonstrations at the 1914 Patagonia Grammar School.

The Patagonia Museum will also maintain the historic building for current use and future generations.

The Weekly Bulletin – JB Miller – September 16, 2015