Lecture to explore Wickenburg’s role in Arizona history

The P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center will continue its Heritage Lecture Series this month with a presentation on “The History of Wickenburg,” set for Thursday, Sept. 18, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Goodyear City Hall Council Chambers, 1900 N. Civic Square.

The event will be led by Joe Stevens, a master docent from the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wickenburg. Stevens, who has lived in the town for three decades, will guide attendees through Wickenburg’s early years, from the arrival of pioneering mountain men to the town’s mining boom and its surprising ties to the founding of Phoenix.

Stevens also conducts tours of Wickenburg and the surrounding region, which he describes as a setting for amazingly rich history.

The lecture is part of an ongoing effort by the Heritage Center to promote awareness of regional history and strengthen community ties through shared stories.

In July, the center hosted “Phoenix Beneath the Surface,” a lecture by Phoenix city historian Steve Schumacher, who traced the city’s origins through ancient canals and early settlers. That talk emphasized the interconnected nature of communities across the Valley.

“We all share the same desert, the same water, the same past,” Schumacher said at the time. “Whether it’s Goodyear, Avondale, Litchfield Park or Phoenix, it’s important that all of us pay attention to our history.”

The Heritage Center, located at the historic La Loma Homestead in Litchfield Park, is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the legacy of Paul Weeks Litchfield and the cultural, agricultural, and industrial development of the Southwest Valley.

Residents of all ages are encouraged to attend the Sept. 18 lecture to explore and connect with the unique stories that shaped the region.

Visit pwlhc.org for more information.