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The 15th Annual RSA Historical Seminar was held in Tucson, Arizona, on September 22nd through the 25th, 2010. Fifty-four RSA members, spouses and their guests traveled to historic Tucson to enjoy the “Western Experience.”
Seminar coordinator Roy Marcot put together an exciting program, including additional “extra-tours” which preceded the actual seminar. On September 21st, early arriving attendees were treated to an all-day visit to Bisbee, Arizona– a historic mining community which dates back to 1888. The day started out with a walk-thru of the Bisbee Mining Museum, and then an underground tour of the Queen Mine aboard original mine cars deep into the mountainside.
The following day, early arrivers traveled through Gates Pass to the world-famous Sonoran Desert Museum. The weather cooperated magnificently, and a rare cloudy day meant cool temperatures for the walking tour. Many desert animals were seen by the attendees in their natural environments.
The actual seminar commenced on Wednesday night, September 22nd, with an opening buffet dinner at our host hotel – the University Park Marriott. The group was treated to a lecture about Tombstone by historian Kevin Mulkins, who displayed a number of his original artifacts for all to enjoy. This set the stage for the trip to historic Tombstone on Thursday.
On Thursday, all 54+ attendees boarded vans for a one-hour van ride to Tombstone – “The town too tough to die.” Activities here included a tour of the Cochise County Courthouse Museum, a visit to the Birdcage Theatre, and a walk over to the actual site of the October 1881 “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.” Attendees learned that the actual gunfight between the Earps (with Doc Holliday) against the Clantons and McLaurys (the Cow-Boys) didn’t take place at the O.K. Corral, but on Fremont Street!
The group was at the
Meanwhile, the women went on a “Woman’s Walking Tour“of Historic Tucson Houses.” Alice Oeschger was the tour coordinator for the 18 women who ended the morning tour with lunch at the El Charo restaurant.
On Friday afternoon everyone was treated to tours of the Arizone Historical Society Museum… Viewed a dozen historic firearms from the collection (including Wyatt Earp’s Colt revolver)… And a tour of the artifacts in the basement vaults. Museum Curator Laraine Daly Jones coordinated the day’s activities.
On Saturday the group reconvened at the AHS Museum for a talk by Ed Hull – “Leonard Geiger and His Non-Association With E. Remington & Sons.” Then everyone boarded the vans for the Pima Air & Space Museum, where attendees viewed hundreds of military aircraft from around the world. This collection is the third largest in the United States, following the Smithsonian Collection outside of Washington, D.C., and the Air Force Collection in Dayton, Ohio.
The closing night banquet was held at the Savoy House at Pinnacle Peak – with cowboy steaks, RSA raffles, give-aways and auctions. A Town Marshall from Tombstone “arrested” seminar coordinator Roy Marcot, informing the crowd that Roy “had paid his bill in Tombstone with a phony credit card.” At gun-point Roy’s credit card was cut up!
All in all, all RSA attendees agreed that they were treated to a wonderful “Western Experience.”
Bisbee, Arizona
Sonoran Desert Museum
Tombstone – “The town too tough to die.”
Woman’s Walking Tour
Arizone Historical Society Museum…
Pima Air & Space Museum
Pinnacle Peak
Seminar Displays
Speakers
A Visit to Roy’s House