In 2011, the historic and once top rated Arizona Mining and
Mineral Museum was eliminated. Today, the building stands empty and unused. The
closure was not motivated by budget cutting. No tax dollars were saved, because
the entire mineral museum budget was transferred to the Arizona Historical
Society.
According to a recent story in the Town Crier (Tucson), Arizona’s
unique mining history is about to be further diminished. A statue of Barry
Goldwater is being prepared to replace the statue of General John Greenway in
the U.S. Capitol. While Senator Goldwater was a prominent political figure,
John Greenway was a key figure in Arizona’s early history and a representative
of the state’s mining heritage. As noted
by the Crier:
John Greenway is a fitting
representative of Arizona, because as a mining engineer he developed the copper
mine at Ajo which led to the building of the town there. The existence of the
copper mines in Arizona was a significant factor in the admission of our state
into the union. Copper was once very important to Arizona’s, and the nation’s,
economy.
Is Arizona ashamed of its early history?
Reference:
The Wrong
Statue? Or the Wrong Greenway? An Arizona History
By Susan
Call
The Town
Crier, Tucson, AZ
May 16, 2012
Arizona is mostly city folks now. They're more interested in learning about the newest eatery opening than in state history. To the young, mining is a dirty, nasty abuse of Mother Earth. Never mind that without it, their Ipods and Iphones, flat-screen tvs and environmentally-correct cars wouldn't function. It is no surprise the Greenway statue was removed.
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