James A Williams

Claiming the Desert James A Williams

What was it like to live in Oro Valley in 1900? 1940? This detailed book takes the reader into the lives of early settlers, homesteaders and ranchers when Oro Valley was an open and desolate, desert area. Claiming the Desert describes the settlers' world of simple adobe homes, kerosene lamps, rough roads and difficult lives. Learn how they claimed the land, established schools and roads, grew citrus and raised cattle. Discover what everyday life was like on the homestead, and the special issues faced by women and Hispanic settlers. This book includes a profile of each original homesteader in the Oro Valley area.