The Early Years of the Patagonia Public Library: 1957-1976

by Lisa Waite Bunker

1Florence Thornburg, “The Sonoita Valley,” Arizona Highways (Sept. 1958): 5.

2Joseph L. Schmalzel, Seven Neighbor Homesteads and the Sonoita Valley Area (1880-1900). n.p., n.d. Tells the sad story of the original seven homesteaders in the valley.

3Douglas E. Kupel, “Patagonia, Jewel of the Sonoita Valley,” Journal of Arizona History (Spring 1995) 55. Unless otherwise cited, my main source for Patagonia’s history from 1898 to 1950 is Mr. Kupel’s well-researched article.

4Frank M. Seibold, Patagonia Stories (Patagonia, AZ: Frank M. Seibold, 1983) 1.

5Frank M. Seibold, Patagonia Stories 1.

6Frank M. Seibold, Patagonia Stories 1.

7Frank M. Seibold, Patagonia Stories 2.

8Harriet D. Wilson, “Recall Patagonia Merchants,” June 16, 1981, unidentified newspaper clipping in Pimeria Alta Historical Society, Nogales (quoted by Douglas E. Kupel, (1995) 67).

9Frank M. Seibold, “Patagonia, Then and Now,” Voices from the Pimeria Alta. (Nogales, AZ: Pimeria Alta Historical Society, 1991) 16.

10Town of Patagonia, “Patagonia 100 Years,” oral history project, May 1998. On exhibit at Patagonia Town Hall.

11Kupel (1995) 75.

12“Patagonia’s Smallness Measures Up,” Arizona Daily Star, Mar. 17, 1985: 8M.

13“Patagonia Seeks to Incorporate,” clipping from Los Angeles Times, 1947.

14Town of Patagonia, “General Statistics Concerning This Area,” ts. Spring 1964. William J. Waggoner was still Mayor, Robert Lenon was still Town Clerk, and Oliver J. Rothrock was still Judge.

15Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, 1951-1962.

16Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, 1951-1962.

17“Patagonia’s Smallness Measures Up,” Arizona Daily Star, Mar. 17, 1985: 1M.

18Rhonda Bodfield, “Sinking in Debt, Patagonia Faces Hard Choices,” Arizona Daily Star, Dec. 21, 1997: 1B.

19Town of Patagonia, “Patagonia 100 Years,” oral history project, May 1998. On exhibit at Patagonia Town Hall.

20Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, April 9, 1957.

21Town of Patagonia, “General Statistics Concerning This Area,” ts. Spring 1964.

22Lowell Parker, Arizona Tales and Towns (Phoenix: Phoenix Newspapers, Inc., 1975): 49.

23“Patagonia Town Clerk a Candle in the Wind,” clipping in file at Arizona Historical Society, possibly from Arizona Republic, 9/21/91.

24“Patagonia Town Clerk…, 9/21/91.

25“Patagonia Town Clerk…, 9/21/91.

26Nancy McCuiston, letter to Roger Brevort, State Historical Preservation Office, August 9, 1988.

27Posy Piper, “Patagonia Residents Hope to Restore Historic Building,” Nogales International, Dec. 7, 1988.

28Margaret R. Bryant, “Protest Desecration of Structure which Houses Patagonia History.” Editorial. Nogales International, Dec. 26, 1990.

29“Patagonia Town Clerk…, 9/21/91.

30Laura Brooks, “Slow-moving Patagonia Inches Toward Economic Oblivion,” Arizona Daily Star, Oct. 29, 1991.

31Carol Sowers, “Patagonia’s Political Feathers Fly,” Arizona Republic, Aug. 23, 1993.

32Patti Raynis, “Human Resources.” Letter. Arizona Daily Star, n.d.

33Douglas Kreutz, “Birds, Nature’s Beauty Fueling a Business Boom in Patagonia,” Arizona Daily Star, Mar. 28, 1993: 1B.

34Carol Sowers, Aug. 23, 1993.

35Rhonda Bodfield, “Sinking in Debt, Patagonia Faces Hard Choices,” Arizona Daily Star, Dec. 21, 1997: 1B.

36Rhonda Bodfield, Dec. 21, 1997: 1B.

37Rhonda Bodfield, Dec. 21, 1997: 1B.

38Rhonda Bodfield, Dec. 21, 1997: 1B.

39Michael H. Harris, “The Purpose of the American Public Library: A Revisionist Interpretation of History, Library Journal 98 (Sept. 15, 1973): 2509-2514.

40The only libraries listed in Arizona are the Territorial (Law) Library in Tucson, a Post Library at Camp McDowell, and a Regimental Library at Fort Whipple. United States. Office of Education. Public Libraries in the United States of America. Part I, 1876. Reprint. ([Champaign, IL]: University of Illinois Graduate School of Library Science, 1966): 1013.

41“Medical History, Fort Laramie, 1868-79,” ms., National Archives, 9, qtd. in Don Rickey, Forty Miles a Day on Beans and Hay. (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1963): 195.

42Rickey (1963): 195.

43Jesse H. Shera, “Causal Factors in Public Library Development.” 1949. Rpt. in Public Library Reader. Ed. Jane Robbins-Carter. (Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1982): 12.

44Roberta Galtin, telephone interview, Dec. 12, 1999.

45“PUHS Library Adds 228 New Books,” Santa Cruz Patagonian (Dec. 5, 1949): 1. “With but two exceptions, all books have been gifts from persons living in Santa Cruz County.”

46Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, June 3, 1953.

47Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Sept. 2, 1953.

48Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Feb. 3, 1954.

49Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Sept. 1, 1954.

50The Library Extension Service was one of the first responses in Arizona to the Federal Library Services Act of 1956. This act strengthened the State Library agencies and included funds available for programs that increased the coverage of library services to rural areas. The original funding was only to last 5 years. In 1964 it was extended as the Library Services and Construction Act, but which had a much more diluted impact on rural services.

51Roberta Galtin, telephone interview, Dec. 12, 1999.

52Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Sept. 12, 1958.

53Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Feb. 14, 1961, July 10, 1962, and Sept. 11, 1962.

54Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Dec. 8, 1959.

55Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Dec. 15, 1959.

56The Library Services Act from which Arizona’s LES was funded was structured as a 5-year experiment, to end in 1962.

57Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, May 10, 1960.

58Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Aug. 9. 1960.

59Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, July 10, 1962.

60Town of Patagonia, Town Council minutes, Nov. 13, 1962.

61Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees minutes, Nov. 2, 1971.

62Carrie Fortney, “City Library,” Patagonia Patriot, Sept. 18, 1969.

63Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees minutes, Nov. 2, 1971.

64Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees minutes, April 6, 1971.

65Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees minutes, Jan. 4, 1972.

66Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees minutes, April 4, 1972.

67Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees minutes, May 2, 1972.

68Paul Mihalik, Patagonia Profile (Patagonia, AZ: Padre Pio Publishers, 1985.):71.

69Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees Annual Report, FY 1971-72.

70Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees minutes, Oct. 2, 1972.

71Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees minutes, Oct. 2, 1972.

72Arizona. Department of Library, Archives and Public Records. A Candid Appraisal of Libraries in Arizona. (Phoenix: np., [1968]), and New Horizons for Arizona Libraries. ([Phoenix: Department of Library Archives and Public Records], 1977).
Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees Annual report, FY 1973-74.

73Lowell A. Martin, Enrichment: a History of the Public Library in the United States in the Twentieth Century. (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1998): 143.

74Patagonia Public Library. Board of Trustees Annual report, FY 1975-76.