Riordan Mansion State Historic Park - Special Events
Fall 2007
September
11 - Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Homesteads of Oak Creek Canyon
Nikki Lober, Park Ranger II, Riordan Mansion State Historic Park will present this Brown Bag Lunch Lecture at 12:15pm. Free. 928.779.4395
22 - Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Rock Hounds and River Rats: The 1937 Carnegie-Caltech Grand Canyon Expedition
Erik Berg, Historian, will present. In the fall of 1937, four geologists and three boatmen set out on one of the most ambitious geologic expeditions in the history of the Grand Canyon. The party would conduct the first comprehensive study of the ancient rock formations along the length of the canyon's deep Inner Gorge. The presentation will use the expedition members own words, as well as rarely-seen photographs and movie footage, to describe the often dangerous events. 7pm. Free. Reservations recommended. 928.779.4395
23 - Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
“Pluto and Beyond: Untold Stories of Discovery, Adversity, and Ongoing Exploration.”
Anne Minard, Author, will present. Lowell Observatory is one of the last remaining, privately owned astronomical observatories in the country. Since it was founded by Percival Lowell for his misguided quest for canals on Mars, the tiny institution has weathered the Great Depression, the greed of Percival Lowell's jilted widow and more than a few eccentric personalities. Through it all, Lowell astronomers have made startlingly disproportionate contributions to the field. 7pm. Free. Reservations recommended. 928.779.4395
October
9 - Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Brown Bag Lunch Lecture
Lecture is in Celebration of National Archives Month, topic TBA. 12:15pm. 928.779.4395
November
3 - Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Vanished In The West: The 1956 Grand Canyon Air Disaster
On June 30, 1956, two giant airliners filled with holiday travelers collided over and crashed into the Grand Canyon, killing 128 persons in what was then the world's worst commercial aviation disaster. Dan Driskill will examine how and why this tragedy occurred, and take a look at its victims, its long-term impact on aviation, and some of the enduring mysteries surrounding the crash. 7pm. Free. Reservations recommended. 928.779.4395
13 - Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Brown Bag Lunch Lecture
“William Morris” presented by Sandra Lubarsky, PhD, NAU 12:15pm, Free. 928.779.4395
December
1-31-Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Holiday Tours
Festively decorated with wreaths, garlands, greenery and a towering fir tree trimmed with old-fashioned ornaments. Guided tours include glimpses of folklore and traditions of Christmas, both past and present. Reservations recommended. Closed Christmas Day. 928.779.4395
1- Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
The Very Hard Way: Bert Loper and the Colorado River
Brad Dimock has been a boatman on the Colorado River for more than three decades and tells the river's tales as only someone who has stood around a thousand campfires can. His newest work, The Very Hard Way, is the definitive work on Bert Loper and the world of river running in which he lived and died. By the time Loper died at his oars in a Grand Canyon rapid at eighty, he had covered more river, run more boats, and known more rivermen than anyone. 7pm. Free. Reservations recommended. 928.779.4395
11 - Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Christmas Music during the Riordan Years
Erik Larson, Volunteer & Music Historian, Riordan Mansion State Park, will present this Brown Bag Lunch Lecture at 12:15pm. Free. 928.779.4395
15 - Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Annual Christmas Party, Crafts, and Music - ASP 50th Anniversary Event
Santa will be giving out candy and Mrs. Claus will read Christmas stories from 9-11am. There will be crafts, Christmas music, and hot cider and cake will be served. Listen to musical performances throughout the day. Free. 9am-4pm. 928.779.4395.
