At The Heart of Arizona’s Centennial Are The Women Of The West

And we close the final Businesswise for Women newsletter of 2011 by waving so long to this year and welcoming 2012 – and the celebration of 100 years of statehood - with open arms. Julia C. Patrick, publisher of the award-winning Frontdoors News, looks at how far Arizona women have come in the last century.

It’s curtains for 2011 and for most of us that’s a good thing! The year has been fraught with economic and social challenges. Our business climate has been perilous at best. 2012 is quickly approaching and Arizona celebrates its Centennial on February 14th with hope for a revival of fortune. Now is a good time to ask ourselves, “How far have we really come in 100 years?”

Turns out – we’ve come ahead at a fast pace.

In 1912 life was tougher than any modern woman can fathom. First of all, electric power was new. Mechanization meant human power or beast of burden power. If you had the luxury of access to a washing machine, you cranked it yourself. Modern fabrics were basic wool or cotton, which meant long drying times courtesy of the outdoors. Rainy seasons limited the laundry cycle and frequent desert dust storms quickly ruined a hard day’s labor on the drying line.

At best, women of the west were faced with unimaginable hardships that seem distant in today’s world. High infant mortality rates were a brutal aspect of western expansion. A minor injury could result in sudden death and women’s healthcare was often administered at the hands of a mother. If you went down – who was there to take care of you?

Women in Arizona at the dawn of statehood were also challenged when it came to the basics we take for granted such as having bank accounts in their own name, owning clear title on real estate or voting. Holding political office, let alone owning a business were not realistic options.

However, the role of women was critical in the development of Arizona. We stood alongside men and shaped the settlement of the 48th state. Women achieved without many of the basic elements we all take for granted. Access to the legal process and enforcement were limited as well. Women were not allowed to serve on juries, nor encouraged to file legal complaints. Access to lawyers and domestic law was basically unheard of. Divorce meant leaving your children and your community. Women could even be institutionalized for life by their husband without any oversight. Indeed, it was a time of hardship on many fronts.

Yet, for all those turn-of-the-century women who paved the way for us, I like to believe that in a short 100 years, we have indeed flourished. Women in Arizona are capable, mindful, dynamic and leading our state into the next chapter of statehood.

As we celebrate the Arizona Centennial, glance over your shoulder at the many calico-dressed pioneers who gave us mettle and endurance. There’s a reason by women from the west are tough as nails. We hail from hearty stock and should never forget it!


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This story, written by Claudia Wright, is part of the Chamber's monthly Businesswise for Women email newsletter. To sign up for any or all of the Chamber's email communications, click here.