The University of Arizona Press
June 30, 2025
William L. Bird Jr., author of In the Arms of Saguaros, spoke with Bruce Dinges, former editor of the Journal of Arizona History last fall as part of the Tumamoc Author Series. In this Southwest Center video of the event, see historic photos and learn how in the late 1800s, the saguaro became a symbol of the west. The railroad first used saguaros to market new destinations in the American West, then all kinds of tourist destinations used saguaro iconography to attract customers to everything from health resorts to dude ranches to shopping centers. Today, the saguaro touches us as a global icon in art, fashion, and entertainment.
The event was presented by Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, The University of Arizona Press, and The Southwest Center.
William L. Bird Jr. is a curator emeritus of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. His interests lie at the intersection of politics, popular culture, and the history of visual display. Through text and lavish images, In the Arms of Saguaros explores the saguaro’s growth into a western icon from the early days of the American railroad to the years bracketing World War II, when Sun Belt boosterism hit its zenith and proponents of tourism succeed in moving the saguaro to the center of the promotional frame.
