Listening to Glendale's Past

Listening to Glendale's Past is a collection of oral and video histories, most with transcripts, of people connected with Glendale in a myriad of ways, reliving life from the early 1900s to the present. These histories are presented in a series of sub-collections divided by the organizations that collected them.

Glendale Community College
Glendale Community College, established in 1965, has had more than 350,000 students cross its doors. Hear what the school was like in its early days from an English professor who taught there until the mid-80s. Discover what a well-known TV newscaster advised to a classroom of students. Be present as the groundbreaking ceremony of the newest campus, GCC North.

Glendale Arizona Historical Society
"Our Cultural Heritage" - From Russian to Basque, a mix of many cultures and backgrounds that came together to make Glendale what it is today.

Glendale Public Library
Glendale Public Library was established over 100 years ago. Three library staff, including a retired library director, discuss how the library has changed and what it was like working for the librarian for whom the Velma Teague Branch Library is named.

Luke Air Force Base
From World War II to the Afghanistan War, Luke AFB personnel have served their country proudly. Included in this sub-collection is the story of a Pearl Harbor survivor. See and hear these incredible stories.

Sahuaro Ranch Park Historic Area
The Sahuaro Ranch Park Historic Area oral history sub-collection focuses on the last family to own Sahuaro Ranch, the City of Glendale's early management of the ranch and its transformation into a city park, and the role of community organizations at Sahuaro Ranch Park.

Thunderbird School of Global Management
Established on a former airfield for training World War II pilots, Thunderbird graduated its first class in 1947. The School offers a unique curriculum that combines business courses, language learning and global studies to prepare students for careers in the global economy. Thunderbird attracts students from over 50 countries and is highly rated among business school programs. The series of oral histories reflect primarily the last 25 years of Thunderbird and include interviews with two school presidents and several key directors.