Reaching 100 calls for a big celebration, and Sedona is celebrating big for Arizona’s 100th birthday.
Arizona became the 48th state at 2:14 p.m. Arizona time Feb. 14, 1912. At 2:14 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14, people at the Wayside Chapel in Uptown, and all over the city, will ring every bell available.
“That’s what they did 100 years ago. We’ll have commemorative bells available for purchase at the museum. People can ring their own bell or download a bell app on their cell phone and ring them at 2:14 p.m. for 60 seconds,” said Janeen Trevillyan, accessions committee chairwoman for the Sedona Heritage Museum.
“It will be a great climax for our week of centennial events,” Trevillyan said.
Wayside was Sedona’s first congregation, and Sedona Schnebly taught children’s Bible classes there.
“All of our deaconesses are making bell-shaped and heart-shaped cookies. It is also Valentine’s Day, you know,” said Jean Griesenbeck, a deaconess for Wayside Chapel. “We were glad to have this event at our church. We have Sedona’s bell. She asked that money from her estate be used to buy it.”
People are asked to start gathering in front of the church around 1:50 p.m. The Sedona Main Street Program is providing the sound system. The State Centennial Committee designated the bell ringing an Official Arizona Centennial Event, along with several other Sedona events.
The celebration begins with Arizona Statehood: All the Bells and Whistles by Arizona historian Jim Turner on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 9 a.m. His talk includes several photographs.
“Arizona wanted to be a state in 1870 but didn’t have enough people. We had 9,600 but needed 60,000,” Turner said.
In November of 1910, 52 delegates met in Prescott to draft a constitution. Because they included three concepts — initiative, referendum and recall — President William Howard Taft threatened his veto. So, the delegates took the three out. After statehood, they immediately amended the constitution and put them back in.
Since the United States had radio in 1912, people in the soon-to-be state listened for the official word. When it came, in Phoenix and throughout the state bells rang and train and factory whistles blew.
Joe Melczer and Hazel Goldberg were to marry the morning of Valentine’s Day 1912, but postponed their nuptials until they heard Arizona was a state so they could be the first couple married in the State of Arizona. Their ring bearer was 3-year-old Barry Goldwater.
Turner’s talk is sponsored by the museum and the Arizona Humanities Council.
On Saturday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 12, at 2 p.m. audiences can enjoy a radio theater performance of: Arizona Constitutional Convention — You Are There. Local actors will perform pieces of the actual debates of Arizona’s state constitutional convention of 1910.
Sedona playwright, director and actor Michael Peach leads the production. He wrote the script based on the 1,200-page transcript from the convention.
“Most stunning for me when reading the transcript were the constant references to issues the Legislature is still grappling with today,” Peach said.
He said people back East had a fear about allowing Arizona in because of stories about the OK Corral, Cochise and Geronimo, said the native Arizonan.
The cost is $7 for adults and $4 for children ages 6 through 11. It is partially funded by a grant from the city of Sedona.
On Sunday, Feb. 12, from 9 a.m. to noon, the museum will host a Splatter Dab Breakfast, aka pancakes, for $3. Local pioneer families will be honored, and Ken and Lyn Mikell will play traditional music. Breakfast will be made by the kitchen team from the Sedona Community Center.
During the breakfast, the winners of a centennial poster contest will be announced. Children drew a picture of their impression of the centennial on a special page from the Sedona Red Rock News, which co-sponsored the contest with the museum.
The weekend concludes with the bell ringing. T.C. and Sedona Schnebly’s granddaughter, Pat Schnebly Ceballos, will help ring the chapel’s bell.
“We’ll also have someone at the museum ring the 1891 school bell from Red Rock School, Sedona’s first school,” Trevillyan said.
The bell ringing is a free community event through a partnership with the Wayside Chapel.
More events are planned throughout the year. Trevillyan said they will be announced as they come up. Currently, the museum has a centennial display at its building, 735 Jordan Road in Uptown.
