Long before the 24/7 news cycle emerged, Arizona Highways served as the lens through which Americans discovered that the nation’s 48th state was more than just cacti and sand. The magazine, created as part of the Arizona Department of Transportation, admirably fulfilled its promotional role, enticing countless readers to vacation and relocate here. In 1965, Arizona Highways even made waves on the other side of the globe when the Soviet Union declared it subversive literature, banning the magazine for “propagandizing the American way of life,” according to The New York Times. Who knew a majestic saguaro or Sedona’s red rocks could be considered ideological warfare? The iconic magazine is celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2025; here are a few memories from the past 100 years.
April 1925
The premiere issue featured a black-and-white cover of an unpaved road that eventually became State Route 89 south of Prescott. “The magazine was initially an engineering publication reporting on the state’s roads and their condition,” says Jeff Kida, the magazine’s longtime photography editor. “Scenic destinations were soon folded into it.”
July 1937
The first color cover emerged 12 years after the publication’s launch, featuring a painting of Native Americans by Hernando Villa. Oddly, two tribal members were depicted wearing war bonnets, characteristic of the tribes of the Great Plains – and Hollywood depictions of Indigenous people at the time.
April 1954
The humble inquiry, “Can I submit photos even though I don’t live in your state?” resulted in a rare color image by Ansel Adams of Mission San Xavier del Bac. “It’s a moonrise with the last hint of daylight hitting the White Dove of the Desert,” Kida says. “I think everyone upped their game after Adams appeared in our magazine. He was a true innovator.”
December 1964
Ted DeGrazia’s work was featured in more than 60
issues, and the artist became the subject of a legendary tale. Allegedly, DeGrazia showed up in a dilapidated pickup at the magazine’s office to take editor Raymond Carlson out for a quick beer. They returned a week later in a new Mercedes, which the artist had purportedly paid for in cash.
August 1999
Taking a cue from Sports Illustrated’s most pawed-through annual release, the magazine unveiled its memorable “swimsuit issue” featuring the image of a bikini-clad babe partially obscured by a scenic waterfall. “We received letters stating that you don’t need to go down this road,” Kida says. “The issue was a rare split cover, in which subscribers received the swimsuit model, but she didn’t appear in newsstand copies.”
