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Cave Creek: “The German Prisoners of War in Arizona”
March 2, 2024 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm MST
Cave Creek Museum Presents to feature “The German Prisoners of War in Arizona” on Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 2-4 PM. Cave Creek Museum will host “The POWs of Papago Butte.”
Although his “day job” is chief archivist at the celebrated Huhugam Ki Museum at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, author Steve Hoza has long been fascinated by the history of the German prisoner-of-war camps that were established across the State of Arizona. One was sprawled at the base of the Papago Buttes. From 1944 through the end of the war, that particular encampment housed 31,000 POWs and was even the site of a “Great Escape,” when 24 of the prisoners tunneled out of the fenced camp; most were promptly recaptured. Hoza spent years interviewing former POWs, the American soldiers who guarded them, and the citizens who lived nearby. In their own words and with dozens of historic photos, Hoza will share the story of the Arizona POW camps.
Members are free and non-members can enjoy the program for a $10 and enjoy an all-day museum pass. Register at cavecreekmuseum.org. No discounts or culture passes will be honored.
The 53-year-old museum’s mission is to preserve the artifacts of the prehistory, history, culture and legacy of the Cave Creek Mining District and the Cave Creek/Carefree foothills area through education, research and interpretive exhibits. The Cave Creek Museum is located at 6140 E. Skyline Drive in Cave Creek, Ariz. Open October through May. The museum can be reached at 480.488.2764 or cavecreekmuseum.org. Where History Comes Alive.