PODCAST: Celebrate 100 years of Arizona Highways with the magazine's editor
PODCAST: Celebrate 100 years of Arizona Highways with the magazine's editor
Listen to the episode! (or use the player below)
As we celebrate the centennial of Arizona Highways magazine, which was launched in April 1925 by the State Highway Department, here’s an invitation to learn more about this iconic publication, known for photos that showcase Arizona’s natural beauty and stories about people and places across the state. And yes, Arizona Highways remains a publication of ADOT.
I recently had a chance to sit down with Arizona Highways Editor Robert Stieve for two episodes of our On the Road with ADOT podcast. Stieve doesn’t take his good fortune in serving as the 14th editor of the magazine lightly. By listening in, you’ll have a chance to hear some great stories about Arizona Highways dating back to the early years.
“First of all we belong to all Arizonans,” says Stieve, noting how Arizona Highways was launched just 13 years following statehood. “Our history is also Arizona’s history. Our evolution is sort of following the state and documenting the landscape along the way.”
In our podcast chat, Stieve talks about currently writing a book about the history of Arizona Highways and discusses his goals.
“One is to have a record of what the magazine has been and also giving readers a historic look back at the state,” says Stieve. “There are so many fascinating anecdotes. Our (longtime) editor (Raymond Carlson) being friends with Frank Lloyd Wright and Ansel Adams. So many wonderful stories along the way.”
And it is great to hear Stieve talk about how the staff at Arizona Highways continues its mission to highlight the Grand Canyon State.
“Our casual mission statement is to get people off the couch,” he says. “And to dispel the stereotype that Arizona is just sand dunes, snakes and scorpions. It’s an opportunity to showcase that Arizona is so much more.”
You can subscribe to episodes of On the Road with ADOT through Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You also can find episodes at azdot.gov/Podcast and featured in ADOT Blog posts.