OVHS Newsletter — May 2026
The Greater Oro Valley Chamber’s new community directory is out, and OVHS was invited to share historic facts for this year’s edition. Grab a copy at the Chamber offices (Innovation Parkway) and especially check out pages 34–35 for our article and keep searching for “Fun Facts” listed throughout the issue.
OVHS Highlights:
Thank You, Sue Chambasian!
Thank you to all who attended our March annual meeting—it was a joy to see familiar friends and meet new supporters. As we build on a successful 20th anniversary year, the Board invites your thoughts and suggestions for the season ahead.
We also celebrated Sue Chambasian, who concluded her service as Collections Committee Chair and Board member.
The good news is she will continue contributing her expertise to our exhibits team as we bring Oro Valley history to life.
Sue is pictured with the gift presented in appreciation for her years of dedication and support.
Reaching the Community
We took our history on the road in March, hosting an exhibit booth at the Art State Arizona festival at the Oro Valley Marketplace. Hundreds of festival‑goers stopped by as they enjoyed art, food, drinks, and music—giving us a wonderful chance to introduce Steam Pump Ranch and the Historical Society to new faces.
OVHS also welcomed visitors to the Pusch House Museum during the Rotary Club of Oro Valley’s 11th annual Taste of Oro Valley. Windy skies didn’t dampen the fun—attendees enjoyed live music, great local eats, and an evening supporting the community.
A Slice of Shared History
January brought an unexpected inquiry from the manager of the new Happy Joe’s Pizza and Ice Cream: how could a Davenport, Iowa favorite be linked to Oro Valley History? Once we shared the surprising overlaps, they commemorated the connection with a mural at their entrance. After all, Happy Joe’s Taco Pizza and Oro Valley both made their debut in 1974—and Happy Joe’s hit its 50-year mark just two years before Oro Valley’s own anniversary.
OVHS May Events
Although the Pusch House Museum is closed from May through August, OVHS volunteers are hard at work behind the scenes—planning new exhibits, preparing our Speaker Series, connecting with the community, and undertaking our biggest project yet: digitizing our entire collection using a new museum software! Want to help??
Consider volunteering — your skills help preserve our community’s story.
May 18th is National Museum Day. Although our museum is closed for the summer, we encourage you to explore other local institutions that celebrate heritage, culture, arts, and education. If you’d like to support OVHS during this time, a donation helps us create future exhibits and educational programs for the community. Make a donation – make a difference.
May 28: Mark your calendar for our next Board Meeting now held at the Pusch House Museum at 2:00 pm. Please join us!
Stay caught up by reading:
April Board Meeting Minutes and Highlights of 2025 – 2026 Season – 20th Anniversary Year.
Happy Memorial Day!
View our Calendar of Events
A Blooming Good Day in the Garden!
On April 11th, the Heritage Garden welcomed visitors for garden exploration, program learning, and guided nature walks with naturalist Paul Canez. Volunteers shared treats, starter plants, and seeds in exchange for donations—every dollar supporting the garden.
With your continued support, here’s what Joyce Rychener, our garden expert, has planned for our space and who’s helping us achieve our goals:
- Create an heirloom rose garden honoring Mathilda Pusch and the Procter Family
- Thank you, John Barthelme and Liz Douglass for donating money towards irrigation for the rose garden
- Denzil Walker is leading the design and construction of the Heirloom Rose Garden. The Tucson Garden Club has offered their expertise and potential future grant support
- Continue our organic gardening practices
- Add more native trees to support local wildlife
- Grow more plants, cacti, herbs, and crops
- Thank you, Pat Spoerl for donating and planting an ocotillo along with regularly maintaining the cactus garden
- Most winter crops have been phased out, and warm season crops are being planted
- Establish a wildflower garden
- Joe Mularkey built the irrigation for the new wildflower garden, which is now growing
- Expand our pollination garden
- Plant fruit trees
- Thank you, Teri and Craig Colmar for donating an heirloom quince tree that volunteers planted in the orchard
- Pruning of the orchard is being led by John Barthelme and Liz Douglass
- Beautify the area with new garden elements and peaceful seating spots (like the one below being enjoyed by volunteer, Huy Nguyen!) Thank you, Debbie Christie for the donation of the chairs for this space
- Our sincere thanks to Denzil Walker for crafting the donation box, a lovely replica of the new shed that enhances our garden and safeguards our supplies
- Talk about a volunteer with hidden talent — Marie Drew transformed an old mailbox and shovel into stunning hand‑painted desert art pieces. Both items are available for purchase. Contact us if you’re interested. The mailbox is $80, the shovel is $45, and every dollar goes right back into the garden.
A huge thank‑you to our amazing volunteers for making the day such a success. Your dedication makes everything possible!
Join us in the garden on Wednesdays. No need to sign up; just show up. Get all the details here.
Learn more about the OVHS Heritage Garden Program
Website Dispatch
New Adventures on the Website
We’ve added interesting articles and videos to our website. Check ‘em out!
(Click underlined words below to take you to the content you want to see.)
- Explore Other Museums:
- Oro Valley Roots: Explore new content inspired by our semi‑quincentennial exhibits and discover fresh facts about your town
- It’s here! Brittnie Smith’s third article in her Indigenous People’s series: The Tohono O’odham
- Access past Newsletters and Board Meeting Minutes
- Archives are located at the bottom of the page, below the Board of Directors and Committee Chair details
- OVHS Video Library: Visit the OVHS Video Library! We’re expanding, updating, and adding descriptions, articles, and transcriptions. Check back often as we continue to grow this important resource.
We’re always adding new pages and stories to the OVHS website. Want to help? Have a story, photo, or fun fact to contribute about the Greater Oro Valley area? We’d love to hear from you— email info@ovhistory.org.
Explore the OVHS Website
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