What is the Data Source?
The Roots and Rivers Database is built from historic Gila River newspapers, primarily the Gila River News and Pima Central Gazette. I created it by reading through each issue—page by page—and extracting names, stories, and connections. Most of the papers came from my own digitized collection, with additional support from local archives and community offices. You can see which issues are currently included by checking the hearted entries on my Gila River News Database.

Why did I do this Project?
This started as a side project—just a list of interesting stories I came across while building the Gila River News Database. But as I read through more papers, I kept seeing names I recognized. Some were elders I’d worked with, others were friends or family, and many were people I had heard about growing up. Seeing their names—whether in leadership roles, 4H club mentions, or community letters—was meaningful.
I wanted to follow their stories across time. To see when they appeared, what they did, and how their lives shaped the community. I also wanted to be able to look up my own family and see where they showed up in the record. That mix of personal curiosity and community history drove this project forward.