McDowell Sonoran Conservancy

Lecture - Unsolved Mysteries of the McDowells!
2026-10-27 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Phoenix) | Scottsdale Public Library – Mustang Library, 10101 N. 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260, United States
Lecture- Unsolved Mysteries of the McDowells!
Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Location: Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Presenter: Len Marcisz, McDowell Sonoran Conservancy
It’s no mystery that Halloween is for adults! Get in the Jack-O-Lantern spirit with this new offering from the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. Unsolved mysteries and unanswered questions remain deep in the recesses of the McDowell Mountains. The unsolved murder of an aspiring model on the property of the Mayo Clinic? A military chaplain who wandered the desert and appeared to be insane? Did a tooth extraction cause the worst air disaster over the McDowells? Who was the first non-Native American to see the McDowells? Do petroglyphs near Taliesin West tell the story of a massive battle between ancient empires? These mysteries and more are yours to explore and perhaps solve!
Please join Len Marcisz, days before Halloween, on October 27th at Scottsdale’s Mustang Library located at 10101 N 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85258.
RSVP below to let us know you are coming!

Lecture - Scottsdale Water's Future
2026-11-14 14:30 - 16:00
Lecture- Scottsdale Water’s Future
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Description: Water is a scarce resource especially in the desert environment we encounter in Arizona. Come learn about how the Colorado River Water Rights shared between seven states in the west not only affect Arizona but Scottsdale specifically. You will learn about where our water comes from, how it’s used, and what is needed to secure adequate water resources into the future.
Sarah Porter is Director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy and Professor in ASU’s College of Global Futures. Established in 2014, the Kyl Center promotes research, analysis, collaboration, and open dialogue to build consensus in support of sound water stewardship solutions in Arizona and the West.
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Lecture - Master Planned Developments in Scottsdale
2026-11-24 17:00 - 18:30
Lecture- Master Planned Developments in Scottsdale
Tuesday, November 24, 2026, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Location: Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Presenter: Don Hadder, Scottsdale City Planner (retired after 38 years)
A large portion of Scottsdale residents live in master planned developments. Most of the later development in Scottsdale was contained in such developments, but few know that some of the earliest pioneers who helped create Scottsdale had similar visions to create grand developments but never achieved their dreams. This presentation by Don Hadder profiles over 30 such developments in Scottsdale and reviews their evolution over 40 years of time.
RSVP below to let us know you are coming!
