Interview with Albert Cruz

SUMMARY: Early settler, Ramon Cruz arrived in Pinal County in 1890 from Mexico.

He established a trading post in Sacaton to serve the Papago people, now called the Tohono O’odam. After moving into Casa Grande in 1905, business flourished. His son, Albert, tells the tales few now remember of the rough and ready lives lived by our grand- and great-grandparents in the American West, even the funny ones.

Date of Interview: July 8, 1976
Interviewer: Carol Woodruff
Transcriber: Merrilyn S. Ridgeway

BEGIN TAPE 1, Side 1

Carol: This is an interview with Albert Cruz, owner of Cruz Trading Post, a business established by his father Ramon Cruz, Sr., one of the pioneers of Casa Grande. It takes place at the trading post on July 8, 1976.

R. Cruz Arrives in Pinal County 1890

My father came from Mexico. He lived a few miles from Hermosillo. He had half brothers, but they were not named Cruz. My mother came from Guaymus. They met here and married in 1890. She came up here with her family. She was a Contreres-- Amelia Contreres Cruz.
Carol: Do you have any idea why your family originally came to this area?
Albert: I have no idea. When my father came to Casa Grande he had no plans.
He was only fourteen and he was alone. He was a common laborer. He worked for the railroad. Then he began working for a grocery store here in Casa Grande part-time. After working here for a while, four or five years, he started a grocery store, a trading post, in 1890 one mile east of Sacaton. Two of my brothers and sisters, one boy and one girl, were born in Sacaton.

In those days, around 1900, there was no money. He had tokens in various denominations that he gave to the Indians in payment for grain. He told them “You can come back and buy anything you want.” He had to bring the grain to Casa Grande to put it on the railroad siding. Then he sold out. He was headed for Tucson. Fernando Maldonado owned the biggest store, a general merchandise store, in town. And, as my father was on his way with the family, he came by here. And that store was for sale. So he bought the store. I still have the check for $2,900 or $3,000. There were hats, shoes, nails, saddles, everything. I have a picture of the inside of the store. In 1905 he moved into the next building.

Six more children were born here. There were six boys and two girls. I am the second to the end. There are now only two of us living. My eldest sister and I are the only ones left.
Carol: What did your brothers and sisters do?
Albert: One of my sisters gave land for St. Anthony’s. She taught there for fifteen
years. I had several brothers, three others, who were teachers, too. Another one was a dry goods store man in Mesa. He died young. The oldest was a “go-getter” who bought and sold things. He had trucks and bought and sold things. And then Ramon was the store-keeper. One of my brothers who taught school later became Assistant Secretary of State. He was a Democrat in the Williams administration.

The Cruz Trading Post in Casa Grande 1905-

Albert: My father started the store in 1905.
Carol: How many years was he in that building?
Ramon: It must have been about five years. Then twenty years in that building. In 1915 he moved to 190 W. Second Street. In 1937 he moved again to 200 W. Main Street. We were there until 1942. He moved from that building to this one because it was a better. There used to be a drug store on Florence Boulevard. Each time he moved to a better building. Seventeen years later I bought this building and we’ve been here since 1955. This is the third location for Cruz Trading Post.

In 1932 when Roosevelt closed all the banks, this one (he is pointing to a map) was a bank building. Mr. Clemens bought this building and started the bank, the Casa Grande Valley Bank. Well, when the banks closed down, that building was for sale. So, for a second time, we moved there. I brought this mahogany counter from Mr. Clemens’ bank. Mr. (indistinguishable) started the first bank across the street and, when he sold out, Mr. Clemens started the second one.
Carol: I can see that there was a gradual change in merchandise. How did that happen? .
Albert: I have a picture. I can show you the rugs and moccasins and baskets. But, in 1955, when I moved in here, I threw everything out. I went to liquor only. My father didn’t handle liquor. Liquor was sold in the saloons and bars, like The Gilt Edge, when I was a kid. (Pointing at a photo.) This one right here is Tom? McNatt. He was a bartender. He did pretty good. (Laughter.) He is the father of Mrs. McNatt who owns The Wonder Bar. .
Carol: Your father and you, and your brother are the only three who have been involved in this business? The women had nothing to do with the business?
Albert: Yes, we three. No, the women didn’t work in the store, they stayed at home. The house was close by, maybe a few blocks from the store.
Carol: And your mother?
Albert: My mother had quite a few relatives here.

Albert Cruz – 1906-present

Carol: When and where were you born, Mr. Cruz?
Albert: I was born here in Casa Grande in 1906.
Carol: Have you lived here all your life?
Albert: Most of my life except for thirteen years when I went to school. I was born at 109 W. Main Street, just a little beyond the Depot. A little later on we moved to the third block. The house is still there. I finished grade school here in Casa Grande and high school, then went to Arizona State. I played baseball at Arizona State in 1932. My wife and I never miss a game. For thirty-five years I have had a lifetime pass. It is one of the big things in my life.

I taught nine years in Mesa, three in McNary, and one year in Tucson. And in 1946 my brother, Ramon, was running the store and asked me to come in with him. He said, “I’ll sell you half interest.” So I bought half interest in the store. I moved back to Casa Grande in 1946. He was Ramon Cruz, Jr. and he died in 1955. He was the second and I am the third to run this business.

I have lived here since 1945 and I’ve been on the zoning board for 25 years. I was on the high school board for five years. I love this community. I’m in the Knights of Columbus and have been the secretary for eighteen years.

I had three children who were going to three different schools in the state at one time. First, my son went to St. Anthony’s. He wanted to go to Brophy High and he saved to do it. Then he wanted to go to Notre Dame. (Indistinguishable) went to Gonzaga. One girl said she wanted to go to Albuquerque. (Again, the sound is too poor to understand an aside about his wife.) But she wanted to go to school. My daughter taught school in Oakland for six or seven years. Now she has married and has children.

Ramon Cruz, Sr. Elected to the School Board 1914

Carol: Can you tell me about your father being elected to the school board?
Albert: Yes. He was elected as one of the three school board members about 1912. In about 1914 they built the first school. This is the wooden school (showing a photo). It was 1st through 8th grade. This is the school I remember. I went there. Mr. ____ was the architect of the new school. He was from Tucson.

In 1914 there was a big fire. It started about here (pointing) near The Gilt Edge. I’ll never forget it. It destroyed pretty near the whole block. There was no fire department, not even a volunteer one. They took the water from the tank near the depot. We started a bucket brigade to put the fire out. (Laughter.) I don’t remember what time of year it was.

Recollections of Casa Grande

My father had the biggest store in town. Across the street was a Chinese grocery store run by Don June, Don’s Market. No other general merchandise stores except Cruz’s.
Carol: What was the town like?
Albert: I figure the town started around 1880. The town started when the railroad track was being built from California, from the west. They stopped here because it was too hot at that time of the year.
Carol: Can you tell me what some of the entertainment in town was?
Albert: My brothers and I played baseball. The coach was this guy right here. (Pointing to a photo.) We had some good times. Mr. John _______ had three daughters. All these guys have passed away. This guy, he had three sons. Two played professional ball, one for the Athletics. The ballplayers are still here. They’re mostly Armentas. Juan Armenta had a grocery store. It was called Armenta and Peart. It was a block down from my dad. Later on they sold out. You know where Art Elliott’s electric business is now? That building was the Southside Grocery and two of the Armentas worked there. Joe owned the only two storey building in Casa Grande. He had a yellow car. He had money. He did good. But the others, they weren’t like Joe. They didn’t do much.

St. Anthony’s and Father Murphy

I have all these photos where people can see them. You’d be surprised at the number of people who come in and say “Oh, my God, I remember….”
You know where the rectory is at St. Anthony’s? This is Father Murphy. He is the one who built the first church in Casa Grande, then Eloy, and then in Coolidge and the prison. Right here, they are breaking ground on the recreation hall. (Pointing to photo.) It is right next to the rectory. Here is the church today. This photo shows you the first church in Casa Grande. It faced south. A little later on, right here, this is the east side of the church. They had chairs, not pews. Isn’t that something? I can tell you about every picture in here.

Moving the Cemetery from Olive Avenue circa 1958

On the second block is the Christian Church and here is a beauty shop. All of this facing the gym is the cemetery. They took all the bodies they could find out. The have a little cross on the northeast corner, that’s all. About 1958 they removed all the bodies. They took them out on a truck—not a hearse, and hauled them out there. You know where the tennis courts are on Olive? Well, from there to Florence—right in here, was all cemetery. My brother helped them move the bodies out of town by the mountain. I know they didn’t get them all out. Maybe someone is living there in a house built over the bodies. Mr. Fisher was a mortician. He was an expressman at the same time, too. He came across tracks to pick up the express and, going back, he got killed by a train. He was there
END OF SIDE 1.

Billy Stiles

Albert: That was the school there. There is Billy Stiles. The bandit, Billy Stiles, is another guy. He wasn’t a killer, you know. He was a bandit. He robbed the rich and helped the poor. I went to school with his brother. He used to come here at night and come by to see my dad. He’d say “I need a saddle” or “I need a rope.” My dad would always find what he needed because he was hiding from the law. They were after him. I have a picture of him here somewhere. My father didn’t think he was a bad man. His mother was here. I never knew his dad. My father used to be her guardian and give her money when she needed it. My sister said she met Billy Stiles once when she was out in a wagon. But she was safe because he knew us.
END.