Winnie Ruth Judd: Arizona's Most Infamous Murderess

Tickets

When: Saturday, Feb 18th, 2017, from 3 - 5 pm

Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix.

What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares the hidden history of these sites.Bus Tour Follows the Footsteps of Infamous Winnie Ruth Judd and the Phoenix Trunk Murders

Marshall Shore steeps himself in the history of Phoenix that others might overlook: the cultural anomalies, the fads, the dreamers, the artists and the eccentrics that provide a unique window into our city’s past. One such character was the infamous Phoenix trunk murderer, Winnie Ruth Judd.

Post-World War II Growth in Arizona

Marshall Shore talked about what led to the population boom in Phoenix, Arizona, and surrounding towns such as Tempe following World War II.

See the C-Span 3 Video

Feb '17 Programs Around the State

Arizona Kick on Route 66   

When: Thu. Jan,  26 @ 2:00 PM  

Where: Queen Creek Library - 21802 S. Ellsworth Rd, Queen Creek

Arizona Ghost Towns  

When: Sun Jan 29 @ 1:00 PM  

Where: Agua Caliente Park - 12325 East Roger Rd, Tucson , AZ

Programs with support from the

Signs of the Times: Arizona’s Golden Age of Neon & Signs   

When: Sat Jan 21 @ 2:00 PM   

Where: Mohave Museum of History and Arts - 400 W Beale St, Kingman 

Arizona Kick on Route 66   

When: Mon, Jan 30 @ 3:00 PM   

Where: Oro Valley Public Library - 1305 W. Naranja Drive, Tucson

What: Christmas Lights Tour

When: Thursday,  Dec 22 @ 7p 

Where: Beginning at The Clarendon Hotel 

Hosted by: Marshall Shore, The Hip Historian 

Tickets 

The Valley is filled with fantastic light displays at the holidays, but who has time to do all that planning and all that driving?  Sit back, relax and leave it to us. Join Marshall Shore, tour guide extraordinaire on the Holiday Lights Tour, complete with candy canes, carols and kazoos. The tour beings and ends at the Clarendon Hotel and takes in every kind of display, including commercial displays, private home displays, and religious displays. Bring your family and friends and leave the driving to us.  Make it a truly jolly holiday.

Oct '16 Winnie Ruth Judd: Arizona's Most Infamous Murderer

When: Sunday, Oct 23th, 2016, from 3 - 5 pm
Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix.
What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares
the hidden history of these sites.

Tickets

Bus Tour Follows the Footsteps of Infamous Winnie Ruth Judd
and the Phoenix Trunk Murders

Marshall Shore steeps himself in the history of Phoenix that others might overlook: the cultural anomalies, the fads, the dreamers, the artists and the eccentrics that provide a unique window into our city’s past.  One such character was the infamous Phoenix trunk murderer, Winnie Ruth Judd.

Back in 1931, the nation was rocked by the grisly details of this gruesome crime. On October 16, 1931, Winnie purportedly killed her two roommates, one of the bodies was cut up, both were stuffed into trunks, and taken by train to Los Angeles.  It was a big job for a small woman, and the twisted tale of adultery, jealousy and murder was complicated by rumors, speculation and uncertainty. Bits and pieces of the story continue to come to light, even to this day.

“As I talk with people in my research, the most interesting things come to light, ” said Marshall, “Just recently, my phone rang and someone began telling me about the Winnie Ruth Judd victim that was cut up in their house’s basement.” 

Sunday, Oct 23th, in true Marshall Shore style, he’s hosting a bus tour covering the historical crime. The tour runs from 3 pm to 5 pm, and begins and ends The Clarendon Hotel.  The bus will travel along the old Brill trolley line, which will give tour-goers an idea of the shape and size of Phoenix back in Winnie’s day.  Other stops will include the houses where she lived and where she met Jack Holleran, a well-known Phoenix businessman with whom she had an adulterous affair; the Grunow Clinic (still a medical clinic!) where she worked; the house where the murders took place; the train station where she attempted to board with the oozing trunks; and the old Maricopa County Courthouse where the trial took place.

The book available on the tour is the first book published about Winnie Ruth Judd which was the  Dobkin's book "Winnie Ruth Judd: The Trunk Murders" published in 1973 and recently republished with additioonal information. The book can be included in the price of the ticket or purchased on the tour. 

Marshall promises a few surprise stops along the way and tour participants will be among the first to hear about details in the story that have recently come to light. The tour will cover more information than found in any book.

Tour participants can park at the Clarendon 

When: Sunday, Oct 23th, 2016, from 3 - 5 pm
Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix.
What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares
the hidden history of these sites.

Tickets

Marshall's Picks -First Friday for Nov '15 Must See/ Do!

Legend City, Tempe History Museum  Frida in Focus, Heard Museum Wanderings, Chartreuse Gallery The White Shirt According to Me. Gianfranco Ferré, Phx Art Museum

Arizona History Timeline

Echo Magazine Celebrates 25 years of informing the LGBTQ community. Marshall Shore contributed a timeline of 25 Arizona facts that predate Echo.

Winnie Ruth Judd: Arizona's Most Infamous Murderer

When: Oct, 18th, 2014, from 1:00-3:30 pm
Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix.
What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares
the hidden history of these sites.
Tickets:                                                                                                      

Bus Tour Follows the Footsteps of Infamous Winnie Ruth Judd and the Phoenix Trunk Murders

Marshall Shore steeps himself in the history of Phoenix that others might overlook: the cultural anomalies, the fads, the dreamers, the artists and the eccentrics that provide a unique window into our city’s past. One such character was the infamous Phoenix trunk murderer, Winnie Ruth Judd.

Back in 1931, the nation was rocked by the grisly details of this gruesome crime. On October 16, 1931, Winnie purportedly killed her two roommates, one of the bodies was cut up, both were stuffed into trunks, and taken by train to Los Angeles. It was a big job for a small woman, and the twisted tale of adultery, jealousy and murder was complicated by rumors, speculation and uncertainty. Bits and pieces of the story continue to come to light, even to this day.

“As I talk with people in my research, the most interesting things come to light, ” said Marshall, “Just recently, my phone rang and someone began telling me about the Winnie Ruth Judd victim that was cut up in their house’s basement.”

Saturday, Oct. 18th, in true Marshall Shore style, he’s hosting a bus tour covering the historical crime. The tour runs from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, and begins and ends The Clarendon Hotel. The bus will travel along the old Brill trolley line, which will give tour-goers an idea of the shape and size of Phoenix back in Winnie’s day. Other stops will include the houses where she lived and where she met Jack Holleran, a well-known Phoenix businessman with whom she had an adulterous affair; the Grunow Clinic (still a medical clinic!) where she worked; the house where the murders took place; the train station where she attempted to board with the oozing trunks; and the old Maricopa County Courthouse where the trial took place.

Marshall promises a few surprise stops along the way and tour participants will be among the first to hear about details in the story that have recently come to light. The tour will cover more information than found in any book.

Tour participants can park at the Clarendon

When: Oct, 18th, 2014, from 1:00-3:30 pm
Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix.
What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares
the hidden history of these sites.
Tickets: 

Trumpeting some Arizona Music History

Found a bit of Arizona history on my doorstep, when I tripped over a box left by the mailman. Not an unusual occurrence since every once an a while my family ships random treasures looking for a new residence. Slicing through the tape I realized, it was a much bigger surprise. When, I saw Nadine Jansen staring back at me. She was famous for playing piano with the left hand and trumpet with right at the same time.  This tribute CD shows off her great voice. “The Very Best of Nadine Jansen” (Jantone) is a retrospective of her music selected from her five-decade career and recordings in various settings.  While listening, shocked to hear something recorded live from the Flame (where the US Bank tower now stands.) A restaurant that was in Downtown Phoenix famous for it’s jungle decor that included Yum Yum, a live monkey behind plate glass. Who had learned to pleasure himself in full view of families dinning and quickly he disappeared. Thank You! John Dixon for the treasures of Arizona Music.

Arizona: The Birthplace of Americana!

The McDonald brothers started the McDonald’s franchise in San Bernardino, California and popular legend is that Ray Croc became involved and the rest is history, but, not so fast. As another famous Phoenician, Paul Harvey, would say, “Now, the rest of the story.”

Neil Fox forever changed the fast food landscape right here in Central Phoenix. His franchise was built near Central and Indian School (and can be located via the public art photos at the light rail stop) and was the first to use the new McDonald’s building design featuring the now iconic golden arches. Used to support a slanted roof, the golden arches were twice as high as the roofline and lit, so they could be seen for quite a distance. When the McDonald brothers saw the completed structure they were amazed – not by the gorgeous building destined to be a classic, but because Fox had used the McDonald’s name. They thought they were just selling the speedy food concept and the building design. They had assumed that the restaurant itself would be called Fox’s because McDonald’s would mean nothing in Phoenix. Fox’s response was “Why change it? It’s great as it is.” The brothers agreed, and thus, the iconic look and branded name of McDonald’s began here.

Another Valley icon, the 76-year-old Bob’s Big Boy, also started here and then went on to fill our memories and the country with the famous fiberglass statues. The business actually began in Glendale, CA in 1936, but the 50s buzz word was franchise, so the original Bob Wian sent four staff to the growing city of Phoenix to experiment with the idea of a Big Boy franchise. It was 1954 and the location they chose was the NE corner of Thomas and Central, where the statue of the Native Code Talker is currently located. The restaurant had the first carhops in Phoenix and featured Kachina artwork on the back wall. Some people thought it was a little crazy to spend that much on a building and business in such a small town, but we all know what happened. The Phoenix location was a huge success and soon Big Boy statues began popping up across the country, but the franchise started right here. Though Bob’s Big Boy is long gone from Phoenix, it’s not gone from our memories. You can see footage of the iconic Phoenix’s Bob’s Big Boy being built.

Those first McDonald’s and Bob’s Big Boys are gone, some icons of the past have been rehabilitated and reused, such as My Florist on McDowell. While the building is undergoing major renovation, the large purple My Florist sign has been an iconic part of the Valley’s landscape since Vada Pearl Schwartz opened My Florist as a floral shop in 1947. She was a local legend who was known to wear a purple dress with a purple orchid every day. If, by chance, she was not wearing an orchid, your flower order was free. The store was purple inside and out, including all of the delivery vans, and she drove a one-of-a-kind purple car: a Besasie X-2, custom built by Raymond Besasie of Milwaukee. When Vada died in late 1966, her daughter, Norma Brooking, took over and ran it until she died and left it to her employees. The employees ran My Florist until 1996 when it closed as a floral shop and later reopened as the Willo Bakery and My Florist Café, whose doors were closed and locked in October, 2010. The site is currently under renovation and is slated to reopen with a new restaurant and the iconic sign, which has been long used by other businesses as a locator.