In 2004, FAzA contributed $500 to the Arizona Historical Society to help underwrite the temporary display in Tucson of the original Gadsden Purchase treaty document.
The treaty was brought from Washington to Arizona to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Gadsden Purchase, which gave the United States sovereignty over Arizona territory south of the Gila River. After making a one-day appearance at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show on February 12, 2004, the treaty document was on display for one month at the Historical Society’s Tucson museum as part of its Rio Viejo / Rio Nuevo exhibit.
The security requirements imposed by the National Archives, which has permanent custody of the document, were strict. The treaty could only be displayed in a dimly lit, windowless room constructed entirely of concrete, and it had to be guarded twenty-four hours a day. FAzA’s donation helped defray the expense of providing this security.
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