Arizona tartan

[Bill]

Having grown up in Arizona I think a great deal of this tartan and hope one day to have a kilt made in it. It is quite beautiful.

Bill

[Prester John]

I'll have to see this one in real life.

With apologies to everyone who likes it, this tartan does nothing for me.

But that's just me.

[macwilkin]

I'll have to see this one in real life.

With apologies to everyone who likes it, this tartan does nothing for me.

But that's just me.

Father,

With all due respect, it's not so much the tartan that does it for me, but the symbolism behind it. My father was born in Prescott, Arizona. My grandparents used to live there, and I spent a lot of time there, exploring the state and its history. Only later did I discover that the Scots were in Arizona as well -- Scots like General Thomas MacGregor, a native of Paisley, who served in the Apache wars -- and his son Rob Roy MacGregor, a cowboy in Southern AZ. Or a good friend of mine, Marshall Trimble, the state historian of AZ who taught me that history belongs to the people -- and that lesson has stayed with me ever since.

It's not an old tartan by any stretch of the imagination, but it stands for something for me -- my connections to Arizona, my father, my grandfather (may he rest in peace).

Sorry to get sappy, but I think that's why I like it.

Regards,

Todd

[Beertigger]

With all due respect, it's not so much the tartan that does it for me, but the symbolism behind it. ....

Only later did I discover that the Scots were in Arizona as well

Don't forget that Tucson was founded by an Irishman: Don Hugo O'Conor, a member of the Wild Geese who ended up a conquistador. The impressively titled son of Erin - Commandant Inspector General of the Interior Provinces of New Spain - started a presidio (Spanish fort) here in 1775.

Bringing it back to kilts: a number of the Wild Geese who fought for the French are said to have worn kilts. Wonder if any who saw service for the Spanish crown were so attired, and if any of 'em ended up here?

-- Almost forgot, that tartan doesn't do much for me, based on the graphic. I'd like to see a photo, though, if anyone out there's got one....

[macwilkin]

Don't forget that Tucson was founded by an Irishman: Don Hugo O'Conor, a member of the Wild Geese who ended up a conquistador. The impressively titled son of Erin - Commandant Inspector General of the Interior Provinces of New Spain - started a presidio (Spanish fort) here in 1775.

Bringing it back to kilts: a number of the Wild Geese who fought for the French are said to have worn kilts. Wonder if any who saw service for the Spanish crown were so attired, and if any of 'em ended up here?

-- Almost forgot, that tartan doesn't do much for me, based on the graphic. I'd like to see a photo, though, if anyone out there's got one....

Yes, I did forget Don Hugo, didn't I? :mrgreen:

As far as the "Wild Geese" wearing kilts, I've never heard that one before. In fact, the Scots who served with the French wore standard French uniforms; the only thing distinguishing them as Scots was a "guid blue bonnet" (with white cockades) -- and don't forget Allen Breck Stewart in "Kidnapped" in full French kit.

Besides, I don't think any of the Irish regiments in the Spanish Army ended up in the Southwest -- I'll have to look at McLaughlin and Hennessy's books on the Wild Geese and see if I can find anything.

Cheers,

Todd

[Pour1Malt]

nice tartan...

funny, I never think o' "green" when ai think o AZ....

ai guess ai've ainly seen the desert parts....

[macwilkin]

nice tartan...

funny, I never think o' "green" when ai think o AZ....

ai guess ai've ainly seen the desert parts....

Oh, yes -- there is plenty of "green" in Arizona -- Northern Arizona, around Flagstaff along the Mogollon Rim, miles and miles of Ponderosa Pine. Absolutely beautiful -- but then, so is the desert! :mrgreen:

Cheers,

Todd

[Caradoc]

nice tartan...

funny, I never think o' "green" when ai think o AZ....

ai guess ai've ainly seen the desert parts....

...and not much of those, if you don't remember seeing green.

Most of the Arizona "desert" is filled with plants and animal life. There are some odd bits out on the border with California that look like Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine, which is why they filmed parts of "Return of the Jedi" out there, but the rest of the state actually has a lot of plant life.

If it didn't, we wouldn't have to worry about wildfire season every summer - if nothing grew there, there wouldn't be anything to burn.

Arizona has one of the widest varieties of terrain of any state in the Union, from snow country and pine trees to high desert to low desert to a patch at the southern end of the Colorado River that resembles rain forest.

I grew up in Arizona, spent a few years in the Boy Scouts, and got to see a lot of the state.

I hate to say it, P1M, but to put things in perspective, it'd be like saying that someone thinks of Scotland as nothing but rocky mountains and heather. There a lot more to it than that.

[Riverkilt]

Looks like the red rocks and scrub sage up here in "Alta Arizona."Ron

[Prester John]

Father,
It's not an old tartan by any stretch of the imagination, but it stands for something for me -- my connections to Arizona, my father, my grandfather (may he rest in peace).

Sorry to get sappy, but I think that's why I like it.

Not sappy at all! And a good reason to enjoy such heritage.

As I said, though I don't personally like it, I also have no connections with it...wait a minute. My mom lives in AZ now.

and my brother.

and my little sister...and her husband...and my nieces...and many of my friends...

I think I'm in trouble now!