Ak-Chin Him-Dak Museum CLN Tour 2014
Cowboy Lifestyle Network visited and took a tour through the Ak-Chin Him Dak EcoMuseum & Archives in February 2014. Learn more about Ak-Chin Indian Community from past to present through CLN’s interactive timeline.
The mission statement of the Ak-Chin Him Dak EcoMuseum & Archives:
“To promote the sharing of the past, the present and the future, to increase the awareness and perceptions of all members of the community to their evolving environment.”
300 A.D.-1450 A.D. – Pre-historic Hohokam Indians lived in the Ak-Chin region.
1912 – Ak-Chin Indian Community was created by executive order.
1934 – Establishment of the Ak-Chin Indian Community Tribal Government
1961 – The by-laws that help govern the Ak-Chin Indian Community were adopted with the Articles of Association.
1962 – The Ak-Chin Indian Community Farms Enterprise began, and has been the number one source of income for the Community to this day.
1971 – The Industrial Park was constructed. The park’s 109 acres are suitable for light and agriculture related industry.
1978 – The U.S. Congress enacted the Ak-Chin Water Rights Settlement (P.I….95-328), which authorized the Secretary of the Interior to construct a well field and pipeline system to deliver a temporary water supply to the reservation, until a long-term source of water could be secured.
1984 – The Secretary discovered that legal availability of the intended source of the temporary supply of water was uncertain and that the cost of the planned well field was extremely high. On October 19, 1984, P.L.. 98-530 enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled , the revised settlement secured for Ak-Chin 75,000 acre-feet of Colorado River annually, delivered through the works of the Central Arizona Project.
1994 – Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Opened on December 28. It is the first Indian gaming operation for Harrah’s. Managed under an agreement with Harrah’s Arizona Corporation, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino is owned by the Ak-Chin Indian Community.
2002 – Hickman’s Farms built an egg ranch at the Ak-Chin Industrial Park. The Hickman’s Egg Farm facility holds more than 200,000 chickens at a time for egg production.
2006 – The previously named Phoenix Regional Airport was purchased and was renamed the Ak-Chin Regional Airport. The Ak-Chin Regional Airport is located near the Santa Cruz Commerce Center and is 170 acres with a 5,000 ft. runway. Renovations are scheduled for the airport building and runway.
2007 – Renovations of the Industrial Park were completed, which consisted of road improvements, landscaping, streetlights, utilities and water lines upgrades.
2009 – O’ohon Neokeulid c Mascama Vemdada Ki (Ak-Chin Community Library and Education Center) was opened. Housing up-to-date computers, teen/youth areas, meeting rooms, books/magazines, education specialist offices and training/tutoring centers.
2010 – It was purchased on July 1 by the Ak-Chin Indian Community and renamed the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club. Golf Week Magazine has named the “ninth best in Arizona.”
2011 – Ak-Chin Fire Department’s new station, Nada Cusdam Ki, officially opened with a ribbon cutting from the Ak-Chin Tribal Council. Fire Station 561 accommodates up to 12 firefighters per shift, modern facilities, housing for fire equipment and trucks. The fire station also includes a designated space for youth and explorer awareness.
2011 – A hotel expansion was made to Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino & Resort and officially opened for business. Featuring a five-floor building with 152 bedrooms and 5 suites. All rooms are equipped with granite counter tops, centralized media/technology hubs, walk-in showers and energy efficient lighting.
2011 – The Ak-Chin Waste Water Treatment Facility opened. In which, was a bonding project between Ak-Chin and Indian Health Service in August. The building was initiated to provide water and waste water system capacity for the community area and future development. Featuring state-of-the-art equipment and building to service the Ak-Chin community.
2012 – The Ak-Chin Indian Community opened the new Vekol Market in April. Vekol Market includes a deli, a wide selection of groceries, culturally indigenous foods, a café, a patio with outside seating, and space for a farmer’s market.
2012 – The renovation of the BIA Agent House became an extension of the Him-Dak Museum. Various items pertaining to the house are displayed.
2012 – Ak-Chin Indian Community rolled out the VIP red carpet for the grand opening of the UltraStar Multi-Tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle in November.
2013 – Ak-Chin Indian Community completed a multi-million dollar investment in Phoenix-based Quail Run Building Materials, Inc. Thus, allowing Ak-Chin Indian Community and Quail Run Building Materials, Inc. to move forward with plans to construct a manufacturing facility in the Santa Cruz Commerce Center, which is located on the Community’s reservation, near Maricopa, Arizona. Quail Run is a company that is Native American majority-owned and Veteran operated, while they have been in business since 1986.
2013 – The Ak-Chin Indian Community completed a partnership agreement with the Arizona Rattlers for the 2013 season, which includes naming rights to the arena football team’s field – now Ak-Chin Field – as well as the Ak-Chin Indian Community’s seal prominently displayed on each end of the field and in additional spaces throughout the arena.
2013 – During the May 7th Maricopa City Council meeting, Mayor Christian Price announced that the Ak-Chin Indian Community would be making an investment of $10 million in Maricopa. Of the $10 million investment, $2.6 million will support the Maricopa Unified School District and $7.4 million will be allocated to the operation of the City of Maricopa’s Copper Sky Recreational Complex, a multigenerational/aquatic center and regional park.
2013 – The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee announced its first major partnership for Super Bowl XLIX (49) with the Ak-Chin Indian Community. The Ak-Chin Indian Community’s ongoing commitment to bringing high-quality entertainment to the state and helping future generations compliments the Host Committee’s goals.
2014 – Vekol Market gas pump project begins, allowing community members to gas up their vehicles with a swipe of a credit/debit card at any time, day or night.
2014 – Ak-Chin Indian Community and CLN developed a new partnership to promote brand awareness of the Ak-Chin Indian Community and the Three Great Reasons (Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, UltraStar Multi-Tainment Center and Southern Dunes Golf Club) on multiple online platforms.
2014 – The City of Maricopa’s Copper Sky officially opens the 52,000 sq. ft. recreation center and Multigenerational / Aquatics Center / Regional Park to the public in March. All thanks to the Ak-Chin Indian Community for their investment in this project, and their commitment to regional partnerships.
2014 – CLN sponsored the Ak-Chin Indian Community Him-Dak Golf Classic at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club; in which, it was a great successful tournament.
CLN Community & Event Sponsor
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