Ann M Pearson

Whispered Prayers in the Arizona Desert Ann M Pearson

The story of the Shrine of Santa Rita, just east of Tucson on Vail Road, was built in 1935 in memory of a Japanese doctor, Dr. Jokichi Takamine. Many tales have been woven around this origins of this shrine. This booklet delves again into the history of this holy place and attempts to separate fiction from fact. For example, how involved were Agnes DeMille and her famous movie director uncle Cecil B. DeMille, in its beginnings, and what was their relationship to the Takamine family? And what is the history of the Takamine family, and how did they arrive in the deserts of Arizona? Updated in 2020 for the Shrine's 85th anniversary celebration.