From riches to rags: The story of Hattie Mosher, one of early Phoenix's wealthiest citizens

Summary: Hattie Mosher had a pioneering spirit. The daughter of one of the wealthiest families in turn of the century Phoenix, Hattie wasn't one to hold back.  She made waves by being one of the first — if not the first — women to ride a bike in Phoenix. She worked as a reporter at the Denver Post. She ran for political office a decade after white women in Arizona were given the right to vote.  But Hattie's story would go from riches to rags. In the final years of her life, she would be seen wandering around town in outdated ball gowns, rummaging through garbage bins for scraps. By the time she died in 1945, she had lost all but two small parcels of land and most of her money. How did someone who grew up in the lap of luxury lose everything? It's a story of grief, a city's development and the tenacity of those who helped grow it.  To find out more about Hattie Mosher, listen to today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices