Squaw Peak Inn

Squaw Peak Inn
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Front view of the Squaw Peak Inn
Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Location in United States Show map of the United States
Location	4425 E. Horseshoe Road, Phoenix, Arizona
Coordinates	33°32′50″N 112°01′16″W / 33.547332322°N 112.020989392°W / 33.547332322; -112.020989392
Built	1937
Built by	Malcom D. Seashore
NRHP reference No.	96000760[1]
Added to NRHP	January 12, 1995

Squaw Peak Inn is a historic structure located at 4425 E. Horseshoe Road in the east end of Piestewa Peak Mountain, formerly known as Squaw Peak Mountain. The inn, which has served as the lodging for various celebrities, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on January 1, 1995.

In 1929, William Eugene D'Allemund built the first building constructed on the property which was to become known as the Squaw Peak Ranch. It was a two-bedroom, one-bathroom frame-and-stucco house. D'Allemund used it as a residence. The house featured a flat roof with parapet, a large fireplace constructed of mortared native stone (with the exterior of the front entry also framed in stone), and high ceilings in the living room and two bedrooms.^[2]

In 1937, William A. and Emily Stopford purchased an 800-acre (320 ha) parcel near the east end of the mountain for $25.00 an acre. They built a home, designed by Stopford, in the center of their parcel. The ranch house consisted of a living room, two bedrooms and two baths. Adobe bricks were used and the labor force included local Native Americans. By 1943, they converted the house into a guest ranch which they named the Squaw Peak Ranch. The ranch did not have telephones or electricity. The rooms were lit by kerosene lanterns. The water was supplied by a well which was drilled into the hard rock beneath the ranch. The Stopfords also built outhouses for the domestic help.^[2][3]

Frank Lloyd Wright, who was a friend of Stopford, often brought architectural students to the ranch to point out an example of appropriate architecture for the Southwest. On 6. 1944, The Stopfords sold the property to George A. and Patty D. Judson.^[2]

The Judsons continued to operate the ranch and added slot machines. Even though the ranch was visited by celebrities such as Dick Powell and June Allyson, the Judson's decided to sell the ranch in 1946, to Davidson and Jane Jenks.^[2][3]

The Jenks removed the slot machines and made additions and improvements to the property and its surrounding areas. The ranch was renamed in 1946, becoming the "Squaw Peak Inn". Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging and, usually, food and drink. They are typically located along a highway or in the country. According to the local news of that time, several celebrities were guests of the Inn. Among those mentioned were Clark Gable, Robert Taylor, Dr. William Vaughn and Mamie Eisenhower. In 1961, the O'Malley Investment and Realty Co. purchased the property.^[2][3]

The O'Malleys rented the property to Willis and Margery Betts. The Betts did not accept renewal rental agreements and discontinued operating the Inn. On July 1, 1976, the property was purchased by Dr. Ted Diethrick, who wanted to convert the property into a site for the Arizona Heart Institute. However, his plan was not realized due to opposition by the neighbors in the growing residential subdivision that surrounded the Squaw Peak Inn.^[2][3] The property changed hands several times during the following years until it was purchased by the Malouf Brothers. The Malouf Brothers developed the Doubletree Canyon subdivision in the area and sold off 720 acres (290 ha) of land. Only 80 acres (32 ha), including where the Inn was located, remained.^[2][3]

The abandoned property fell into disrepair. Only two of the original houses remained, the rest were destroyed. Water had eroded the sun-dried adobe bricks of the original structure. The entire north face of the building was significantly damaged by the erosion. The Malouf Brothers intended to destroy the remaining buildings. This did not happen because on October 21, 1980, the developers sold a parcel of just under two acres (0.81 ha) with the two remaining buildings to William "Bill" and Ann Epley.^[2][3]

Both historic buildings were in bad shape. However, after consulting structural engineers, the Epleys decided to restore it. The Epleys modernized the kitchen and bathrooms and built a garage. Ann Epley has added some of her hand made tile and a wall of one of the rooms has the pieces and mirror which survived a tornado that destroyed Ann's childhood house in Kansas. The main historic building is used by the Epleys as their home.^[2][3]

In 1987, the Inn was the major focal point for the made-for-TV movie entitled, "Probe: Plan Nine from Outer Space." The movie is about aliens who resurrect dead humans as zombies and vampires to stop humankind from creating the Solaranite (a sort of sun-driven bomb). The structure was also used on May 27, 1993, as a backdrop for an interview of then future Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley for ABC's Prime Time Live.^[2][3]

Squaw Peak Inn, also known as Squaw Peak Ranch, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. ^[4]

• 
  The first building built in 1929 by William Eugene D'Allemund
• 
  A gazebo on the property of Squaw Peak Inn built by William “Bill” Epley.
• 
  Another view of the first adobe building built in 1929 by William Eugene D’Allemund.

Part of a series of the
Cities, towns and CDPs in Arizona with lists and images of historic properties, forts, cemeteries or historic districts
Flag of Arizona
Lists of structures, etc. Adamsville Agua Caliente Ash Fork Avondale Benson Bisbee Black Canyon City Bouse Brigham City Buckeye Cameron Camp Verde Casa Grande Cave Creek Chandler Clarkdale Clifton Cottonwood Dateland Dewey–Humboldt Douglas Duncan Eagar Ehrenberg Fairbank Flagstaff Florence Gila Bend Gilbert Gillett Glendale Globe Gold King Mine Ghost Town Goldfield Grand Canyon Village Guadalupe Hackberry Hereford Holbrook Jerome Joseph City Kearny Kingman Litchfield Park Mayer Mesa Miami New River Nogales Oatman Oracle Paradise Valley Parker Patagonia Payson Pearce Peoria Phoenix Pine-Strawberry Prescott Prescott Valley Quartzsite Queen Creek Sacaton Safford Salome Scottsdale Sedona Seligman Snowflake Solomon Superior Tempe Tombstone Tonopah Tubac Tucson Tumacacori Twin Arrows Two Guns Vulture City Weedville Wickenburg Willcox Williams Winslow Wintersburg Yuma
Forts Fort Apache Fort Huachuca Fort_Lowell Fort McDowell Fort Tyson Fort Whipple
Cemeteries Adamsville A.O.U.W. Cemetery Ba Dah Mod Jo Cemetery Boothill Cemetery City of Mesa Cemetery Cooks Cedar Glade Cemetery Crosscut Cemetery Double Butte Cemetery Liberty Cemetery Glendale Memorial Park Cemetery Goodyear Farms Historic Cemetery Greenwood/Memory Lawn Mortuary & Cemetery Home Mission Cemetery Historic Pinal Cemetery Pioneer and Military Memorial Park Russian Spiritual Christians Cemetery St. Francis Catholic Cemetery Old Path Cemetery West Resthaven Park Cemetery
Historic districts Catlin Court Historic District Clarkdale Historic District Cottonwood Commercial Historic District Fort Huachuca National Historic District Globe Downtown Historic District Phoenix Historic Property Register Lynx Creek District in Prescott Valley Sunnyslope District in Phoenix
v t

• History of Phoenix, Arizona

• Squaw Peak Inn