January 2025
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Scottsdale will celebrate our founders, Winfield and Helen Scott from 1-2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, in front of the Little Red Schoolhouse, 7333 E. Scottsdale Mall. The event is presented by the Office of Communication and Citizen Service in partnership with the Scottsdale Historical Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution Winfield Scott Chapter. This is the 115th anniversary of the Little Red Schoolhouse that opened in 1910 as the Scottsdale Grammar School.
Winfield and Helen Scott's lifelong advocacy of education will be a theme of the day. Featured speakers will be SUSD Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel, Scottsdale Historian Joan Fudala, an appearance by "Winfield Scott" (Citizen Advisor Bruce Wall) and State Historian Marshall Trimble.
Save the date to hear Scottsdale Historian Joan Fudala
Our city historian will be presenting on Scottsdale history in January. Mark your calendar so you don't miss out.
- Hometown Happy Hour: Yee-haw! Parada del Sol through the years. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27, at the Mustang Library Auditorium, 10101 N. 90th St. No charge to attend. More information.
- Spirit of the Horse in Scottsdale History. 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the Museum of the West, 3830 N. Marshall Way. Free to museum members, included with museum admission, or $10 for the presentation only. More information.
Brown family descendants photos in the Scottsdale Heritage Connection
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Thanks to a donation from photographer and McDowell Sonoran Conservancy Steward, Lynne Janney Russell, the Scottsdale Heritage Collection recently uploaded images of the Brown family descendants who attended the Brown's Ranch Interpretive Trail grand opening in October.
The Brown family was photographed in front of Brown's Mountain, on a private tour of the Interpretive trail, with Scottsdale Mayor David D. Ortega and community historian Joan Fudala.
Pictured includes the following:
Front Row, L-R: Elizabeth "Libbie" Louise Turner; Sierra Michelle Brown; Valerie Lucille Brown Turner; John Carlton Turner.
Second Row, L-R: Jeryl Lucille Brown Varsolona; Alvin "Virden" Brown Jr; Carlton "Carl" Edwin Brown; Doris "Ann" Brown Person-Nickel.
Third Row, L-R: Sierra Gaskill Sawyer; Thomas "Tommy" Carlton Sawyer; Barbara Sawyer; Josephine Carole" Castillo Brown; Thomas Glenn Sawyer; Christine Louise Brown Sawyer; Lynda D. Person Peterson; John Peterson.
E.O. and Mary Brown moved from Wisconsin to Scottsdale in 1904 at the request of Mary's sister, Sarah Coldwell Thomas, the first businesswoman and post mistress. E.O. was a prolific entrepreneur who purchased and leased land throughout what is now north Scottsdale. By the time his son E.E. Brown died, the Brown family controlled more than 30,000 acres of North Scottsdale including DC Ranch and Brown's Ranch. Much of the northern section of Brown's Ranch is part of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
On the Scottsdale Public Library website, search "Brown Family Descendants" to view these images.
The Oldest Buildings in Scottsdale - Part 3
By Tom Droze
Thanks to Tom Droze, a local history buff, and a docent at the Scottsdale Historical Museum, we are able to share this three-part countdown on the oldest buildings in the city, featuring his thorough research on the subject:
4. Cavalliere Blacksmith Shop - Located at 3805 N. Brown Ave., the Cavalliere Blacksmith Shop opened in 1910 and was rebuilt onsite during 1920. The blacksmith shop and the Cavalliere family played a significant role in the growth of Scottsdale. Placed on the Scottsdale Historic Register May 23, 2000.
3. Charles Miller House - Located at 6938 E. 1st St., the Charles Miller House was built in 1913 on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Indian School Roads. The house has been moved twice since it was constructed in 1913 to prevent demolition (1955 and 2001). Placed on the Scottsdale Historic Register Feb. 16, 2010.
2. The Little Red Schoolhouse - Located at 7333 E. Scottsdale Mall, the Little Red Schoolhouse, also known as Scottsdale Grammar School, was built in 1909 and dedicated Feb. 26, 1910, as a two-room schoolhouse. Today, the building is the home to the Scottsdale Historical Museum, operated by the Scottsdale Historical Society. Placed on the National Historic Register June 1994 and the Scottsdale Historic Register May 23, 2000.
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1.The Titus House - Located at 1310 N. Hayden Rd, the Titus House was built in 1892 by Frank Titus, a railroad executive. The Titus House is an owner-occupied residence, and the owners are appreciative of their privacy. Placed on the National Historic Register May 1982, and the Scottsdale Historic Register May 1, 2001.
To learn more about these historic properties or for more information on Scottsdale history, check out the Scottsdale Historical Society or visit the Scottsdale Historical Museum at the Little Red Schoolhouse, 7333 E. Scottsdale Mall.
Sign up for History presentations with Neighborhood College
The spring 2025 session of Scottsdale Neighborhood College "Stories of Scottsdale History" series will include some of the best presentations of the last few years. And best of all, the presentations will be held at the locations where some of the stories took place. We don't know when we'll be able to go back to these incredible locations, so please plan to attend!
- 'Til Death Do Us Part, 1-3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th St. Learn about two local romances gone wrong. In 1962, a couple was murdered just north of Scottsdale on county land, and the case wasn't solved for nine years. But did the police catch the real killer or was he framed? In the second case, a woman was spotted throwing part of her husband's body in a dumpster east of Scottsdale. We'll revisit the story of his death which gripped the Valley. Register.
- Treasures of Scottsdale: The Extraordinary Ellis Family, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, Cattle Track Arts Compound, 6105 N. Cattle Track Dr. For more than 70 years, the Cattle Track Arts Compound has been a hub of creativity and innovation in Scottsdale. Its influence reaches around the globe and back again. Yet, the site has remained off the radar of most residents and visitors. The family behind this one-of-a-kind home for the arts traces their Scottsdale roots back to just a few years after the founding of the State of Arizona. Led by a Cattle Track Arts and Preservation volunteer, a tour of the galleries and workshops will begin promptly at 6 p.m. followed by a presentation at 6:30 p.m. Register.
- Nightmare on McCormick Ranch, 1-3 p.m. Monday, March 10, Mustang Library Auditorium, 10101 N. 90th St. Prepare for a deep dive into a homicide from the 1980s that divided family and friends. Could a Scottsdale man kill his wife while "sleepwalking" and then wake up and not be a further threat to society? Explore the consequences of this case that received national attention. Register.
- Treasures of Scottsdale: Two Musical Stories, 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, ASU Kerr Cultural Center, 6110 N. Scottsdale Road. Scottsdale has a concert hall built in the 1950s and operated by a university but it is widely unknown today. Learn about the family behind the venue. In our second story, we'll talk about the singing cowboy on horseback in Old Town for over 20 years. And what was the finale of his act each week that left winter visitors with dropped jaws? Register.
You can find out more information, register for these presentations, or watch videos of past presentations.
The Merci Train Car storyboard installation celebration
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Scottsdale Mayor Herb Drinkwater welcomes the Merci Train Car at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park on Nov. 7, 1987, prior to restoration. |
Please join the city of Scottsdale and the Arizona State Organization of Questers at the installation of the storyboards of the Merci Train Car at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road. Event questions.
The largely forgotten story of the Merci Train Car was a post-World War II tale between the appreciation of the people of France for the people of the United States. Residents of the U.S., after hearing that the people of Europe were in dire straits after World War II, sent supplies in more than 700 train cars. A few years later, the people of France sent a Merci Train Car to each U.S. state to say thank you or "merci" in French.
The train car was left in disrepair for years. A group of citizens led by Zina Kuhn, French Consul Claude Prosnier, Arizona National Guard Commander Maj. General Donald Owens, and Scottsdale Mayor Herb Drinkwater welcomed the car to Scottsdale. A fundraising drive led to the train car's complete restoration where it is proudly displayed at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. It was dedicated on Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, 1989.
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