Historic Downtown Flagstaff Arizona Driving Tour
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Description
This short drive through the heart of Flagstaff includes landmark buildings such as the Weatherford Hotel and the Church of the Nativity.
1. Basque Handball Court & Tourist Home Building
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sheepherding was a thriving industry in Arizona. Immigrants from Europe, including many from the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France, traveled to Arizona (and other states) to work as sheepherders and laborers. Remnants of Basque history remain today in Flagstaff at this location, which features a historic building, the Tourist Home, and the adjacent site where a Basque handball court was once located. All that remains of the court is the wall at the rear of the site; it is the only one remaining in Arizona and one of the few still standing in the country. The Tourist Home, which operated as boarding house for Basque sheepherders, and the court were built by Basque natives Jesus Garcia and his mother in 1926. The building is now home to a cafe of the same name and the court area now serves as a seating area. A historical marker plaque describe the site is affixed to the wall of the building directly north of the court space.
2. First Baptist Church
The historic First Baptist Church, now called Flagstaff Christian Fellowship, is significant as the only church in the city built using two local types of volcanic rock—malpais rock and Moenkopi sandstone. It was built in 1939 and designed in the Gothic Revival style, featuring a steeply pitched roof, buttresses, a steeple that houses a bell, and Gothic-arched main entrance with stained glass above the doors. The Moenkopi sandstone trims the window sills, buttress caps, the entryway, and the cornerstone. The interior features attractive oak scissor trusses.
3. Santa Fe Railroad Depot
Constructed by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1926, this historic depot in downtown Flagstaff is listed on the Register of Historic Places and is also a contributing property of the Railroad Addition Historic District. Now called Flagstaff Station, the building continues to operate as a passenger depot for Amtrak and also houses the Flagstaff Visitor Center. In terms of architecture, the depot is a good example of Tudor Revival architecture and resembles a residential building.
4. McMillan Building
Located across the street from the Santa Fe Railroad Depot, the McMillan Building is a historic commercial building named after the father of Flagstaff, Thomas F. McMillan. McMillan was a successful sheep rancher who bought the partially completed building in 1888, a year after construction began. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a contributing property within Flagstaff's Railroad Historic District, which is also on the National Register.
5. Weatherford Hotel
The Weatherford Hotel is one of the best-known landmarks in Flagstaff. It is named after its builder, local businessman John W. Waterford, who opened it on January 1st, 1900. The three-story brick building, which stands prominently in the heart of downtown Flagstaff, features a third-story balcony that curves around the southeast corner of the building, a cone-shaped cupola, and an oriel window (a bay window that projects from a wall) on the third floor. The building also houses three pubs and grills and is a popular wedding and event venue. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. In its early years, a number of famous people stayed here including William Randolph Hearst and Theodore Roosevelt.
6. Hotel Monte Vista
Hotel Monte Vista is a historic hotel located in the heard of downtown Flagstaff. It was erected in 1927 and has remained a popular place to say ever since. A number of politicians and celebrities such as Harry Truman, John Wayne, Bob Hope and Michael J. Fox have stayed here over the years, and it is considered one of the most haunted hotels in the country. In terms of design, the brick building features arched windows, decorative brickwork, windows with small balconies, and some windows surrounded by what appears to be decorative terra cotta ornamentation. A large "Hotel Monte Vista" sign stands prominently on top of the south west corner of the building. The hotel is also notable for being publicly owned until the early 1960s. It is a contributing property of the Railroad Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
7. The Ice House
The Ice House is a massive, one-of-a-kind commercial building located in historic downtown Flagstaff, Arizona. The building is a one-story structure, with the lone second story on the southeast corner supporting an antiquated ICE sign no longer in use. Although the neighborhood surrounding the Ice House has experienced several aesthetic and cosmetic changes over the past several decades, the Ice House generally appears the same as it did at the time of its construction. Once a warehouse and ice plant, the Ice House now serves as an office building for governmental, legal, and county professionals. To this day, the building maintains sufficient integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association to convey its important role in the growth of post-World War II commerce in Flagstaff.
8. Church of the Nativity
Known as the "pink church," the Church of the Nativity stands prominently on the corner of Cherry Avenue and Beaver Street. It was erected in 1930 and is a fine example of Gothic architecture, featuring buttresses, stained glass arched windows, an ornate bell tower with cast stone tracery, gargoyles, statues and other decorative elements. The church is not currently home to a Catholic congregation but is part of the the San Francisco de Asís Mission Church parish here in Flagstaff and is open to the public for special events such as First Friday ArtWalk. It is also available for weddings and funerals, and in recent years Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church has held services here.
9. J.M. Clark House
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, the J.M. Clark House is significant for its Craftsman-style architecture and association with its namesake, John Milton Clark. The home, which Clark built in 1912, is also notable for its use of locally sourced volcanic rock. Other interesting features of the home include overhanging eaves with exposed rafter ends, a stuccoed exterior, broad gable roofs, and a three-bay porch supported by four columns. Clark was a prominent figure in Flagstaff in the early 20th century, becoming a successful business owner and helping shape local regional politics. The home is now a restaurant called Josephine's Modern American Bistro.
