Designed by Charles Whittlesey, who later built the famous Craftsman Style “El Tovar Hotel” at the Grand Canyon, this craftsman mansion is constructed using pine, native volcanic rock and stone. It features wonderful tulip art glass panels, and innovatively used photo negatives of Native-Americans as window decorations. The rooms are authentic and full of the Riordan’s belongings, including many outstanding pieces of original Arts and Crafts furniture. Riordan Mansion is also a great place to see Arts and Crafts furniture-especially some wonderful examples of Gustav Stickley and Harvey Ellis collaboration. 

The Riordan Mansion State Historic Park is run by the Arizona State Parks organization and is in danger of losing its funding. Anne O’Donnell, Editor of Style 1900, recently sent out the following call for help:

All,

Two years ago, Style 1900 named the Riordan Mansion in Flagstaff, Arizona, one of America’s top Arts & Crafts sites. Now budget shortfalls may close it and several other historic or scenic state parks, possibly for good, unless legislators can be persuaded to take action. We can help-but we need to do it fast. Decisions will be made next Friday (February 20^th).

Here’s what’s up:

The Riordan Mansion was designed in 1904 by Louis Sullivan protégé Charles Whittlesey (architect of the famed Grand Canyon lodge, El Tovar). The Mansion is a remarkable time capsule with Ponderosa pine siding, stucco fireplaces set with petrified wood, original Stickley furniture, and myriad family artifacts from ball gowns to golf clubs. It serves local visitors, tourists from all over, and also thousands of schoolchildren thanks to curriculum tie-ins.

The Arizona state parks bring in more than enough revenue to pay for themselves-or would, if the proceeds weren’t routinely diverted to other agencies. Now, with the 2009 budget coming up short, the Arizona legislature is looking for money anywhere it can find it. The proposed solution includes cutting the parks budget so deeply that the Riordan Mansion and up to eight other sites may be forced to close, some immediately.

That short-sighted “solution” would not simply mean we lose access to a significant Arts & Crafts structure complete with its original furnishings, built by a family that played a key role in the social and economic development of Northern Arizona. It also means Arizona would lose tens of millions of dollars in indirect spending that parks visitors bring to local restaurants, hotels, and the like. Shutting down the parks is a false economy that will have a negative impact on jobs in surrounding areas.

The Arizona State Parks Board is meeting Friday, February 20^th, to consider the closings. If you value resources like the Riordan Mansion, please IMMEDIATELY contact the Board, the governor and the legislators below and tell them so. And please pass this alert on to others you think could help.

Preservation is a proud Arts & Crafts tradition. William Morris founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. John Ruskin successfully kept railroads and developers out of England’s stunning Lake District. We can do this!

Yours,

Anne