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Phoenix’s enDangered Dozen Historic Structures

“A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about.”
—Woodrow Wilson

Phoenix is often criticized for having no history. Sure, we aren’t as old as European cities like London or Rome, or even east coast cities, like New York and Boston. But surely the city has accumulated some interesting stories in the 140-odd years since the city was founded?

That fact is that much of Phoenix’s visible history has been destroyed, whether through neglect or conscious decisions by politicians and developers alike. Today, once important buildings like the Fox Theater, the Clark Churchill House, the Kon Tiki Hotel, and the Fleming Building exist only in photographs and in the memories of long-term Phoenicians. This has left many newcomers to the city (as most of us are), ignorant about what the city was once like. As a result, there is little public outcry when one-by-one, the few historic buildings that remain are threatened with demolition.

One local group is working to change this trend and protect the remaining historic buildings the city has left. Comprised of residents who represent different historic neighborhoods, the Phoenix Historic Neighborhoods Coalition works to help preserve and strengthen neighborhoods. The Coalition has recently announced its 2010 Most enDangered Dozen Historic Places list. By calling attention to the city’s most threatened historic and archaeological sites, they hope to raise public awareness and focus critical attention to aid in their preservation.

Despite significant progress in the recent past, Phoenicians, native-born and new-to-town, need to understand our heritage is still threatened by collapse, demolition, or destruction.

“By highlighting landmarks in danger, we can show people and work to save what we might never see again except in photographs. After all, once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.”
-Steve Procaccini, Coalition board president.

Under the direction of enDangered Dozen Committee chair, Donna Reiner, Ph.D., the Coalition developed the following list that was reviewed by local historians and preservation advocates.

“It wasn’t easy deciding which sites should make the ‘top’ dozen. Concerns about numerous other properties are already being addressed. Now we can add those properties to the ‘watch list’ to keep our eyes and ears open for progress or backsliding.”
-Donna Reiner

[Click here for a slideshow of the endangered buildings.]

The 2010 Most enDangered Dozen Historic Places are:

• Jones-Montoya House, 1008 E. Buckeye Rd. (c. 1879)
• Steinegger Lodge, 17 E. Monroe (1889) and Professional Building, 15 E. Monroe (1931)
• William R. Norton House, 2222 W. Washington (1895)
• Charles Pugh House, 356 N. 2nd Ave. (1897)
• Leighton G. Knipe House, 1025 N. 2nd St. (c. 1909)
• Sarah Pemberton House, 1121 N. 2nd St. (c. 1920)
• Sen. Carl Hayden House, 49 N. Country Club Dr. (1921)
• Pierson Place Structures, W. Mariposa (1924 onward)
• First Baptist Church, 302 W. Monroe (1930)
• Quebedeaux Chevrolet/Paper Heart, 750 Grand Ave. (1955)
• White Gates House, 4918 E. White Gates Dr. (1957)
• Marcus Whiffen House, 4703 E. Exeter Blvd. (1963)
  (Note that the Professional Building and Steinegger Lodge are considered as one entry.)

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