My latest for Phxated:
Remembering Phoenix’s Lost History
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you got till it’s gone
-Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi
Yesterday, I posted about a local groups effort to highlight Phoenix’s meaning historic structures. In the post I mentioned that one reason that Phoenix is often criticized for having no history is because:
…much of our visible history has been destroyed, whether through neglect or conscious decisions by politicians and developers. This has left many newcomers to the city (as the majority of us are), ignorant about what the city was once like.
A local historian and author is working to address this situation by documenting what has been lost. Robert Melikian grew up in Phoenix. His family has owned and operates the historic Hotel San Carlos in downtown Phoenix, since 1973. Over this time, they have seen many of the San Carlos’ neighbors been demolished..
This inspired Melikian to begin studying downtown Phoenix and the buildings that used to stand alongside his hotel. He has compiled the results of this research in a recently published book, entitled Vanishing Phoenix.
In this book, Melikian showcases the area’s evolution from an “oasis in the desert” to a cosmopolitan city using more than 200 vintage images from the Arizona State University McLaughlin Collection, the (now closed) Phoenix Museum of History, and private collections. From the book’s website:
Lord Darrell Duppa, along with his friend Jack Swilling, suggested the name “Phoenix” for the city he had cofounded because it described a city born from the ruins of a former civilization. Settled on the ancestral lands of the Hohokam Indians, Phoenix was thriving by the early 1920s when craftsmanship and attention to detail were the orders of the day. Buildings were designed to welcome residents and travelers alike.
Today the Fox Theater, the Clark Churchill House, the Kon Tiki Hotel, and the Fleming Building exist only in photographs and in the memories of Phoenix residents. The National Register of Historic Places and the Phoenix Historic Property Register have heightened public awareness and appreciation for the community’s historic landmarks, but much has been lost already. Remembering these buildings and landmarks is essential to understanding this remarkable city.
Melikian will be talking about his recently published book “Vanishing Phoenix,” at a brown bag lunch event at noon Wednesday, June 2, at Phoenix City Hall, assembly rooms A & B, 200 Washington St. The brown bag is hosted by the city’s Historic Preservation Office. Bring a lunch to the free event and learn about some of the city’s historic past.
During his presentation he will give the history of some of the historic Phoenix buildings that no longer are standing including photos of some of the sites. These photos include forgotten homes and unique past businesses and places including the Coffee Pot restaurant, cactus street lights on Central Avenue and the Central Avenue Dairy.
Event Details:
Hotel San Carlos Owner Presents Book, Vanishing Phoenix, at Brown Bag Event
Wednesday, June 2, 12-1pm
Phoenix City Hall, assembly rooms A & B, 200 W. Washington St.
BYOL (Bring your own lunch)
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