"The residence on the Ranch is not a characteristic Arizona farm houses, as it contains thirteen bedrooms, eight of which are equipped with baths. The house rambles over considerable territory and, in the summer, the lawn is a wonder of roses."
The Arizona Graphic, 1899
The rambling ranch house described by the reporter was actually two buildings separated by a courtyard. The Main House, on the right, was built in 1895. Until 1898, it served as the residence for the Ranch's superintendent.
When the Guest House was built in 1898, the two buildings were used as a winter home for the ranch owner's family and friends. The Guest House, described as a "mansion" was originally intended to be an extension of the Main House. It contained only bedrooms and bathrooms.
The first roses were planted at Sahuaro Ranch in 1890. By 1910, there were over 1,000 rose bushes covering nearly an acre of ground in front of the Ranch. Most of the date palms located around the Main House were planted as seedlings in 1891. The palms were among the first grown in the Salt River Valley and have been bearing fruit since 1897.
The porches were restored in 2003 with a grant from the Arizona Historic Preservation Fund and the city of Glendale. The Main House porch dates from 1895 and the Guest House Porch was built in 1898.
Dedicated September 2004
Comments 0 comments