Do over

In Phoenix for a few more days
Heading south!

Although we had visited Scottsdale last Spring, we didn't spend much time in the historic section so I wanted to check it out again.  We did it right this time and went to the visitor center for a map instead of wandering around on our own.  All of the Old Town buildings were in a 6 block square which made it easy to walk around.

But it was Saturday, so we took a walk through the Farmer's Market first.  Very crowded and not too much from the farm.  Mostly artisan foods.

After brunch at the Old Mission, a Christmas gift from Michael, we stopped at the Red Schoolhouse (built in 1909) which is now the historical museum.  The school was built when Scottsdale was a barrio that inhabited by Mexican families who worked the cotton fields in the area.  We learned that the town name was established in 1894 and honors Winfield Scott who brought many early settlers.

I liked this pictorial interpretation of Arizona history displayed at the museum.

Right outside the museum, a cowboy was entertaining the crowd with his gun handling ability.  We watched for a little bit.

Next we saw the 1923 building that used to be Johnny Rose's Pool Hall and silent movie theatre on Saturday nights.  The white bricks at the top are original and have never been painted!  New owners bought the building in 1929 and opened grocery store.  Their name (Chew) is on a tiny sign hanging from the roof.

This 1921 building was originally a pharmacy and now is a boot store.

Across the street is Porter's of Scottsdale, the first 2 story building in Scottsdale, which originally was a Post Office in 1928.  It's now a western wear store, but there is also talk that it will be a western saloon soon.  How about that horse statue???

Around the corner is the Sugar Bowl - so cute! In 1950 is was a general store that offered automotive services.  Responding to the growing tourist industry, in 1958 it was converted to an ice cream parlor and that family still owns the building and runs a restaurant today.

First Saloon in Scottsdale! But first it was a bank from 1921 until the Depression.  It became a saloon in 1951.  The old bank vault holds liquor now, but I couldn't find it.

The next building we saw, Bischoff's, was the most beautiful in historic Scottsdale.  It dates back to 1897 when it was the first general store and had a small post office in a back corner.  It was at the only intersection in Scottsdale at the time.  Now it is an arts and crafts center.

Right next to Bischoff's was the town Christmas Tree!

Although we had walked by the Mission Church last Spring, it was closed.  So this time we were able to walk inside.  The church was built by hand in 1933 by Mexican volunteers who handmade the 14,000 adobe bricks.  There was a very simple, and fitting, Nativity scene still on display.

Next to the Mission Church is the Cavalliere's Blacksmith Shop from 1909, although the original tin building was replaced by this adobe building in1920. The Cavalliere family still owns the shop.

We were lucky enough to walk by the building while the blacksmith was working to make an ornamental wrought iron door pull.  It was interesting to watch him work.

I saw this cool sign in the building.

Across the street from the Balcksmith shop is the site of Noriega family home.  Mr. Noriega was considered one of the finest cowboys in Scottsdale.  The property was purchased in the 1930's and Mr. Noriega lived there until he died in 1998.  The city then purchased the property, tore the house down, and built a livery for tourist carriages. Because the building isn't original it's not officially on the tour.  But I liked learning about the family.

The last thing we saw on the tour was the old olive trees.  The were planted in 1896 by the city's founder, Winfield Scott, to enclose an orange grove.  Those are some old trees.

Although the downtown area is quite touristy now, I feel like we got a good sense of the "West's Most Western Town".