Arizona 2008 Official State Visitor's Guide - (Page 12) Cities and Towns flagSTaff and The grand canyon Flagstaff started out as a rough-andtumble logging and railroad town, not exactly the first place you’d think of for stellar architecture. But the pinescented city at the base of the San Francisco Peaks is a mini treasure trove of architectural gems. Downtown Flagstaff has undergone a major renaissance in recent years. Stroll the storefront boutiques, restaurants and hotels, housed in buildings that date to the late 1800s. Y our best architectural bet? Join a downtown Flagstaff walking or train station tour, during which you’ll hear stories about historic people and buildings. The tours leave from the Visitors’ Center, and seasonal offerings include “Haunted Flagstaff.” Mars Hill rises above downtown Flagstaff, where, in 1894 astronomer Percival Lowell established Lowell Observatory. The original handcrafted pine observatory is still in use and open for tours today, its dome now moved electronically, rather than with a series of ropes. Near the campus of Northern Arizona University, tour Riordan Mansion, a grand Arts and Craftsstyle mansion designed in 1904 by Charles Whittlesey, best known as the architect of Grand Canyon’s El T ovar Hotel. The 13,000-square-foot shingle and stone mansion was built for two brothers, who made their fortunes in logging, and their respective families. Just north of downtown, the Museum of Northern Arizona is filled with exhibits detailing life on the Colorado Plateau. Step back and admire the museum’s stone building, designed in the 1930s by the museum’s founder, Harold S. Colton, who had a background in architecture. If you’re heading toward the Grand Canyon, stop by the town of Williams, just west of Flagstaff. It’s known for its revived segment of Route 66, with tourist-friendly shops, restaurants and lively bars, set in buildings that date back more than 100 years. Williams is also home to the Grand Canyon Railway, where you can board an old-fashioned train for a chug to the canyon’s South Rim. The Williams depot dates to 1908. Sure, most people go to the Grand Canyon for the canyon itself, but the South Rim’s architecture is a visual feast as well. The canyon’s soul was best captured by the designs of Mary Colter, official architect for the Fred Harvey Company, the national park’s original official concessionaire. From the early 1900s to the 1940s, Colter designed and renovated numerous buildings at the canyon, many done in an organic, indigenous style. Her Hopi House gallery was made of stacked stone, echoing ancient Hopi dwellings in Oraibi, Arizona. At the South Rim’s eastern edge, her Watchtower channels cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde and provides spectacular views. Spend an architectural night at the Grand Canyon at chalet-style El T ovar Hotel or the Southwest-style Bright Angel Lodge. In Williams, try the Red Garter, an 1890s bordello that’s now a B&B. Flagstaff’s The Inn at 410 is a charming bed and breakfast in a Craftsman-style bungalow, dating to 1894. TucSon and Tubac Tucson and the Tubac area have a rich architectural pedigree. The Spanish explored southern Arizona, establishing presidios and missions during the 17th century. The area was later part of Mexico until the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, when it became a U.S. territory. Scout out the 12 • Grand Canyon National Park, Desert View Tower ©HPMG A r i z o n A o f f i c i A l S tAt e V i S i t o r ’ S G u i d e
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