Tuesday, July 22, 2008

History Preserved

Located near the State Capitol building and dwarfed by a State of Arizona Office Building is this beautifully preserved Queen Anne house. This house was originally built for a pioneer physician, John M Evans and his wife Jennie. The house is actually being used now by the Library Development Division of the Arizona State Library. Phoenix has a number of these historic old homes that have been restored for a second life as a museum, or office building and there are even some that are still single family homes.

4 comments:

Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.com said...

OK, Sharon, I agree that the house is charming, historic for Phoenix and should be preserved. But for East Coast and international visitors to your site I think we should put "historic" for Phoenix into perspective.

As a Queen Anne house, it would have been built when, about 1890-1910, I presume? That is indeed historic for Phoenix, which was not founded until the 1880's and had a population of about 50,000when World War II began.

In Phoenix, with a metropolitan population of 4 million today but which did not exist just 130 years ago, historic has a different meaning than it does in the rest of the world.

I should add that I do not mean to slight the native American origins of Phoenix. As I know you know, a Hohokam civilization flourished a thousand years ago in the desert area that is Phoenix today, hence the name "Phoenix" for the city. Now that is historic.

Kim said...

Wow, that is the first I've seen an onion dome style turret on a Queen Anne beauty. Usually theya re witch's hats. A real beauty indeed!
Love the reflection you captured in the windows of the office building, too.
-Kim
Seattle Daily Photo

Hilda said...

I think it's a lovely practice of your city. And the houses will definitely make those government offices so much more approachable.

Jill said...

What a wonderful 'save' for Phoenix. I assume this has been added to the National Registry.