Squaw Peak Inn


Squaw Peak Inn is a historic structure located at 4425 E. Horseshoe Road in the east end of Piestewa Peak Mountain, formerly known as Squaw Peak Mountain. The inn, which has served as the lodging for various celebrities, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on January 1, 1995. The English word "squaw" is an ethnic and sexual slur, historically used for Indigenous North American women. Contemporary use of the term, especially by non-Natives, is considered offensive, derogatory, misogynist and racist.

Piestewa Peak Mountain

Piestewa Peak Mountain is located in central Phoenix. The mountain is made up of igneous and metamorphic rocks such as schist, quartzite and quartz. It was known by various names such as Squaw Tit Mountain, Phoenix Mountain, and Vainom Do'ag, the Pima name for the mountain. The mountain was renamed "Squaw Peak Mountain" in the 19th Century by the new settlers from the east coast of the United States. In 2003, the mountain was renamed Piestewa Peak in honor of Army Spc. Lori Ann Piestewa, the first known Native American woman to die in combat in the U.S. military, and the first female soldier to be killed in action in the 2003 Iraq War. The national board which voted to approve the name change to Piestewa Peak in 2008 indicated that the original name of Squaw Peak might still be used in publications as a secondary reference.

Squaw Peak Ranch and the Stopford family

In 1929, William Eugene D'Allemund built the first building constructed on the property which was to become known as the Squaw Peak Ranch. It was a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom frame-and-stucco house. D'Allemund used it as a residence. The house featured a flat roof with parapet, a large fireplace constructed of mortared native stone, and high ceilings in the living room and two bedrooms.

In 1937, William A. and Emily Stopford purchased an 800-acre parcel near the east end of the mountain for $25.00 an acre. They built a home, designed by Stopford, in the center of their parcel. The ranch house consisted of a living room, two bedrooms and two baths. Adobe bricks were used and the labor force included local Native Americans. By 1943, they converted the house into a guest ranch which they named the Squaw Peak Ranch. The ranch did not have telephones or electricity. The rooms were lit by kerosene lanterns. The water was supplied by a well which was drilled into the hard rock beneath the ranch. The Stopfords also built outhouses for the domestic help.
Frank Lloyd Wright, who was a friend of Stopford, often brought architectural students to the ranch to point out an example of appropriate architecture for the Southwest. On 6. 1944, The Stopfords sold the property to George A. and Patty D. Judson.

Squaw Peak Inn and the Jenks family

The Judsons continued to operate the ranch and added slot machines. Even though the ranch was visited by celebrities such as Dick Powell and June Allyson, the Judson's decided to sell the ranch in 1946, to Davidson and Jane Jenks.
The Jenks removed the slot machines and made additions and improvements to the property and its surrounding areas. The ranch was renamed in 1946, and since then became known as the "Squaw Peak Inn". Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging and, usually, food and drink. They are typically located along a highway or in the country. According to the local news of the time, various notable people were at one time or another guests of the Inn. Among those mentioned were Clark Gable, Robert Taylor, Dr. William Vaughn and Mamie Eisenhower In 1961, the O'Malley Investment and Realty Co. purchased the property.

Change of ownership

The O'Malleys rented the property to Willis and Margery Betts. The Betts, however did not agree with the fact that the rental agreement was renewed twice and discontinued operating the Inn. On July 1, 1976, the property was purchased by Dr. Ted Diethrick. Dr. Diethrick wanted to convert the property into a site for the Arizona Heart Institute. However, the idea did not become a reality because it was met with opposition by the neighbors in the growing residential
subdivision that surrounded the Squaw Peak Inn.
The property changed hands various times during the following years until it was purchased by the Malouf Brothers. The Malouf Brothers developed the Doubletree Canyon subdivision in the area and sold off 800 acres of land. Only 80 acres, including where the Inn was located, remained.

The Epley family

The abandoned property fell into disrepair. Only two of the original houses remained, the rest were destroyed. Water had eroded the sun-dried adobe bricks of the original structure. The entire north face of the building was significantly damaged by the erosion. The Malouf Brothers intended to destroy the remaining buildings. This did not happen because on October 21, 1980, the developers sold a parcel of just under two acres with the two remaining buildings to William "Bill" and Ann Epley.

Both historic buildings were in bad shape. However, after consulting structural engineers, the Epleys decided to restore it. The Epleys modernized the kitchen and bathrooms and built a garage. Ann Epley has added some of her hand made tile and a wall of one of the rooms has the pieces and mirror which survived a tornado that destroyed Ann's childhood house in Kansas. The main historic building is used by the Epleys as their home.
In 1987, the Inn was the major focal point for the made-for-TV movie entitled, "Probe: Plan Nine from Outer Space." The movie is about aliens who resurrect dead humans as zombies and vampires to stop humankind from creating the Solaranite. The structure was also used on May 27, 1993, as a backdrop for an interview of then future Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley for ABC's Prime Time Live.

National Register of Historic Places

On January 12, 1995, Squaw Peak Inn was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The property which is also known as Squaw Peak Ranch has the reference number 9600760. The following information is listed in the register: