A Walk Around Scotts-Dale

Thanks to the experts at Phoenix Camera Repair, the photos that had been "lost" were retrieved. Their explanations and instruction were welcome and appreciated.

So, we re-join our wanderers as they travel around Historic Old Town Scottsdale.

After picking up information about the Old Town Scottsdale, we boarded the free trolley for an introductory tour of the area covering several blocks. We also followed a map covering a walking tour of the downtown area. Some of the buildings highlighted in this walk are covered below:

The Farmers' State Bank of Scottsdale opened in 1921 where the Rusty Spur Saloon is today. The bank closed during the Depression, but the old bank vault is still there today--holding liquor instead of money.

Scottsdale's first post office opened in 1928 in what is now Porters of Scottsdale. Twice a day people gathered around the post office to await the mail from Phoenix.

The white glazed bricks on this building are the original ones, never painted or replaced since 1923. In that year, Johnny Rose's Pool Hall opened. On Saturday nights the pool hall doubled as a silent movie theater. Instead of paying the five cents admission fee, a youngster could get in free by helping pump the player piano.

Just down the street from the Mexican Imports shop was a gallery with these tiles imbedded in the wall along the street.














Entering the courtyard of the gallery identified it as Bischoff's at the Park.














Walking around the courtyard took us past several metal art works. I was not able to identify either the artist or the name of the creations.

































































































































Next to the outdoor gallery was the Scottsdale Mall, a pedestrian mall that led to the statues of the city's founder and his wife.

The bronze statues depict Winfield Scott standing alongside "Old Maud" with his wife Helen seated sidesaddle atop the mule. A Civil War hero, known as "the Fighting Parson," Scott served as an Army Chaplain from 1882 until retiring in 1893.

In July 1888, he purchased 640 acres of desert land in what today is the city given the name Scotts-Dale in 1894 in honor of its promoter.

The Scotts became prominent leaders of the community. Winfield served as a member of the Territorial House of Representatives and Chancellor of the University of Arizona from 1903 - 1905. Helen promoted the arts and education.

The statues are sited near the Scottsdale Historical Museum located in the Scottsdale Historical Society's Little Red School House museum (above) where Helen taught.