Of the various architectural movements and styles that have occurred throughout history, the Arts & Crafts movement which flourished from 1880 to about 1920 should rank near the top of any “best” architectural construction and design listings. Arts & Crafts is known primarily for rebellion against ostentatious styles and for natural sourcing of construction materials. Avoiding waste whenever possible was also a primary tenet of the style. While Arts & Crafts had its origin in Britain, it quickly spread throughout the world and became very popular, particularly in the United States.
Although it certainly had stylish elements, it was important for this movement /style that all objects created serve a useful purpose as well. With this in mind, the Riordan Mansion in Flagstaff, Arizona is one of the finest examples of Arts & Crafts architecture to be found anywhere in the United States. This unique home on almost five lush acres encompasses 13,000 rambling square feet – and is actually two homes joined together by a central, common area. The rustic exterior fits in perfectly with the Ponderosa Pines and other vegetation on the property.
This large, yet cozy mansion was designed and built in 1904 for both sides of the Riordan family by noted architect Charles Whittlesey, who also was responsible for creating the acclaimed El Tovar Hotel at the Grand Canyon the following year. The Riordan’s were one of the most prominent families in the Arizona territory by the turn of the twentieth century. Timothy Riordan and his brother Michael were lumber barons who also had significant interests in banking, cattle ranching and railroads – along with politics. They were instrumental in the development of the Flagstaff region, but despite their power and wealth were unpretentious in many respects.
As adherents of the Arts & Crafts sensibility, the Riordan brothers constructed this dual family home from mostly native material such as Ponderosa pine logs and planks, along with wooden shingles. Most of the furniture in the home was also crafted from local wood such as the pine and walnut trees plentiful in the area. Although the home is not actually a log cabin, it has the distinctive appearance of one due to the rounded log-slab siding nailed to the outside frame all the way around the structure. The entranceway, porch corners and fireplaces were created from local volcanic rock and the gardens surrounding the home contained mostly plants and trees native to the area – which was significant as they didn’t require excessive amounts of water to maintain them! It also has stone walkways around the property which enhance the surroundings and are useful for those who go on self- guided tours of the grounds.
Although it was (and still is) rustic in nature, the home was equipped with all the modern conveniences such as indoor plumbing with hot and cold running water, electricity and telephones. For most people in 1904 these would have been enviable luxuries – particularly in the rural, mountainous Arizona territory. The present day visitor’s center was originally the six-car family garage built in 1914, and now contains a vast array of exhibits about the Riordan family and the history of Flagstaff. A visitor should spend a half hour or so here obtaining a little background about the Riordan’s before going on the guided house tour.
The tour of the home is most enjoyable as the guides are very knowledgeable and keep it interesting about the Riordan family and how they developed this property which eventually was donated to the Arizona State Parks (which acquired the east house in 1978 and the western portion in 1986). Although the connected duplex houses are vast at some 40 rooms and 13,000 square feet, it nonetheless has an aura of cheeriness, comfort, and warmth not always felt in many historical mansions that became museums. When taking this tour of the Riordan Mansion I did not get an impression of negative, depressing or forbidding energy from the distant past.
In fact, the home has numerous delightful features that I appreciated such as the cozy window seats and built-in bookcases which were both attractive and useful. The Riordan’s also owned a great deal of Gustav Stickley furniture (Stickley was a preeminent American designer and manufacturer of furniture most prominently related to the Arts & Crafts movement). His creations from the early 1900s were simple designs with muted colors which did not obscure the natural wood construction, and emphasized the handmade craftsmanship as much as possible. The dyed leathers often used in the seating for Stickley living room furniture were usually of warm, earthy colors. A number of original, well-preserved family pieces like these can still be seen at the Riordan Mansion today.
The Riordan mansion represents the best of the Arts & Crafts movement that represented simplicity, craftsmanship, natural beauty, and avoiding waste – which was the direct opposite of the Victorian era preceding it with its heavy-handed emphasis on excessive materialism and overbearing, mass produced industrial might. We could benefit greatly today by reviving these principles in our own home construction habits and furnishings.
For more information about the Riordan Mansion or to schedule tours, visit:
