A Chewing Gum Mansion

Last week Friday was a Girls' Day Out. Six of us have been doing a day out for about 3 or 4 years now, and it it getting harder to find a tourist location that at least one of us has NOT visited. This year's destination was the Wrigley Mansion, chosen because 5 of the 6 had not been there. It was a good selection. Our visit included a lunch and a tour. We dug into our delish looking lunches before the camera made it out of the bag. So you only get the tour. Walk along with me as you see how the rich and famous lived in the early 1930s.

The mansion was built between 1929-1931 by chewing gum

magnat William Wrigley, Jr. as a 50th wedding anniversary

present for his wife Ada. It cost $1.2 million to build.

This is the front and north part of the mansion.

The Breakfast room is on the lower level to the right of the

front door. Above it is one of the guest bedrooms. Farther

to the right on the second level is another guest room and the

maid's room.

And the front door

The mansion's architecture is labeled as

mission Spanish Colonial.

THE front door

The Girls

The rest of the front of the mansion. 

The addition on the left has been added since the 

Wrigley family sold the home. Part of that addition was

the veranda that wrapped around the south and west sides. 

It is now a sun room used for parties and receptions.

The mansion was one of the five Wrigley homes. 

This winter cottage had 16,850 square feet with 24 rooms,

12 bathrooms. It was the smallest of their homes. Their

other residences were in Chicago, Philadelphia, Lake Geneva WI, 

Catalina Island, and Pasadena.

A closer photo of the ceiling adornment in the foyer.

I am sure the guide told us it is 24K gold leaf.

The ceiling adornment in the foyer.

One of four ceiling panels in the living room.

The lion represents William's English heritage.

This ceiling panel represents Ada's French heritage.

The light fixture in the foyer.

It is replicas of three crowns, the bottom a replica of

the English crown.

The foil room.

The original purpose of the room was to make

phone calls and used by the family and their guests.

The walls are now covered with foil from 

pieces of Wrigley's chewing gum.

Furniture in the hallway between the foyer

and the living room, and next to the library.

The doors between the hallway and the living room.

The hallway looking from the living room to the foyer.

The masterpiece of the living room.

The priceless oak Steinway duel-art player piano

in the living room is reported to be one of the only two

left in the world open to the public.

George Gershwin recorded the music on the player.

The piano is legally 'tied' to the house. It can never be

sold and will always remain with the mansion.

A vase setting near the marble fireplace.

Original wall light fixture in the living room.

Everything from doorknobs to furniture, from silver 

to brass, from windows to floors, was chosen to 

impress the presidents and other dignitaries who

visited the family during the 40 years the 

Wrigley's lived in the mansion.

Our tour guide played the beautiful piano for us,

meaning she pushed the correct levers and buttons for the 

player piano. It is a beautiful instrument.

It also had a remote control but it no longer works!

The family could be at the end of the very large room and 

control the piano music without leaving their chairs.

A painting of the original mansion.

Some bling from a lamp.

The staircase in the foyer leading to the bedrooms.

The ornate design on the upstairs railing, overlooking

the crowned light fixture.

Ada Wrigley

William Wrigley, Jr.

The dishes used by the Wrigleys

The tiled fireplace in Ada's bedroom suite.

The mansion has 11 unique fireplaces.

The tiles made at the family's Catalina Island

company, came by ship and train to Phoenix and

were hauled by mule the last 10 miles north to the

mansion. The Wrigleys owned most of Catalina Island.

The tiled wall in the hallway

The hallway floor, more Catalina tile

I loved the floor tile designs.

The Wrigley Mansion was listed on the National

Register of Historic Places in 1989.

This is the back south end of the mansion.

the addition on the far right

William's bedroom suite is the second level above the

veranda or covered porch. Ada's bedroom suite is the room

behind the sunroom located above the back door.

The six car garage is the low building to the left in the photo. 

Yes, six cars. William believed if a car was 

driven too much, it would 'blow up'. So he had one for each day

of the week. Sunday was for horseback riding.

Another look at the rear of the mansion.

We were reminded that at the time the mansion was

built and for many years, it was located far from Phoenix.

It was out in the desert. The stable was located quite a 

distance behind where I am standing for this photo.

Lions guard the rear stairway and entrance.

Flowers on the patios and

Gardens on the north side of the mansion

This area is called the Bride's Garden.

The mansion is used for meetings, weddings,

receptions, and dinners today. It is a private club

(because of zoning laws). 

"Our late owner Geordie Hormel and his wife Jamie Hormel 

purchased the mansion in 1992 with a goal that it would 

always be a place where anyone can be a guest and enjoy one 

of the premiere landmarks of Phoenix."

Camelback Mountain is to the east, as is the 

Arizona Biltmore Hotel.

The Wrigley's used to walk to the Biltmore to use

the swimming pool, as their mansion did not have one.

Wrigley also owned the Biltmore.

"William Wrigley, Jr. died in the house, just one year after it was built. After William Wrigley's wife passed away in 1958, the Wrigley Mansion underwent several ownership changes. The Mansion became part of the meeting space for the nearby Arizona Biltmore Hotel. Later, Western Savings became the owner, renamed it The Mansion Club and used it as a private club. Western Savings was one of the banks taken over by the Resolution Trust Company during the savings and loan crisis.

In order to prevent the mansion from being razed, and to restore it and maintain its historical importance, George ("Geordie") Hormel, of the famous meat company, purchased the mansion in 1992. He renovated it, and operated it as a restaurant and lounge as well as a banquet and wedding facility. Although Mr. Hormel passed away in 2006, it is still being operated in that fashion today."