Sunday was the fifth year of Ladies Day Out. This year we travel to the community of Superior for the Home Tour. Historical has been removed from the title as some of the homes were built more recently. We toured six homes, shopped in one gallery, two eclectic stores, and the old cafe where some local artists were displaying their arts and crafts. The Home Tour is a yearly two day event and a fund raiser for the Superior Chamber of Commerce.
I found the history of the homes fascinating. Each home had it's own bio sheet and its current owner was on hand to answer questions or share interesting information. On a couple of occasions the five of us were the only ones in the home, at least for a few minutes, so it seemed like we were getting a private tour.
The event was very well organized with signs and maps to help us find our way around the old mining community. I share old mining community because streets start and end wherever, especially in the original or old town. The town, built on a hillside, is like many mining towns I have visited.
Our first stop was 76 San Pedro Street.
We entered the home through the carport to the far left and exited through the white door in the pink house. San Pedro Street seemed more like an alley than a city street. In the 1920s and probably as many as 10 years before that, these adobe houses were built for the miners. This row is four homes built next to each other and right next to the street; no room for a sidewalk or yard in the front. Pete Casillas lives in the peaked roof house, #76 and in the next house, #72. His renovations use discarded props from movie sets and re purposed materials from old buildings. We could not take photos inside his home. However, he was very gracious and shared some interesting information regarding his renovations.
This photo is from the bottom of the hill looking north towards Pete's current residence. Pete owns all four houses. As a child he and his nine siblings lived in the home on the right, #66. (It had three more rentals behind it back then, and they were all used by his family as bedrooms.) His grandparents lived in the next house, #70. His grandparents moved to Superior from Mexico in 1920. They originally lived in #66, but moved to #70 when Pete's parents started their family of 10. There are two basements that run the length of the four houses. Pete's father remembers in the 1930s when a family named Cota lived in the house that is now Pete's residence, #76. The Quiroz family lived in the basement under #76 & #72 and keep their burros on the ground level of #72. Mr. Quiroz made a living selling firewood to the families in Superior. He needed the burros to collect and deliver the firewood.
Pete told us to come back in two years. He is expecting to have completed the renovations of his home and that of his grandparents. I am sure I could have taken photos of the back yard, but this was our first home visit and I was not sure of the protocol. His outside space overlooks the mountains to the east and is some of the most inviting space I have seen in AZ.
I should also add at this point it was confusing to know exactly how many rooms were in each house. I think it would be safe to say that each of the four original row houses had three rooms, one of which was a kitchen. The other two rooms could easily have been bedrooms or possibly a sitting room and a bedroom or as in the case of #72, a kitchen and 4 smaller rooms. (That is the one that was home to the burros in the 1930s.) It was interesting to say the least, both the history and to see what Pete has done to restore the original 'flavor' of the homes.
The second house we visited was 602 Lime Street was in the same neighborhood. It is owned by Charles Davison, an artist, and is also the David Betancourt Gallery.
This one room adobe house was built in 1917. It had a dirt floor, an outhouse, and no electricity. Indoor plumbing and electricity did not come to this part of town until the 1930s or 40s. Some of the homes in this area, like the row houses, "were built to serve the local Mexican and Spanish population who worked in the nearby mine or had supporting shops along Pinal Street". This home like many others had additional rooms built to accommodate growing families. That was very easy to see in this house. There are two rooms in the front, two smaller rooms in the back and another single room behind it; a triangular house. It is said a benevolent female spirit watches over this house.
When the current owner began his renovation he found a lot of termite damage, just like in the row houses. Many of these houses have sat empty and neglected for years, open to vandals and critters.
Several art pieces were displayed in the backyard. These are the works of Charles Davison. he uses vivid colors and
paper and cloth to give his paintings some dimension, and uniqueness.
Some of the extra details from the three amigos are in the following photos.
one of the belt buckles
buttons on one of the shirts
and beading on one of the hats
All of his paintings appeared to have the additions of paper, fabrics, buttons, beads, etc.
I do not believe this is one of Davison's paintings, but the work of another artist. I like the colors.
Another displayed painting.
Another version of Davison's Native Americans.
This interesting cactus was in the yard of this house.
This little church was also in the neighborhood. We were unsure if it is a church or if it is a private home.
Some painted details on the door frame of a nearby house.
This neighborhood appeared to be an 'artsy' part of town, people renovating historical, OLD, houses that have been neglected and abandoned. More of the tour in the next post.
Previous Ladies Day Out adventures:
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