Sedona, AZ - April 13, 2008 - The City of
Sedona’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)
announces its first “Sedona’s Most Endangered
Places” list.
The list is intended to bring
attention to endangered historic resources through
the use of a publicized list. We hope that the
list will not only bring awareness, but will
generate ideas and support for preservation of
important historic properties in the city.
“The HPC put a lot of thought into the creation of
this program and the identification of these first
properties,” said Commission Chairperson, Janeen
Trevillyan. “The program is based on the National
Trust for Historic Preservations' program.
Considering the pressures of development and
build-out in Sedona, the high percentage of historic
properties in intense zoning areas of the city, and
the rarity of historic structures in town, this
seemed like one more way the Commission could bring
attention to the fragility of our few historic
resources.”
Kathy Levin, Associate Planner in the City’s
Community Development Dept. outlined the criteria
for the HPC’s inclusion of properties on this new
list. That criteria includes the 1) significance or
architectural, artistic, and/or historic importance
of a site; and/or 2) urgency for immediate action
to stop or reverse serious threats; and/or 3) the
existence of potential solutions that can remove the
threat.
“The Commission hopes that these criteria
will stimulate positive action and they feel the
properties on this first list illustrate some or all
of these important local historical themes,” she
stated.
The HPC met several times and made site visits in
order to determine what properties should be
included on this list. They considered their
condition, known or presumed threats, and potential
solutions for preservation. They carefully limited
this list to the properties they considered most
critical in need.
The City of Sedona’s Historic Preservation
Commission’s first “Sedona’s Most Endangered Places”
list is as follows, and in no particular order:
The Elmer & Lizzie Purtymun House (at Lomacasi),
1924
The Purtymun house built by members of the fourth
permanent family in Oak Creek Canyon is a typical
Sedona vernacular house of its era and is
potentially eligible for the National Register of
Historic Places. The owner is currently seeking
permission to develop the site for high-intensity
commercial uses and potential solutions for
preservation might be to incorporate the house into
the development, or move it on the site to an
undeveloped area of the project.
 |
|
The Elmer & Lizzie Purtymun House (at Lomacasi), 1924. |
Madole-Rigby House, circa. 1948
This adobe house was built for Douglas and Elisabeth
Rigby, and is perhaps the oldest adobe house in
Sedona. It was designed by Howard Madole and built
by his family. Madole is known as Sedona first
designer to use modern design and building
materials. It also may be eligible for the National
Register of Historic Places. This home sits in the
center of a large vacant parcel that could
experience dense development. A potential solution
would be to incorporate it into any new development
on the site.
 |
|
Madole-Rigby House, circa. 1948. |
Irrigation Ditches, begun in 1880s
Sedona’s earliest settlers built irrigation ditches
from Oak Creek to their farms. These ditches
contributed to our orchard history. Some are
eligible for the National Register of Historic
Places. These ditches have many owners with varying
degrees of interest in preservation and they are
occasionally damaged by flooding. While some owners
on these linear landmarks have received Local
Landmark status for the ditch segments on their
property, a final solution to preservation would be
to have the balance of owners agree to “Local
Landmark” status.
Old Post Office, circa. 1938
Charley Thompson, descendant of our first permanent
settler, built this structure along the ‘new’ road
in Uptown Sedona to replace the post office washed
away by the 1938 flood. The building was relocated
to Brewer Road sometime after a new post office was
built in 1950. This building sits on a large
commercially zoned mostly vacant parcel that is
prime for large and intense development. Potential
solutions could be either incorporation into any new
development or move to another site
For more information about this list or the work of
the Historic Preservation Commission, call Kathy
Levin at 928-203-5035.
[Home Page]
[News Home Page]
[Back to Community Page]