Pioneer Living History Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pioneer Living History Museum

Pioneer Living History Museum
Established	1969
Location	3901 W. Pioneer Road Phoenix, Arizona
Type	Living museum

The Pioneer Living History Museum, also known as Pioneer Arizona, is a special place in Phoenix, Arizona. It's like stepping back in time to the 1880s and early 1900s! The museum has 30 old buildings, some original and some rebuilt, spread across 90 acres. It shows what life was like for early settlers in Arizona.

Discovering Arizona's Past

Back in 1956, some people who loved Arizona's history got worried. Many old buildings were being torn down to make way for new ones. So, they created a group called the "Pioneer Arizona Foundation, Inc." Important leaders like former Governor Paul Fannin and Senator Barry Goldwater were part of this group.

Their main goal was to save historical buildings from 1870 to 1910. They wanted future generations to learn about the challenges and daily lives of early pioneers. The foundation bought 90 acres of land in north Phoenix. The museum officially opened its doors on February 15, 1969.

In 2010, the museum's land was almost sold at an auction. This could have closed the museum! Luckily, the city of Phoenix stepped in and bought the land. They also built a water line to the museum. This meant the museum could stay open and keep sharing its amazing history with everyone.

Exploring Historic Buildings

The museum has many interesting buildings and structures. There are 10 original historical buildings, including a ranch and a farm. There are also 15 buildings that have been carefully rebuilt to look just like they did long ago.

Original Historic Buildings

These buildings are truly old and have been moved to the museum to be preserved:

• The Sears House, also called the Victorian House, was built in the early 1890s. It was once a homestead in Phoenix.
• The Ashurst Cabin was built in 1878 near Prescott. This was the childhood home of Henry Fountain Ashurst, who became Arizona's first U.S. Senator. His family cooked over a fireplace and sometimes outside.
• The Phoenix Bakery building dates back to 1881. It was originally on Washington Street in Phoenix. In 1910, it was the first bakery in the area to use a car for deliveries!
• The Flying “V” Cabin was built in 1880 in Young, Arizona. It has special openings called gun ports. These were used during the Battle of Big Dry Wash in 1882, which was the last Apache War in that area.
• The Gordon School was built in 1885 in Gordon Canyon. It taught local children until 1930.
• The Meritt Farm House was built in 1910. John and Emma Meritt owned this farm in Phoenix.
• The Northern Home was built in 1885 near Flagstaff. It was once home to Jeff Newman and his family.
• The Opera House was built in the early 1870s in Prescott. Famous performers like John Drew Jr. and Lillie Langtry once performed here.

Lillie Langtry in a play from 1887.

• The Teacherage Cabin was built in 1890 in Payson. This small cabin was a home for the local teacher.
• The Ranch Complex was built in 1870 in Gordon Canyon, Payson.

Reconstructed Historic Buildings

These buildings have been carefully rebuilt to look exactly like the originals:

• The Bandstand is a rebuilt bandstand from 1881 in Globe, Arizona.
• The Bank is a rebuilt Valley Bank from 1884 in Phoenix.
• The Blacksmith Shop is a rebuilt shop from around 1870 in Globe. Blacksmiths made and repaired metal items.

Inside the Blacksmith shop.

• The Carpenter Shop is a rebuilt shop that served Prescott in 1880.
• The Community Church is a rebuilt St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church from 1880 in Globe.

The Community Church.

• The Dress Shop shows what a clothing store looked like in Phoenix in 1890.

Inside the Dress shop.

• The Mercantile is a rebuilt 1890s general store. Today, it's the museum's gift shop!
• The Miner's Cabin is a copy of a cabin where a miner and his family might have lived in the mountains near Clifton.
• The Print Shop is a rebuilt Phoenix printing shop from the 1890s.
• The Sheriff's Office is a rebuilt adobe building from 1881 in Globe.
• The Southern House is a rebuilt "Anglo" house from 1858 in Tucson.
• The Stage Stop is an exact copy of the Darrell Duppa Stage Station. It served the road from Phoenix to Wickenburg from 1871 to 1873. Phillip Darrell Duppa, who gave Phoenix its name, ran it.
• The Smith and Dodd's Tonsorial Parler is a rebuilt barber shop from the old days.
• The Town Ditch is a copy of the ditches pioneers used. These ditches carried water for drinking, cooking, and washing.

Fort Woods is a copy of a fort from the 1860s in the West. It was named after Sergeant Brent Woods, a brave Buffalo Soldier.

The Town Cemetery is a copy of a pioneer cemetery. Graves were covered with rocks to keep wild animals away. This cemetery honors volunteers who helped build the museum.

Gallery of Original Historic Buildings

See Also

• List of historic properties in Phoenix, Arizona
• Cave Creek Museum
• Children's Museum in Phoenix
• Pioneer and Military Memorial Park
• List of museums in Arizona