Douglas, Walter, House - Bisbee, Arizona - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

"The Walter Douglas House is an excellent example of a large scale Arts and Crafts / Mission Revival Style house. It is one of the best remaining examples of the residential designs of the prominent and influential architectural firm of Trost and Trost. It is also one of the largest and earliest examples of a cast-in-place concrete residence in Arizona.

Situated on a low hill on the northern end of the township of Warren, this large, three story house overlooks Warren to the south. Distant views extending to Mexico are framed in many of the south facing windows.

The rooms of the house are large and airy, most with good natural light. Many of the windows are carefully crafted, leaded patterns, some matching the woodwork of the room. This is very typical of arts and crafts houses of the period with matched window and paneling designs such as the Gamble House by Green and Green in Pasadena, California.

The broad veranda, the spacious entry, the scale of the rooms and halls and the second floor bedroom arrangements with the adjacent outdoor sleeping porches and solar rooms are also typical of the large scale western American Arts and Crafts houses of the period. However, unlike many houses of the day, natural lighting is excellent. From the front entry foyer one can look through layered spaces all the way through to the library to the east and to the dining room to the west. While each room is discreet, often separable from adjoining rooms by large pocket doors; there is a feeling of openness.

The exterior is Mission Revival style, stucco on concrete, with Sullivanesque cast plaster details on the spandrels of the front arches and the pediment of the port cochere. Flattened circular windows arranged horizontally under the broad eaves are also a signature detail of the Trosts. The low pitched roofs appear to be of mission tile but closer inspection through the porthole windows in the attic reveal a roof made of tin, cleverly crafted to imitate mission tile.

The siting of this residence was a very significant part of the overall Warren "City Beautiful" Plan where residences of leading citizens were to occupy prominent positions in the planned town. Their homes were to line the two Vistas facing each other to the south with the Douglas home capping the six block long parkway separating the two Vistas. The Douglas home was the first to be built (1908) and would remain the most imposing home, corresponding to Walter Douglas's position as General Manager of the Phelps Dodge Corporation's mines.

The house has served many roles through the years. For the first 35 years it was both a meeting place for International and National business leaders and an executive family mansion, another time it was carved into apartments, briefly it was a lodge, eventually it was restored. Amazingly, through its many lives, it continues to boldly communicate the spirit, design, and original detailing of the original designers." - National Register Nomination

The mansion appears to be in excellent condition and has been beautifully restored.

Street address: 201 Cole Ave. Bisbee, Arizona County / Borough / Parish: Cochise Year listed: 2000 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Person, Architecture/Engineering Periods of significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949 Historic function: Domestic Current function: Domestic Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.