(The following is some research that I did, voluntarily, for the Ash Fork Arizona Museum. I thought I would share this work with you, even though it has little to do with Saginaw.)
ASHFORK, ARIZONA MUSEUM RESEARCH PROJECT PART II: ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND CONCLUSIONS, JANUARY 2026
Michael Branson
(Amateur Historian)
I want to take a moment to discuss the process of studying and understanding of history. A number of resources are used to define and understand the past. These include field research, prior documentation from other sources, artifacts, and oral explanations of traditional history. These are only to name a few of the techniques used for study, yet this short list is adequate for the amateur historian.
We are more than just rational beings; personal feelings and strong beliefs are often challenged by new revelations; if not handled with sensitivity and respect, conflict can be the outcome. Keeping in mind the dynamics of human nature, the author will do what is best to keep harmony in the social order.
Strong opinions exist as to when the building was constructed. There are oral traditions supporting the views that the structure was built by the railroad, or that the County erected the stately edifice. These views need not be conflicted, instead to some degree both can be true.
In Part 1, the author's original theory was that the stone walls of the museum structure were built from left over stones from the Escalante Hotel. However, new evidence indicates that the walled structure dates from an earlier timeframe.
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There are a number of plaques on the museum grounds, two of which are used as resources for this document. In addition to these, the Museum website and a published book provided additional information.
PLAQUE #1; WEST WALL OF STRUCTURE PLAQUE #2, NORTH OF THE STRUCTURE
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
1882 ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC REACHES ASH FORK, ARIZONA
1883-4 ASH FORK IS DESIGNATED AS A FREIGHT AND PASSENGE DISTRICT,
ALLOWING THE TRANSFER OF PASSENGERS AND FREIGHT.
WOODEN DEPOT AND EATING HOUSE WERE BUILT SOON THEREAFTER.
1893 STONE DEPOT IS BUILT
1903 WOODEN STRUCTURE EATING HOUSE, HOTEL AND DEPOT ARE DESTROYED
IN A FIRE.
STONEWORK FROM ORIGINAL DEPOT IS USED TO BUILD MUSEUM STRUCTURE
1907 ESCALANTE HOTEL IS OPENED.
1922 (1926-27) STONE STRUCTURE (MUSEUM) PURCHASED BY THE COUNTY, BECOMING
ASH FORK MAINTENANCE CAMP #1
1968 ESCALANTE DEMOLISHED
The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad reached Ash Fork in 1882-83. Ash Fork became a freight and passenger district to better serve the junction of the transcontinental mainline, the branch line to Prescott, Arizona, and the stage lines to the Grand Canyon. It is established that a wooden station and eating house were the original railroad structures, followed by the building of the stone Depot in 1893.
According to two sources, the Depot was built from either Red Coconino Sandstone, or Moenkapi Sandstone. Either sandstone could have come from a local quarry, or from several other that were established in Flagstaff and Winslow (this was covered in Part One.) It was a significant and dignified structure, atypical of western railroad design. It was functional, built with pride in craftsmanship, and made the statement that the railroad was here to stay.
Tragedy struck in 1903(5), when the wooden structures and the depot were gutted by fire. This necessitated and provided opportunity for the building of the ESCALANTE complex, one of the growing numbers of Fred Harvey hotels.
This brings us to a discussion of the Museum structure. The "Ash Fork Route 66 Historic Museum" website states that after the 1905 fire, the stones from the original fire-damaged Depot were used to build the current building. This is also documented by an author in a book on the Ash Fork community. The exact references used for the prior statement is not quoted here.
The author has no reason to doubt prior research efforts, or to contradict oral history. Instead, physical evidence will be presented to support these statements as to the origin of the structure. The following images are the result of a recent visual survey of the structure:
STONE STRUCTURE; GENERAL EXTERIOR OBSERVATIONS
*****The stonework shows several areas where chisels have been put to work. The left image shows a square cut, the right image a diagonal cut with tool markings
The left image shows a purposely cut grove; the right image shows another with tool marks.
There are a number of blocks with this distinctive cut into the stone. The width of the notch is four inches, which is consistent with the dimensions of a standard 2x4 wooden framing stud of the time 1883-1907.) In contemporary times, lumber dimensions were standardized to 1.5x 3.5 inches, due to drying, sanding and processing of the wood.
Unusual edging, found on each corner of the structure. This appears to have been chiseled into each corner block at the time of construction of the walls.
Close-up views of the unusual corner edge.
The stones are of a high quality, varying in length but consistent in width. The front face of the stones has the same general appearance, that of a a rough but appealing texture consistent with other such stones in similar railroad structures (see Part 1.) Although other structures were built at different times and locations, they all have the same general appearance consistent with specifications you would expect from a railroad, such as the Santa Fe.
The original mortar-work was done with care and professionalism, indicating that experienced stone masons were at work. Although they were using recycled stones, the final product was functional yet attractive; an expression of someone who took pride in their work.
The placement of the stones appears to be random; the chiseled modifications don't have a consistent pattern (with the exception of the corner edges.) Specifically, they have all of the appearance of having been recycled from another building.
The cut grooves, as can be seen in one of the images, measure four inches in width. If these stones were repurposed from the original Depot, then it would be reasonable to identify where they were placed.
One of the defining features of the stone Depot was the use of corbels to support the roof, where it overhangs the walls of the building. Given the dimensions of the cuts in the stone, it is reasonable to assume that the stones were once placed behind the corbels, then notched to provide a flat area for a tight fit on the wall. Remember, the stonework had a textured surface; recessing the corbels would be necessary for a tight fit.
Image on display at the museum.
The corbels that supported the roof are visible in the picture
The interior surface of the walls was backfilled with various sized stones, which would be consistent with maximizing the use of odds and ends. This helped to buttress the outside stonework. The interior finish work was more basic but served the purpose of providing a secure workspace.
With any enclosed building, a roof is a necessity. the original stone building had a roof constructed of wood, similar to other railroad-related buildings scattered about the Ash Fork townsite. It is a speculative and somewhat presumptuous to assume this, however barring any invasive research techniques into the foundation of the current structure, admittingly little to no evidence is available to support this assertion.
WHY WAS IT BUILT AT THIS LOCATION?
As stated on both plaques, this location is at the junction of the two highways. The railroad junction for the transcontinental and Prescott lines was located nearby. According to one of the maps, and early tax records, this property was owned by the railroad. This site presented a unique access point to the regional roads, was well-placed to be used as a warehouse, and was within a short distance to the Escalante Hotel.
Once the railroad was in mind to sell the structure, the road department realized its value and purchased the property. Therein begins the second life of this unique structure.
Courtesy Google Maps
View of the area. The ESCALANTE was located in the upper right corner; the museum building is just off the image in the lower left corner.
The colored lines indicate various spurs, at different times cris-crossing the area. The Santa Fe once owned the area to the north of the road, and to the southwest where the building now stands. This view provides a good idea as to how close the museum structure was to the hotel and other buildings.
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WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING?
Given the strategic location of the building the railroad would not have endeavored to construct such a structure without some significant purpose. They spent considerable time and effort recycling the original stonework and shaping it into a large building. There were a defined purpose and importance in the design.
According to Plaque #2, the building was used as a warehouse for the Fred Harvey restaurant. As a warehouse structure, it was centrally located to be supplied from the roads and the railroad, which was a short distance away. The plaque asserts that a spur connected to the building; however, evidence as yet does not confirm this point. It is well known that railroads would often place a temporary spur to a site. It is possible a temporary spur existed; additional evidence may someday be forthcoming. The area around the entryways have been disturbed by decades of use, and as such may never reveal their secrets.
When embarking on a large-scale construction project such as the Escalante, additional structures must be available for the use of the workers, craftsmen, and engineers. This would have provided a safe and secure area, where: building plans can be studied and modified; people of various crafts produce their works of art; and that supplies can be stored without the occasional "appropriation" of materials by persons unknown. They needed a clean and secure workplace.
The construction of this building would fulfill this need. It had ample lighting from all of the large windows, was within a reasonable distance from the construction site, and projects could be left for the next day without being disturbed.
Once the hotel was completed, the building could be used for storage of dry goods, furniture or additional supplies that would be needed by the Escalante.
1922 (1926-27:) THE SITE WAS PURCHASED BY COUNTY ROAD MAINTENANCE, BECOMING ASH FORK MAINTENANCE CAMP #1
There is a discrepancy between the two plaques as to when the building was purchased. One states circa 1926-27, the other 1922. For the sake of simplicity and harmony, the earlier date will be used.
Image is on display at the Museum. The original was taken circa 1940s. This shows the addition on the southeast corner of the structure. Note also that the two vents near the windows have not been installed. You can also see the sign and double doors located on the south side of the structure.
The concrete pad located on the southeast corner of the building. The slab is sloped, allowing water to run to the center drain (second image.) This addition in all probability dates to 1922 and thereafter, when the County Road Department purchased the building. This was probably a washroom or a locker area for the workers, or possibly other uses. The original stone wall shows a large hole for a pipe, large enough for a waste line or waterpipe.
(Note also the concrete capstone on the walls; this was poured at the same time as the large doors. Was the capstone done in 1905, or added in 1922? Are the large doors original to the building, or a hybrid from both time periods? Another study, for another time.)
As per the plaque #2, additions were made over the years, mostly simple structures to fit a particular need. These included a blacksmith shop, sleeping quarters, garages, etc. There was a large shed constructed on the northside of the building and appears not connected to the structure.
The need for this addition, and the others mentioned in the plaque, raises a question: if the building in its entirety was constructed by the road department and was purpose built to meet their needs, then why the additions?
As has been shown form Part One, the interior floor had been modified for the installation of a manual jack system. It also appears that at one time there a concrete "float" was done on the floor, covering the footings of the steel structure. It is possible this was done to provide a smooth surface over a pre-existing foundation.
The interior steel structure is very robust, as if built to handle large loads that need to be moved about the central bay area. This would be in line with the needs of a road department, that used large vehicles and needed to move parts about the area. This is one indicator that the framework was designed to be installed within the original walls.
As part of the author's theory that the steel structure and roof were added to the original walls, more research needs to be conducted on the steel components. There are some differences in the window designs, and the steel frame does not appear to be imbedded in the original walls. Dating the timeframe when the steel was made would be a step forward. The large chain and hook mechanism possibly hides a stamped date, which requires some daring skills to reach the object in question.
It is the author's conclusion that the stone walls were built at the time as the ESCALANTE, possibly predating the hotel by one to two years. It is also proposed that the steel structure was built at a later date.
It is the author's assertion that the building, in its' present form, was the amalgam of two distinct construction timeframes: circa 1905-1907, when the original station stonework was used to build the walls; circa 1922 or 1926-1927 when the structure was modified with the robust steel construction by the new occupants.
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