Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

Park Hours

The Park is open everyday from 9:30 am until 5 pm. Tours start at the top of the hour at 10 am, 11 am, Noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, and 4 pm. Reservations are recommended, call (928) 779-4395.

Introductory Park Video

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About the Park

Step back in time and experience a great example of Arts and Crafts style architecture at Riordan Mansion.

Built in 1904 for two Riordan families, Riordan Mansion is an impressive reminder of gracious living in a small, territorial logging town. The historic building is an Arizona treasure — a remarkable example of Arts and Crafts style architecture featuring a rustic exterior of log-slab siding, volcanic stone arches, and hand-split wooden shingles. The expansive home has forty rooms, over 13,000 square-feet of living area, and servant's quarters. The Riordan residence was designed by the creator of Grand Canyon's El Tovar Hotel, Charles Whittlesey.

Mansion Tours

Guided tours of the Mansion given daily, at the top of the hour. During Winter, tours begin at 11 am. Tour size is limited and reservations are highly recommended. Reservations are made by calling the Park at (928) 779-4395. Your guide will lead you through a pristine historic home filled with original artifacts, handcrafted furniture, and personal mementos of the Riordan families. The impressive home contains an exceptional collection of Craftsman furnishings with appointments by Edison, Stickley, Ellis, and Steinway. The first floor of the West Wing is included as part of the tour and provides displays about the family, the Arts and Crafts movement, and other local interests.

Park Calendar

2013 Brown Bag Lunch Lectures

On the 2nd Monday of each month at 12:15 pm we present a different lecture as part of our Brown Bag Lunch Series. Stop by with lunch for an interesting presentation. Read complete descriptions on the calendar of events page. (Look for the Brown Bag Lunch symbol.)

2013 Evening Slide Presentation Series

Our evening Slide Presentation Series presents a wide ranging of topics. Presentations are held at 7 pm. Programs are free but reservations are recommended due to limited availability. Please call (928) 779-4395. Read complete descriptions on the calendar of events page. (Look for the Slide symbol.)

Timothy and Michael Riordan in 1928.

The Families

Timothy and Michael Riordan were prominent pioneer Flagstaff businessmen who developed a successful logging business, the Arizona Lumber and Timber Company. Moreover, the two brothers were known for their contributions which were essential to the development of the social and economic structure of Flagstaff and Northern Arizona. Tim and Mike married the Metz sisters, Caroline and Elizabeth. The women were cousins of the Babbitt brothers, another influential Flagstaff family. Tim and Caroline had two daughters; Mike and Elizabeth had six children. The two close-knit families built a large mansion comprised of two separate homes connected by a common area known as the billiard room.

Educational Curriculum: A Family and a Forest (Grades 3 through 6)

A Family and a Forest is a curriculum for 3 – 6 grade correlated with the Arizona State Education Standards for science, social studies and mathematics. The program includes activities to use in the classroom prior to your visit along with follow-up activities. The goal of the curriculum is to present information on the logging industry in Flagstaff, Arizona and how this industry provided wealth to the community and support for the families that relied upon that industry for their livelihood. It also presents information on the concerns of land use and conservation of the natural resources that provided that livelihood. Through the Riordan family history we learn about life one hundred years ago and relate that to our lives today.

Download A Family and a Forest Education Program Curriculum ( 2.2 MB PDF)