PHOENIX – May is celebrated as Preservation Month nationwide and Riordan Mansion State Historic Park is offering interactive programs and special tours throughout the month to help visitors experience Flagstaff’s history and provide a taste of early 1900s life in northern Arizona.

On May 12, 2024, a special tour focused on the women of Riordan Mansion and their stories will be available for visitors. The tour will shed light on what life was like for these women and the important role they played in the family, the mansion itself, and the town of Flagstaff. Tickets for this tour are available for $16 per person and can be purchased online. 

Additionally, visitors can look forward to a lunchtime lecture on the hidden history of Riordan Road and the lost town of Milton. Historian and guest speaker David Portree will also share plans to bring Milton back to life. 

For those who connect more easily with art and nature, the park will host a Plein Air Paint Out on May 18, 2024. Artists of all skill levels are invited to paint plein air (painting outdoors) around the grounds of the Riordan Mansion.

Details for these events as well as registration and ticket purchases can be made at AZStateParks.com/Riordan-Mansion/Events.

The celebration of history doesn't have to end when the calendar flips to June. Later this summer, visitors can enjoy a nature walk and monthly garden tour to appreciate ecology and conservation or explore historic Milton and Flagstaff's logging past with a walking tour in June and July.

About Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

Built in 1904 for two Riordan families, the mansion is a well-preserved example of Arts and Crafts style architecture. The expansive home has forty rooms, over 13,000 square-feet of living area, and servants' quarters. The Riordan residence was designed by the creator of Grand Canyon's El Tovar Hotel, Charles Whittlesey. Park visitors can take a self-guided tour of the exterior of the mansion or register for a guided tour of the interior of the mansion, offered daily. The park is located at 409 West Riordan Road, Flagstaff, Ariz.