Park: Riordan Mansion State Historic Park
Guest: Park Ranger Nikki Lober
Summary: Park Ranger Nikki Lober explains about the activities and musical performances scheduled for that day's events. Learn about the historic quilts on loan, a brief history of the mansion, and more!
Intro Music
Host:
Welcome to the Arizona State Parks Audio Update. Today we’re talking about an Arizona State Park’s 50th Anniversary event, called a Riordan Mansion Christmas Tradition to be held on December 15th at Riordan Mansion State Historic Park in Flagstaff. Joining us today is Park Ranger Nikki Lober, welcome to the program Nikki.
Park Ranger Nikki Lober:
Hi Tye.
Host:
Now Riordan Mansion was built in 1904 and is a great example of Arts and Crafts style architecture. Riordan Mansion is open year-round, but the Holidays are an especially great time of year to visit the mansion, tell us about how you decorate for the season.
Lober:
We use time period style decorations. The house is full of wonderful greenery, pine boughs, and Douglas Fir, and Juniper, and of course we have a wonderful white fir Christmas tree in the billiards rooms.
Host:
I also understand some historic quilts are on loan from the Coconino Quilters Guild.
Lober:
Absolutely. It adds an extra splash of color for the holidays. And this wonderful group of ladies have been bringing us quilts for the past couple of weeks and their very proud of these family quilts, these treasures they have gotten from their grandmothers and so forth. So they are bringing them to us to borrow for the holiday season so everyone can see the wonderful handiwork.
Host:
So tell us about some of the events that will be happening then on December 15th.
Lober:
Well on December 15th – well we’ve always had a wonderful Christmas for the kids, but because it’s the 50th Anniversary we’re taking it up a notch this year. Santa and Mrs. Clause will be here from 9 am to 11 am. And of course Santa will be passing out presents. And Mrs. Claus will be reading wonderful Christmas stories. But we’re also going to have quite a few musical performances. The NAU Suzuki violin program will be coming over with some of the little guys to play some Christmas songs. That will be in the morning at 10 o’clock. We’re also going to have a 50th Anniversary presentation by Ken Travous, who’s Director of Arizona State Parks. That will be at 10:45 am. And then at 1 o’clock, I will be presenting a lecture on Christmas Traditions; some of the silly things we celebrate and why, we celebrate them. And then we’ll be having some more music for the afternoon with the adult Hand Bell Choir from Trinity Heights United Methodist Church will be here at 2 o’clock to give a wonderful performance with the hand bells. And wrapping up the day will be the Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy Choir in the Visitors Center.
Host:
Great. And also there will be tours people can take starting each hour throughout the day, that’s correct?
Lober:
Absolutely. The tours leave on the hour, the first one is at 11 am. The last one is at 4 o’clock. And we strongly encourage people to make a reservations for the tours that day because we expect to be very busy and we do limit the group size to only 15 people.
Host:
Now tell us quickly a history of the mansion.
Lober:
It was built by the Riordan brothers for their families in 1904. These two brothers owned the Arizona Lumber and Timber company, the largest employer in Flagstaff for over 50 years. So this was an upgraded house from their earlier home. They built it beautifully in the Arts and Crafts style. And not only did the family give us the house, but they gave us much of the family’s original furnishings and belongings so it’s truly like stepping back in time.
Host:
Riordan Mansion State Historic Park is located in Flagstaff next to Northern Arizona University on West Riordan Road. The park’s winter hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guided tours begin each hour and include glimpses of folklore and Christmas traditions. The first tour starts at 11 a.m. and the last tour starts at 4 p.m. Tour reservations are recommended. Regular entrance fees are $6 for adults and $2.50 for children aged 7 to 13. Children aged 6 and younger are free. To contact the park directly and make reservations please call 928-779-4395. Thanks so much for joining us today Nikki.
Lober:
Thank you.
Host:
We look forward to this event a Riordan Chrismtas Tradition a 50th Anniversary State Park event will be held December 15th, all day, at Riordan Mansion State Historic Park.
Music
Commentator:
Arizona State Parks: Managing and serving Arizona’s natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of the people both in our parks and through our partnerships. Visit us on the web as azstateparks.com.
Music Ends
Piano Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Licensed under Creative Commons “Attribution 2.0”
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