The Walter Douglas House, in Bisbee, Arizona, was built for Walter Douglas in 1908, who was the general manager for the Phelps-Dodge Company. It was the first house built in what was then Warren, Arizona, which was Arizona's first planned community, and was the largest home in the community. Designed by the architectural firm, Trost and Trost, it is a Crafts/Mission Revival Style house. The house has 11 bedrooms, a library, a billiards room, a basement, several school rooms, six fireplaces with Grueby tile, leaded-glass windowns and maple flooring. It also has three apartments (one of four rooms and two of six rooms); and of patio space. Throughout the years, the house has served several different purposes. Initially it was a private residence for Douglas. Then it was carved into apartments and at one point served as a lodge. In the late 1900s it was renovated as a private residence once again.
The house
The house is one of the largest and earliest homes made of cast-in concrete. Wall width varies from 14 to 18 inches, and are reinforced with steel. The house is just under 11,000 square feet, making it almost five times as large as the average house in Tucson. A wrought-iron surrounds the front and sides of the house, and two covered stairways are in the front (south side) of the house, rising to the house's veranda, which runs across its front. These stairways flank the main entrance, which looks out upon gardens and lily pond, as well as a courtyard with an L-shaped concrete pergola, and reflecting pool. The cast-place concrete structure has been covered with stucco plaster. The exterior walls have pre-formed Sullivanesque plaster tracery panels, and arched spandrels and plaster medallions. The pitched roof is covered with molding tin, crafted to look like mission tile. The walls decrease in thickness in each story, from 18 inches on the main floor down to 14 inches on the third-story. The east side of the house is dominated by a port cochere for a single vehicle. Stairs lead from port cochere up onto the veranda. The west side of the house has the kitchen entrance, entrance to the servants' quarters, and a basement entry. In the back of the house, the north side, there is a pergola over a rear patio with a central reflecting pool. In the 1930s an in-ground pool was added, as well as a jacuzzi.
The interior
Including the basement, there are 42 rooms in the building, which includes 12 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, billiards room, master bedroom suite, and servants' quarters. From the veranda, the main entrance consists of large double doors, flanked by windows. The foyer leads to a drawing room (or living room) to the left and the library to the right. The library has glass door bookcases and a fireplace with inlaid green tiles. The bookcases stop several fee below the ceiling. Leaded glass windows and doors have iron grills. Beyond the drawing room is the dining room, with a large bay window. Between each room are pocket double-doors. At the back of the foyer is a large semi-circular oak staircase leading to the second floor, with large leaded windows rising to the ceiling. To the right of the stairs are double doors with leaded glass windows lead to a center indoor patio. The patio has a pergola and fountain. The living room has a fireplace on the north wall, with leaded windows. Going through the living room leads to the dining, separated by large double pocket doors. It is a large dining room which could accommodate several dozen guests. There is a large bay window with a window seat. The kitchen lies off of the dining room, with a dumbwaiter to the upper floors. Beyond the kitchen are the servants' quarters. The interior maple floors are clear and unmarked.