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William Davis McCullough, an industrialist from Detroit, Michigan, and his family began traveling to Chandler in 1936 to spend the winters at the San Marcos Hotel, a popular winter destination for wealth and prominent families. Due to a desire to stay for longer times periods of time during the winter, Mr. McCullough purchased 200 acres southwest of the town of Chandler in 1937. In 1938, McCullough commissioned the Phoenix architectural firm of Lescher & Mahoney to design a house in the Pueblo Revival Style.
Click here to see the original Architectural Plans of the McCullough-Price House.
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The house was built on the McCullough property later that year.
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Unfortunately McCullough only had a few years to enjoy his new house. William McCullough died in May 1940. Mrs. McCullough decided to relocate back to McCullough decided to permanently relocate back to Detroit She sold the property to her recently widowed friend, so she sold the property to her recently widowed friend, Odessa Lochhead, in July 1942.
The Lochhead family owned Pecos Valley Milling Company and had been operating businesses in Chandler since the late 1920s. The Lochhead family owned Pecos Valley Milling Company and had been operating businesses in Chandler since the late 1920s. Mrs. Lochhead lived in the house until she passed Mrs. Lochhead lived in the house until she passed in 1943. San Marcos Hotel manager John Quarty held the house in trust for the Lochhead family while their son, Jim finished his time in the service and completed subsequent schooling. Quarty also leased the house to visitors as an extension of the San Marcos Hotel. In 1946 Jim and his wife Anna moved into the house where it became a social gathering place for residents of Chandler. The Lochheads lived there until 1950 when they sold the house to Arthur and Louise Price. Arthur Price grew up in the state of Washington and attended Washington State University, Harvard Law School and the University of Washington where he received a law degree. Originally planning on starting his career in California, he decided to try the Phoenix area instead. He passed the Arizona bar and became a legal counselor to Dr. Chandler in 1913. Seeing the vision and potential of the new town, Price decided to make Chandler his home and wrote its incorporation papers, constitution, by-laws and served as its first town attorney. He went on to be active in the community for many years. Price married Louise Chandler, a niece of Dr. Chandler in 1918. They had three children and initially resided on Washington Street in the Silk Stocking district before moving into their new home. After purchasing the house, the Prices spent their retirement years there until Arthur died in 1971. Louise lived in the house for three more years. After her death in 1975 the house passed into the hands of her daughter Suzanne Probstra. The land around the McCullough-Price House remained primarily agricultural up until the 1980s. Gradually, however, the land around the house was sold for development, first on the west side for residential subdivisions, then in the early 2000s the remainder for a commercial complex that now includes the Chandler Fashion Center Mall. Fortunately, the house remained on its original site. After the deaths of the Prices, the house remained mostly vacant and fell into disrepair. In 2001 Suzanne donated it to the City. Originally planned as a community center, the development adjacent to the house forced a change in plans. After a renovation by the City that restored the exterior and parts of the interior to their original 1938 appearance, the house opened as a visitor center and gallery in 2007. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Chandler Museum complex. The House: When the McCullogh family decided to build a house near Chandler, they commissioned the established and prolific Phoenix architectural firm of Lescher & Mahoney to design their new home. The firm was known for both its aesthetic designs and technical excellence. During its existence, the firm completed over 2500 commissions, many of which still exist. Lescher and Mahoney did primarily commercial and governmental buildings, so McCullough house was a departure from their standard practice. The design they produced is in the Pueblo Revival style which has its roots in the early Southwest. Examples of this style are rare in Chandler. The house was constructed on the original McCullough property, which was 240 acres at its height. It is about 3,308 square feet in area. The front primary facade faces east and at one time was accessed from the east by a long driveway. It is "L" shaped with the living room, dining room, den and kitchen located in the main portion of the building. Four bedrooms and bathrooms were in the south leg of the "L." To the north of and recessed from the primary facade is a service wing that contained a maid's room, bathroom, laundry and three-car garage. The former bedrooms are now used as offices and the service wing contains restrooms and a janitor's space. The garage is now a meeting room. The main living spaces are largely intact. The house is constructed of brick with a stucco finish and has several notable features including the wood lookouts, or "vigas" that run along the top of the facade; embellishments with Native-American inspired designs on the walls; and the original metal casement windows. The vigas, stucco exterior which mimics adobe, along with the minimal window penetrations give the house its Pueblo Revival style look. The house retains its original appearance from its construction in 1938. Additional information and details on the architectural features and history of the house and its families are in the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form which is attached to this memo. Conclusion and Recommendation: Since its construction in 1938, the McCullough-Price House has been a part of the agricultural, commercial, and social heritage of the City of Chandler. Its families, the McCulloughs, Lochheads, and Prices contributed to the founding, growth and development of Chandler. Former residences of founder Dr. A. J. Chandler no longer exist, so given the relationship of Louise Chandler Price to Dr. Chandler, the house is the closest to a founder's home in Chandler and its importance to Chandler's history cannot be understated. The house retains its original architectural integrity on the exterior and is judged the best example of both Pueblo Revival Style of architecture and of Lescher & Mahoney buildings in Chandler. Its listing on the National Register of Historic Places and connections to Chandler past also makes it eligible for Historic Preservation District designation as a Landmark in Chandler's history.
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