History

Eisendrath House sits on a pristine desert hillside next to Papago Park, with unbroken views all the way to the mountains that define the Salt River Valley. The people who have been on this land the longest are the O'Odham and Piipaash communities and their ancestors. O'Odham and Piipaash people live in Tempe and every other city and town in their historic homeland, and their connection to the land continues to thrive.

Tempe had a population of about 2,500 people in 1930, when Rose Eisendrath purchased 40 acres of desert and had this house built as a winter getaway. Her husband had made his fortune manufacturing gloves for industrial workers, while Rose managed the household and contributed time and money to charitable causes and support of the arts. After she was widowed, she became one of the many affluent Chicago travelers who spent their winters discovering the cultural and environmental charms of the Southwest.

From Rose Eisendrath's time onward, this desert home has atrracted a series of fascinating people: philanthropists and artists, businessmen and socialites, architects and craftspeople, and the talented workers who kept the house and property running. Learn the whole story of this fascinating house and its beautiful setting by attending one of our tours or public events.

Tempe History Museum manages historic Eisendrath House in accordance with its mission, as a place where the community comes together to explore Tempe's past, share its present and imagine its future. We work together with Tempe's diverse residents to preserve and tell their stories. The Museum comprehensively explores Tempe history through exhibits, activities, speakers, collections, research services, and programs that captivate, connect with and engage audiences throughout the community and beyond. We embrace the important responsibility of collecting and caring for the artifacts and the written, spoken and pictorial records of Tempe.