Phoenix plans preservation project for Duppa-Montgomery Homestead building

• The original homestead was founded in 1871 by "Lord" Phillip Darrell Duppa, who worked with Phoenix founder Jack Swilling and is credited with giving the fledgling city its name.
• He later sold the homestead to John Montgomery, who likely built the two-room adobe building as part of his dairy operation

Threat level: Adobe is a "tricky material" that "likes to return to the earth," so it requires frequent maintenance, Phoenix historic preservation officer Helana Ruter said.

• Previous preservation projects have focused on drainage and anti-erosion efforts.
• The upcoming effort will put a steel canopy over the building, and the adobe walls will be stabilized.
• Currently, the building is open to the elements and protected by a chain-link fence.

Zoom in: The Historic Preservation Office would also like to add signs to inform the public of the building's history.

Between the lines: The money for the preservation work comes from a $500 million general obligation bond approved by voters in 2023.

The intrigue: There is still some debate over exactly what it was used for.

• The building is often referred to as the oldest house in Phoenix, or at least one of the oldest; but based on the size and the likelihood it was built by Montgomery instead of Duppa, Ruter said it was probably built for agricultural purposes, like a barn or a storage building.
• It always makes for a fun story "when you can tie it to one of the original folks credited with naming the city," she added.