A Desert Feast by Carolyn Niethammer

Author:Carolyn Niethammer [Niethammer, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: CKB002070 Cooking / Regional & Ethnic / American / Southwestern States, TRV025120 Travel / United States / West / Mountain (az, Co, Id, Mt, Nm, Nv, Ut, Wy)
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Published: 2020-09-22T00:00:00+00:00

That year, Reid shipped Christmas boxes of Arizona fruit to every state in the United States and the Territory of Alaska. That was also the year he sold an adjoining piece of the property to Reverend George W. Ferguson of Saint Philip’s in the Hills Episcopal Church, who planted the property with five varieties of citrus trees. Ferguson also commissioned local architect Josias Joesler to design the home that still stands in the center of the property.

In 1936, Reid petitioned the county to change the name of the road that ran by his property to Orange Grove Road. His son Gene, who majored in horticulture at the University of Arizona, rose through the ranks at the City of Tucson to become the first director of the Parks and Recreation Department. Reid Park is named after him.

Eventually H. W. “Bill” Taylor acquired Reverend Ferguson’s property, planted more trees, and called the business Desert Treasures as the name remains to this day.

In 1947, Reid sold his retail, mail order, processing, and manufacturing business to his neighbor Taylor who combined it with his own business. Many longtime Tucson residents recall going to the shop on the property to buy citrus for their own use or to send as gifts to family.

Seventy percent of the original trees are still alive and bearing. The other 30 percent Larsen has replaced over the years.

In 2018 the Desert Treasures orchard and the Ferguson home were awarded Pima County Historic Landmark status, protecting this Tucson architectural treasure from future development.

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