History of Reata & Greasewood Flats
This article was written by Don Schoenau and appeared in the May 1998 issue of A Peek at the Peak, the newsletter of the Greater Pinnacle Peak Homeowners' Association. Many visitors have seen the historic Cavalliere's blacksmith shop in downtown Scottsdale but not many of them know about its connection to Reata Pass Steakhouse and Greasewood Flats. Singers John Denver and Glen Cambell knew, and now you will too!
"An Afternoon with Doc Cavalliere"
by Don Schoenau
"My parents first came to Scottsdale in 1908 from California. My uncle was already settled in the Valley, coming here in the late 1890's. What brought us here? Arizona was starting to boom and my father worked for the U.S. Reclamation Service, which was digging the Arizona Canal.
Origins of Cavalliere's blacksmith shop in Scottsdale
He was a welder by trade and repaired the machinery that was used to dig the canal. At the time, we lived in a tin house mounted on a sled that followed the progress of the canal. In those days, welders were repairing wagon wheels and shoeing horses. When we moved to Scottsdale many Indians would stop by to repair the iron wheels of their wagons and shoe their horses.
In my early days, I operated a small ranch along the Verde River. We would buy cattle from Mexico, fatten them up on the desert and then send them to market. In those early days there was still enough grass to feed the cattle. Later on I became a blacksmith, which I learned from my father, I opened an iron works shop in Scottsdale which is still in business today and operated by my son. The Second World War came and like many others, I served in the Air Force.
Doc turns stagecoach stop into cowboy restaurant, Reata Pass Steakhouse
I bought Reata Pass in the early 1950's and and with my wife turned
it into a cowboy restaurant. It originally was a stagecoach stop going north to Fort
McDowell and then on to Prescott from Phoenix. Portions of the old stage road can still be
seen today, especially from the air. Travelers were treated to the welcome refreshment of
a hot meal and cool drink while the horses were watered. Crossing the McDowells Mountains
in those days was no easy task as the 2,000 foot climb took its toll on the passengers and
the horses. If the searing desert sun, or broken or exausted horses didn't stop the
stage, a gully washer usually did.
During that period Fort McDowell was settled by white farmers who sold fruits and vegetables to the city. It later became part of the Indian reservation, the farmers left and land reverted to desert. The blinking light towers was installed by the power company to let people know that electricity was available to the ranches. Over the years, Reata has burned several times, with the stone foundation the only original part of the building. The jail house across the road is original and was used elsewhere in the 1880's to hold Indian prisoners.
Old bunkhouse becomes Greasewood Flats
Greasewood Flats was originally a ranch bunk house that was built around 1883 and probably was used by the stagecoach passengers. Later on it was used as a bunkhouse on Brownie's Ranch. We still keep it rustic with most of our customers eating hamburgers at our outdoor picnic tables. In our early days, when we fed 25 or 30 people instead of 400 today, both John Denver and Glen Campbell would come and do impromptu songs. Boy, could they drink.
The "Rich & Famous" and the very large find the place
At that time, Reata Pass was used as a back drop for several early movies. I remember when Bob Hope was here to shoot "Cancel my Reservation." Early portions of Bonanza were shot here and young Michael Landon frequented our restaurant. At one point movie producers built a church as a backdrop for an early western called "Peace the Gunfighter." In addition, we have hosted many of the rich and famous, such as Tennessee Ernie Ford, Barry Goldwater, Walter McCune and Kemper Marley to name a few. We even built a large chair for one of our regular customers, who weighed around 500 pounds. When he passed away, he was buried in a piano crate. Throughout the years, we have featured Mesquite steaks, with live country music seven nights a week.
Hanging history
I have always been a collector of old tools and other artifacts, most of which now hang from the rafters or are at our other restaurant Greasewood Flats. I had never planned to be a collector, but when times were tough, individuals would bring things to either to sell or give. I coundn't say no and had the land and buildings to store things. This includes locks, beef hooks, spurs irons, spurs, old wagons many of which are over 100 years old. When the Indian trader Don Pablo died they auctioned off his assets. I bought a pot bellied stove and took it home. Years later I opened the door and found a bag of turquoise nuggets that Don Pablo had hidden. You name it and I probably have one.
The early ranches
In the early days the entire area was ranch land. The largest ranch was owned by Brownie and his sons. Their grandfather had homesteaded some 27 sections of land or over 17,000 acres. This was possible because Brownie ran a water line from a spring in the McDowells. The ranch ran south to Indian Bend Road and east to include the McDowells. Quartz Mountain was quarried for a while, the rocks being used on the roofs of homes to reflect the sun's heat. With air conditioning this was no longer used and the quarry was abandoned. Shortely, thereafter, Brownie jumped the claim, which was common in those days. Eventually, most of the land was sold to Kemper Marley, who was a fequent visitor to Reata Pass. Lois Kellogg of Battle Creek, Michigan had a 160 acre ranch across from us named Crescent Moon. She married her ranch hand who had been a sheepherder. The original ranch house was over 4,000 square feet and was still standing until recently, when it was torn down to make room for the Four Seasons Resort.
Water "strike" brings rapid change
After the Second World War, several families homesteaded along Pinnacle Peak Road, but eventually left because of lack of water. Nothing really developed in the North area, until Jerry Nelson hit water at his well on Pinnacle Peak ..."
Don Schoenau