By Drew Desmond

The Mingus Mountain Inn was erected on the summit of Mingus Mountain within the Prescott National Forest in 1925. It featured a restaurant, store and gasoline. In the beginning, the location was both perfect and popular.

Little is known about the first two decades of the Inn’s existence. Forest Service records were lost, and newspaper reporting was scanty.

A September 1946 ad offered the Inn for sale. By then, a 50x50 foot dance floor had been added. The asking price was $25,000 (about $443,000 today.)

In the late 40s, the Inn had two separate owners, both of whom had to sell due to serious illnesses. The Inn was then bought by Threatie Stroope, and advertisements were directed towards hunters. In April 1954, she traded the Inn to Mr. & Mrs. John Johanston in exchange for the Phoenix Motel at 1605 W. Latham, in Phoenix.

However, as cars became more reliable, the original business plan for the Inn became more untenable. Instead of stopping to check their brakes and radiators, people simply drove past. In December 1957, the Johanstons put the Inn up for sale for a meager $18,000 (or $200,000 today,) but it failed to sell.

Eventually, Jimmie O. and Jeanne Baker became the next owners. They installed historical furnishings dating back to Jerome’s hey-day and covered the top of the bar with 5,994 1967 pennies. The menu featured steaks and a salad bar.

However, the Bakers divorced. Jeanne remarried, sublet the restaurant and loaded the trading post with antiques and art. One popular presence during her tenure was her singing dog, Coco, who used to entertain patrons with a single long version of Christmas carols in front of an antique windup Victrola.

Unfortunately, in the late 60s, the Inn’s water source was found to be no longer potable, and water had to be trucked in from Elks Well. Business continued to decline to the point that sales were often less than the $2 an hour required to staff the register. Jeanne simply kept the store closed during slow times, much to the dismay of the Forest Service.

Finally, in November 1974, Jeanne implemented a “rent-to-own” agreement, first with two couples from Phoenix and then with Jessie Heald. When rent was missed, Jeanne locked Heald out of the Inn, but a court allowed him access. He used the opportunity to strip the Inn of many valuables, including the lights, stoves and other fixtures. These were actually the property of the Forest Service, and Jeanne was responsible for the actions of her sublessor. She sued Heald for $50,000 and decided to move into, and once again run, the Inn.

The restaurant was now serving French cuisine and the General Store offered discount prices on designer jeans, leather luggage, chain saws, gifts and other items.

Yet the Inn was only open sporadically during this time and failed to open its doors at all in 1984. This led to vandalism and the increased deterioration of the facilities. The Forest Service noted that it didn’t receive any complaints about the Inn being closed and didn’t want to reissue a permit. “No profit-making opportunity exists at this site,” a report stated.

As 1985 drew to a close, so did the existence of the Mingus Mountain Inn. Bids were solicited for salvage rights, and after being stripped of everything valuable, the Inn was purposely burned to the ground on January 9, 1986. The concrete blocks that remained were handled by the Prescott National Guard and its D7 Crawler tractor. A hole was dug, and all the debris was buried. Today the location consists of a paved parking lot, picnic tables and restroom facilities.

“Days Past” is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). This and other Days Past articles are also available at www.archives.sharlothallmuseum.org/articles/days-past-articles/1 The public is encouraged to submit proposed articles and inquiries to dayspast@sharlothallmuseum.org Please contact SHM Research Center reference desk at 928-277-2003, or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information or assistance with photo requests.