Hotel Valley Ho resides near the historic core of downtown Scottsdale, Arizona. Mere moments away from the state’s capital of Phoenix, Scottsdale itself is among the most celebrated holiday destinations in the region. But before its transformation into a vibrant resort community, the city once acted as the home to various Native America tribes for millennia. At first, the Hohokam occupied the area, constructing some 250 miles of canals and irrigation ditches that were unsurpassed in their engineering brilliance. But the Hohokam disappeared shortly before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, and two new native peoples—the Pima and the Papago—appeared in their stead. While the size of the community shrunk over the next several centuries, the Pima still continued to live in the area. Today, the nucleus of that settlement is now the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, which is located on the periphery of Scottsdale. Eventually, a U.S. Army chaplain named Winfield Scott—not to be confused with the famous military leader—visited the area with his wife, Helen, in 1888. They both decided to purchase some 640 acres of land in order to establish a ranch. Winfield’s brother, George Washington Scott, soon joined the couple upon their request, and together, the trio founded a small village within the heart of the land grant. Acting as the town’s first residents, the Scotts quickly convinced dozens of people from across the Northeast and Midwest to relocate to the nascent farming community. Led by Rhode Island banker Albert G. Utley, the new inhabitants took to calling the town “Orangedale” after the large citrus trees that the Scotts had planted throughout the area.

Orangedale soon became “Scottsdale” in 1894, as the town began to expand rapidly. Since most of Scottsdale’s first generation of settlers were well-educated and possessed an appreciation for the arts, they invested heavily into developing the town’s emerging cultural identity. They helped finance the creation of a sophisticated public school system in 1896, and facilitated the creation of a thriving public square. The citizens also cultivated the growth of a vibrant artists’ colony, which grew to become one of Arizona’s largest by the dawn of the 20th century. Businesses soon opened in the center of town, as well, starting with J.L Davis’ general store in 1897. Several more prominent industries followed suit, including the famed Cavalliere’s Blacksmith Shop. Construction on the Granite Reef Dam and the Roosevelt Dam provided many with steady work, too, leading to a population boom that lasted for several years. Still, agriculture remained the major industry throughout much of the era, with cotton serving as the primary export. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture supported most of the local cotton farms during World War I. Ranches also became a common sight in the area, as many civic leaders funded ranching operations all over town. But Scottsdale’s fantastic climate attracted more than just farmers—all kinds of aspiring hoteliers began establishing resorts and hotels, too. Beginning with the Ingleside Inn and the Jokake Inn, Scottsdale soon possessed a thriving hospitality industry that entertained guests from the neighboring communities of Tempe, Glendale, and Phoenix.

Scottsdale’s electric atmosphere endured for years after its founding, even as calamities like economic depression and global conflict spread across the world. The town’s enchanting community of artists grew in size, attracting many creative minds from all over the nation. The most noteworthy person to join the colony at the time was the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright, who purchased 600 acres of land just beyond the town limits for the creation of a seasonal home. Called “Taliesin West,” the residency doubled as both Wright’s vacation getaway and the southeastern headquarters for his esteemed architectural firm. The Thunderbird II Airfield also debuted in 1942, which trained over 5,500 pilot cadets to serve in the various theaters of World War II. Scottsdale kept expanding after the war, eventually becoming a formal city in 1951. A number of new industries also appeared at the middle of the century, such as Motorola, which opened a massive factory along McDowell Road in 1957. By the late 1960s, Scottsdale had truly started to resemble a typical modern American city. Nevertheless, the people of Scottsdale never lost sight of the community’s humble origins, celebrating its character as “The West’s Most Western Town.” Scottsdale today is still immensely proud of its heritage, as it continues to rate as one of Arizona’s most fascinating communities. It is also close to a number of fantastic cultural attractions, as well, such as the Desert Botanical Garden, the Arizona Capitol Museum, and Frank Llyod Wright’s Taliesin West. The picturesque Tonto National Forest and the Sonoran Desert National Monument are just a short drive away, too!

Originally built in 1956, the Hotel Valley Ho was first designed by the renowned architect Edward L. Varney. Varney himself was an accomplished practitioner of Mid-century Modern architecture, having studied under the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright during his youth. The accomplished Varney had designed many celebrated structures throughout his lifetime, such as much of the Tempe campus for Arizona State University, as well as complexes for the likes of Motorola, Sperry Rand, and General Electric. An offshoot of the earlier International and Bauhaus movements, Mid-century Modern itself sought to portray a seemingly contemporary, futuristic aesthetic that reflected the popular concepts of civil progress. Professional architects mainly utilized the style from the 1930s to the 1960s, when American society was rapidly undergoing huge transformations—both social and technological in nature. Architects thus embraced the design ideals of function, simplicity, and rationality in order to create sleek-looking structures that possessed a communal purpose. As such, Mid-century Modern designs made explicit use of vertical, flat lines and irregular rectangular shapes that conveyed a lack of formality. Overt ornamentation was abandoned, too, as monochromatic brickwork, steel, and concreate served as the essential building blocks for the exterior. Inside, most of the rooms were subdivided into split levels, giving a sense that the structure had undergone as significant change in elevation. Modernist buildings also featured wide, open spaces filled with natural light that represented practicality and comfort. Large widows often functioned as the primary way in which the architects achieved such a feature. Most of the rooms were also subdivided into split levels, giving a sense that the structure had undergone as significant change in elevation. The introduction of spacious windows even sought to better incorporate nature into the design, making the surrounding landscape seem as if it were part of the building itself.

Bette Davis, actress known for her roles in All About Eve, Jezebel, and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Betty Grable, actress known for her roles in such films like Mother Wore Tights and How to Marry a Millionaire.

Bob Feller, Hall of Fame pitcher for the Cleveland Indians.

Bing Crosby, singer and actor known for his roles in Going My Way and The Bells of St. Mary’s. 

Cary Grant, actor known for such roles in To Catch a Thief, Charade, and North by Northwest. 

Clark Gable, actor known for his roles in It Happened One Night, Mutiny on the Bounty, Gone with the Wind.

Frankie Avalon, actor and singer known for such singles as “Venus” and “Why.”

Humphrey Bogart, actor known for his roles in movies like Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and The Big Sheep.

Ingrid Bergman, actress known for her roles in such films like Gaslight, Notorious, and Casablanca.

James Cagney, actor known for his roles in such films like The Public Enemy, Angels with Dirty Faces, and The Roaring Twenties.

Janet Leigh, actress known for her roles in such films like Psycho, The Touch of Evil, and The Manchurian Candidate.

Jimmy Durante, comedian known for his roles in The Great Rupert and It Happened in Brooklyn.

Leo Durocher, Hall of Fame shortstop and manager for several baseball clubs, including the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants.

Marylin Monroe, actress known for her roles in Bus Stop and Some Like It Hot. 

Natalie Wood, actress known for her roles in Rebel Without a Cause, Splendor in the Grass, and West Side Story.

Robert Wagner, actor known for his roles in such television shows like It Takes a Thief, Switch, and Hart to Hart.

Roy Rogers, actor best remembered for his role on The Roy Rogers Show.

Rudy Vallee, singer and actor known for his popular radio programs and comedic performance in such films like The Palm Beach Story.

Ted Williams, Hall of Fame outfielder for the Boston Red Sox, who is regarded as one of the best baseball players ever.

Tony Curtis, actor known for his roles in such films like Spartacus, The Defiant Ones, and Some Like It Hot.

Zsa Zsa Gabor, actress known for her roles in such films like Moulin Rouge¸ Lili, and We’re Not Married!