TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson is home to several of the nation's top resorts, including Hacienda Del Sol.
I first showed you the Absolutely Arizona history of the resort back in 2018. After a major addition, here is an update.
It is an oasis in the foothills, a hidden gem with amazing views of the Catalina Mountains.
But Hacienda Del Sol has not always been a resort. It actually began in 1929 as an exclusive all-girls school.
It was the dream of Tucsonans Helen and John Murphy. They helped with the construction of the Hacienda Del Sol Ranch School for girls.
"You'll recognize some of the names of the girls who went to school here," said Hacienda Del Sol Managing Partner Tom Firth. "Vanderbilt, Pillsbury, Westinghouse, Spalding, Campbell, the elite families of America sent their girls to come to school here."
The girls from these elite families had to bring or buy their own horses and saddles, but the cost of boarding the horses at the school stables was included in the tuition. Equestrian sports and daily trail rides through the Catalina Foothills were part of the curriculum.
The living room and library are the focal point of today's lobby area, complete with 1930s-era books and historic touches.
"Helen Murphy actually hand-carved the beams in the library herself," Firth said.
In 1942, with the world at war, the all-girls school closed. After World War II, it was converted into a resort.
Hacienda Del Sol attracted many of the silver screen stars filming at Old Tucson, including John Wayne and Clark Gable. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy are said to have rendezvoused at Hacienda Del Sol.
During the 1990s, the resort fell on hard times.
Tom Firth and his business partners purchased Hacienda Del Sol in 1995, and began restoring and expanding the resort, first into a 59-room boutique luxury resort.
In 2021, another major expansion added 40 more rooms and another pool area, bringing the number of guest rooms to 97.
"We've really tried to honor and maintain the architecture over all these years," explained Firth. "We're now in the historic courtyard that was created in 1929. This actually is the courtyard where all of the dorm rooms are located."
Those dorm rooms have been converted into guest rooms, each double the size of the original rooms. They each bear the name of one of the original girls or Hollywood elite who stayed there.
The same attention to detail has been kept in the newer sections of the resort.
"We needed to bring in some of the architectural features of the Spanish colonial part of the hotel," Firth said.
Those same features are found in each of the rooms and include hand-made furniture along with the Hacienda Del Sol logo in pressed tin.
There is also a million-dollar view of the Catalina Mountains from several of the rooms.
But this remarkable resort is still a well-kept secret in our own backyard, according to Firth.
"There's a lot of people that come up here and say, 'Gosh, I never even knew this place was here.' Because we are tucked into the foothills."
Tucked into Hacienda Del Sol is nearly 100 years of history, that began as an all-girls school, and continues as a unique resort. But it all remains Absolutely Arizona.
——-
Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
