Arizona State  Plans
Florence, New Mexico

Description: Arizona State Prison Plan
Other Names: replacement for the Territorial Prison in Yuma
Address: Florence, Arizona
Type: governmental: prison
Original Client: chairman J.J. Riggs chairman
Historic Inventory:
Date: 1908
Condition: extend

Architect or Firm: Thornton Fitzhugh of Los Angeles
Associated Architect or Firm:
Contractors:
Dimensions and Orientation:
Budget/Cost: $120,000

Foundation:
Wall Materials:
Roofing Materials:
Other Materials Used:
Remodeling and Additions:

Present Owner:
Location of Drawings:
Location of Documentary Photographs:

Bibliography: (1) Daily Arizona Silver Belt Globe Arizona, March 19, 1908 page 1
(2) The Arizona Republican, January 7, 1908 page 6 Penitentiary Plans
(3) Daily Arizona Silver Belt Globe, Arizona January 16, 1908 page 3
(4) Bisbee Daily Review, March 28, 1908 page 8
(5) The Los Angeles Times December 24, 1907 page 24

Remarks:On January 1, 1908 Henry Trost arrived in Phoenix with preliminary plans for a new proposed penitentiary building that was to be built in Florence, Arizona. Architect Henry Trost along with auditor John Page, citizen member of the Board of Control J.J. Riggs and Superintendent of Prisons Thomas Rynning, traveled to Florence the next day to meet with Governor Kibby regarding the location for the prison.

Three sites were examined by the members of the Board of Control. Prison Superintendent Rynning and Architect Trost were present to consult with the board members, regarding several matters in connection with the location of the prison. Each of the sites examined consists of 160 acres, and none of them were more than a mile from Florence. The south side of the planned prison ran along the Florence canal and water could be used to irrigate every foot of the land. The southeast corner of twenty acres was mesa land, over looking the surrounding county. Part of the twenty acres would be enclosed by an eighteen-foot concrete wall.

In the center of the enclosure was to be a tower with eight buildings located around the tower for prisoners. The plans called for accommodations for 800 prisoners, but only 500 would move in when the building was completed. The budget of the prison was $120,000, with the prisoners providing all the labor.

In March, six sets of plans for the Arizona State Prison went before the Territorial Board of Control. The architects that submitted plans were F.G. Brown of Los Angeles, Trost & Trost of El Paso, Phoenix, Thornton Fitzhugh of Los Angeles, L.C. Knipe of Phoenix, F. Mc L. Brinkerhoff of Bisbee and P.H. Loss of Casa Grande.

On April 8, 1908 Trost was listed as the directing architect. Then on April 12, architect Thornton Fitzhugh’s plans were accepted by the Board of Control. The plans submitted by Trost and Trost showed merit but the board was most favorably impressed with Fitzhugh set of plans.

Prepared for the El Paso Public Library by Lloyd C. and June F. Engelbrecht under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, 1990