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Guy Born
Guy Stillman was born Nov. 7, 1918 in New York, NY to James A. Stillman (President, National City Bank of New York, who died in 1944) and Anne Potter Stillman (McCormick, who died in 1969). He received his first toy train when he was a year old, and began a livelong love of railroads. He was the youngest of Anne’s four children (Anne, James and Alexander Stillman were his siblings). -
Anne and Fowler McCormick established a ranch north of Scottsdale.
After visiting the Phoenix area for several winters, Anne and Fowler McCormick established a ranch north of Scottsdale. Ranch headquarters was located on current site of MSRP and referred to as the “South Ranch.” “Although the McCormicks removed the old Jolly home because of wood damage, they expanded the garage and adjoining tack area into a kitchen, laundry and guest room facility…..” -
Land donated
The McCormicks donated 100 acres of virtually undeveloped land to the City of Scottsdale for park use (70 acres west of Scottsdale Road/30 acres east of Scottsdale road – both parcels south of Indian Bend Road). City of Scottsdale Resolution #608 formally accepted the gift on Dec. 19, 1967. According to a history compiled in 1979 by Guy Stillman,Fowler McCormick also donated funds to get the park started. -
guy marries patricia
Guy Stillman married Patricia Stillman in May at the U.S. Naval Academy (Stillman served on the USNA Board of Visitors at the time). They lived on Stillman Ranch – 10 acres at Cheney and Scottsdale Road, where Guy set up his Paradise & Pacific train for the benefit of children, grandchildren, other family and friends. In addition to the train equipment, they had a small station and water tower for the train; Patricia used the station as her art studio. -
Guy Stillman chartered the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society
Guy Stillman chartered the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society as of October 5, 1971 (Resolution 938) “as part and parcel of the City of Scottsdale’s agreement to establish a Railroad Park on the 30-acre old South Ranch. A Park Master Plan has been approved for this parcel soon after the concept was moved from the 50-acre Paradise Valley Location.” The purpose of the society was to provide technical expertise to the McCormick Railroad Park -
Roald Amundsen luxury observation coach
The Pullman Company manufactured the Roald Amundsen luxury observation coach at a cost of $205,000. Roald Amundsen had led a party that became the first to reach the South Pole in December 1911. The Roald Amundsen was used by several U.S. Presidents, visiting dignitaries and corporate leaders before the Franz Talleys purchased it in the late 1960s and donated it to the railroad park in 1971. -
Dinosaurs
Evidence of prehistoric animals found when construction crews excavated McCormick Lake in 1971. Some estimate the giant Columbian mammoth, as well as horses, tortoises and ground sloth could be 12,000-25,000 years old. -
Peoria Depot was acquired
The 1895-vintage Peoria Depot was acquired, and moved to the park on March 22, 1972, just as it was about to be demolished by its owner, the Santa Fe Railroad. It had been a station along the route of the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railway, which was nicknamed the “Peavine.” Over the years at the park, the building has been used as a model train ‘knick knack’ and repair shop called Gerry’s Trains & Tools, and as a railroad museum. -
The first board of directors meeting of the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society
The first board of directors meeting of the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society was held on March 24, 1972 at Scottsdale City Hall at 7:30 pm. Guy Stillman presided as chair and Eldon Rudd recorded the minutes. Directors attending were Guy Stillman, Joseph T. Melczer, Jr., Tom Osborn, Robert Bohannan and Eldon Rudd; absent were Hayne Ellis, Mort Kimsey, Henry Matthew, Edward Ravenscroft, William H. Carvin and E.V. O’Malley, Sr. -
The Scottsdale City Council approved a master plan for the park on August 1, 1972
The Scottsdale City Council approved a master plan for the park on August 1, 1972 -
machine shop
Walter L. “Gabe” Brooks built a belt-driven, 20 foot by 20-foot machine shop on his 160-acre Powder Horn Ranch property north of Scottsdale, which he and his family homesteaded I 1917. In 1973 Emmajeane Brooks Harris, his daughter, sold the historic shop to the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society for $5,000. The shop was moved to the railroad park in December 1973. -
North Star/Roald Amundsen Pullman Car
Arizona industrial leader Franz Talley and his wife Mae Sue purchased the North Star/Roald Amundsen Pullman Car from Clifford Thomas and donated it to the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society. The car was moved from private storage to the railroad park in 1973. -
Guy and Patricia Stillman held a “Last Train Ride” party
Guy and Patricia Stillman held a “Last Train Ride” party March 3, 1974 at Stillman Ranch, marking the passing of the Paradise & Pacific Railroad from the Stillmans’ hands to public use. About 200 guests attended the party. Shortly after the party, the P&P was moved from the Stillman Ranch to the McCormick Railroad Park. -
On Monday morning, Feb. 25, 1974 Scottsdale Mayor Bud Tims and Guy Stillman broke ground for the railroad park.
On Monday morning, Feb. 25, 1974 Scottsdale Mayor Bud Tims and Guy Stillman broke ground for the railroad park. -
Residents celebrated the grand opening of the City of Scottsdale’s McCormick Railroad Park on Saturday, October 4, at 11 a.m.
Residents celebrated the grand opening of the City of Scottsdale’s McCormick Railroad Park on Saturday, October 4, at 11 a.m. with free train rides (normal cost was 35 cents), games, music, shootouts , but “with a bare minimum of facilities some of which had been moved along with the railroad equipment in 1972. At the time of opening, approximately $1.25 million had been invested in the park and its facilities. -
First annual Railfair held at the McCormick Railroad Park (an event called Railfair had been held in 1975 at Thomas Mall).
First annual Railfair held at the McCormick Railroad Park (an event called Railfair had been held in 1975 at Thomas Mall). -
Magma Copper Co. Baldwin 2-6-0 locomotive #6
The Magma Copper Co. Baldwin 2-6-0 locomotive #6 was constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works No. 31880 in October 1907 as the Arizona & New Mexico Railway #26. It was transferred to the El Paso & South-Western Railroad as their #130 when that railroad absorbed the A&NM. It was then sold to the Magma Arizona Railroad as their #6 on December 11, 1922 and used by Magma until 1961. It was acquired by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society and moved to the park in 1977. -
Santa Fe Railroad
The Santa Fe Railroad built a depot in Wendon, Arizona for the Arizona and California Railway. The depot was moved to Congress, Arizona in 1936, and finally to Aguila, Arizona (ca 1964??). The depot also housed Aguila’s telegraph office. The Santa Fe stopped using the station in 1969; in 1977 it was purchased by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society and moved by truck to the railroad park. -
The historic Aguila Depot was acquired by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society
The historic Aguila Depot was acquired by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society (building cost $624; moving it to the park cost $4,700). The Phoenix House Moving Company moved the depot to the park from Aguila on October 17, 18 and 19. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company had closed the Aguila Depot effective August 4, 1969. -
The Magma Copper Co. steam locomotive was acquired by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society for $7,500
The Magma Copper Co. steam locomotive was acquired by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society for $7,500 -
wild west playgrounds
The City and Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society invited architectural students at Arizona State University to submit designs for a miniature Wild West town to be on the grounds of McCormick Railroad Park along the tracks of the Paradise & Pacific Railroad. After review of six or seven submissions, the winning design was then constructed and completed in 1978. The replica town included eight storefronts built of cedar ad wormwood. -
Dining Car
A dining car was built for the Santa Fe Railroad in 1914, which was later converted for use as a baggage car during World War II. It was acquired for the railroad park and moved there from Tempe in July 1982. -
Mail/baggage car
The Scottsdale Railroad & Mechanical Society saved a former mail/baggage car of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad from destruction, and paid to have it moved to the park on Monday, July 12, 1982 from a rail siding in Tempe (traveling dismantled on a flatbed truck up Hayden Road from Eighth Street). Cost of car was $2,000; cost to move from Tempe to park was $6,000. -
arboretum
The McCormick Railroad Arboretum began in conceptual stages. It is located along the south and east sides of the park; footpaths and a miniature railway lead visitors through the two-acre site. The arboretum is a direct result of Fowler and Anne McCormick’s love for the desert and its vegetation. By 1984 there were 100 plants suitable for growing in arid environments in the arboretum. -
The park began hosting the annual Holiday Lights Festival.
The park began hosting the annual Holiday Lights Festival. -
Arizona’s “Gratitude Train’ boxcar
The people of France sent (by ship) 49 boxcars laden with gifts to America – in appreciation for Americans’ generous relief efforts following World War II. Arizona’s “Gratitude Train’ boxcar arrived Thurs., Feb. 17 to ceremonies in 1949, then was moved to a desert location north of Phoenix. After many years of anonymity and decay, the boxcar moved to the railroad park in 1985, restored and dedicated in 1989. -
Carousel
Pegi and Bob Sanders of Scottsdale, carousel collectors, brought the park’s first carousel from Toronto, Canada, then restored it and supervised its installation at the park. It was dedicated on September 26, 1987, charging 50 cents a ride. “Under a lease agreement, the city and the Sanders Carousel Company share the proceeds from ticket sales.” The carousel, built in 1929 in Tonawanda, NY by Alfred Spellman, had 30 horses and two ‘chariots’ that were outfitted as stagecoaches -
caboose snack car
The Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society donated a former Santa Fe Railway caboose to the park. It was stripped and completely redone inside for use as a snack bar. The Snack Stop was moved within the park in April 1997 during park renovations. -
Roald Amundsen Pullman CarRetoration
Restoration was completed in 1990, when dedication took place on Aug. 17 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ogdensburg Declaration, which was signed on board by President Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister King. -
guy stillman day
Scottsdale Mayor Herb Drinkwater proclaimed Nov. 7 as Guy Stillman Day in Scottsdale in recognition of Mr. Stillman’s decades of service, philanthropy and patronage to the McCormick Railroad Park and the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society. -
new park name
The McCormick Railroad Park was renamed McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in honor of its founder and patron, the late Guy Stillman -
carousel 2
A 1950-vintage Allan Herschell carousel was acquired for the park. It had spent many years at Benson’s Wild Animal Park in Hudson, New Hampshire, a few years at a New Hampshire race track, and then was trucked across the country and restored for the railroad park by Brass Ring Entertainment/Dan Horenberger principal. The Scottsdale Charros and the Scottsdale Railroad andMechanical Society funded the purchase, relocation and restoration of the carousel, which became a park-operated attraction -
renovation
The City of Scottsdale completed a major makeover of the railroad park. A new, two-story, 5,000-square-foot replica of the 1913-vintage Clifton Station in Clifton, Arizona was built to serve as a park headquarters and provide a souvenir shop, and was named Stillman Station. New restrooms and a clock tower were also built. The Snackstop food concession, carousel and playground were also relocated, as were several other park amenities. -
crescordia award
The City of Scottsdale was received The Crescordia Award from the Valley Forward Association for environmental excellence regarding the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park. Valley Forward particularly cited the park’s balance between landscape and historic features while enhancing P&P railroad activities. -
general store donated
On November 10, Hartley’s General Store was dedicated to its generous benefactors, Ruth and Hartley Barker (whose funds were matched by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society to make the general store a reality). Hartley’s General Store was an interior reconfiguration of the historic Aguila, Arizona train depot, and featured hand-dipped ice cream, gourmet coffees, other food items and a gift shop offering a variety of railroad souvenirs. -
arizona depot moved to park
The 1930s-vintage Maricopa, Arizona Depot was moved to the park in October by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society. According to the plaque adjacent to the building, “This building was built in the 1930s by the Southern Pacific Railroad in the town of Maricopa, Arizona. Bob and Rozan Echols moved it to their home in Phoenix, where it remained until being purchased and moved to the park in October of 2003 by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society.” -
luggage cars moved
Two railroad café lounge cars were donated to the park by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Crockatt of Paradise Valley. The cars had been located northwest of Flagstaff at a Harley Davidson dealership. The Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society had the cars moved to the park in April 2003. In 2007, the cars were moved to the front of the park in their permanent location. -
parenting magazine award
Parenting magazine chose the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park as one of the country’s “50 Top Attractions by Child Appeal.” The survey, conducted in association with Zagat, was based on opinions shared by more than 11,000 travelers who bring along their children. -
model railroad building
The new 10,000 square foot Model Railroad Building was dedicated in January, a project funded by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society. -
hall of fame
The Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society was inducted into the Scottsdale History Hall of Fame April 23 at a dinner held at the Scottsdale Chaparral Suites. Scottsdale Railroad & Mechanical Society Chair and daughter of park founder Guy Stillman, Sharee Stillman Brookhart, accepted the award. -
stillman trust
Guy and Patricia Stillman established the Stillman Trust ($3 million) that could be used for expansion or enhancement of the park (with matching funds from City of Scottsdale)