Construction of La Casa Grande dates to the earliest phase of Clifton history. In 1872 many claims were filed, including those of Bob Metcalf known as the Longfellow Mine. Metcalf needed capital to develope the mine and came in contact with New Mexico merchants Charles and Henry Lesinsky. Henry persuaded his brother to go in on the venture and by 1874 the brothers established a smelter at the confluence of Chase Creek and the San Francisco River. Here the small community of Clifton prospered. At first just a gathering of tents and shacks, and in 1874 Henry constructed a large adobe building as his residence and as a base of operations. Henry also incorporated slag from the smelter into the construction. Known as La Casa Grande, it was the most imposing building in the community. In 1882 the Lesinsky brothers sold their mining interests to Frank L. Underwood, who in turn sold the property to the Arizona Copper Company in 1883. The company used the building as their center of operations and occasional residence until the General Office was built across the river in 1901. It was then the residence and office for M. J. Egan who was the ACC Legal Advisor. Of Egan, Mr Calquhoun said, Egan was one of those upon whom nature had bestowed her highest gifts. Of fine presence, an accomplished lawyer, a born diplomat, a natural orator and a patriot, he was a friend of all and his own worst enemy. The building was damaged in the 1906 flood, but continued to serve as office space and residence use. By 1916 the building was used as headquarters for the local Democratic Party. During WW I it was used as the YMCA and a shower room and library was added, and was used as the YMCA until 1932. In July 1932 the Presbyterian Church took over leadership and supervision of the YMCA to keep the building open, but the Despression caused difficulties in keeping it open. In November 1932 the local American Legion stepped in and took control of the building. The Harold B. Post of the American Legion occupied the building until 1978 when the Greenlee County Historical Society took over the building. The 1983 flood wiped out most the historical collection housed there, and the GCHS moved to Chase Creek - Historic American Buildings Survey - 1994.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 05:02:59 +0000
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