Not too long ago, while taking my date for a fun day of ruin-hunting, in Sedona (romantic, I know), we were cutting through a wash, still a good mile or two from our destination.
I was looking to the sides of the canyon as I always do when looking for ruins. That’s when we saw this house built into the rock, there. At first, it didn’t appear too unusual, except for its location. I used my 300mm lens on my camera to get a better look and It appeared to be abandoned. We decided to continue to the ruins and make our way up to it on the way out of the canyon.
The climb isn’t sketchy, but it is a haul, depending on your fitness level. As you approach the top you can see old pipes and other equipment coming from, and around the house.
Entering from the bottom you find a set of stairs, nestled tightly between two walls, leading to a screen door. The home is built into the stone of the canyon walls and effectively makes this, a cave-home.
There isn’t much room to speak of inside and would not comfortably house more than a couple of people. Just past the kitchen an old bed can be found built into the wall, as well as a small bathroom, and an antique fireplace.
The stairs leading to the second floor are made of stone. Vines extending from a tree at the second floor-level are fashioned into handrails to provide grip for your ascent. On the patio of the second floor, you get a beautiful view of the canyon below, as well as an additional storage room, and a collection of firewood.
Following a small set of steps takes you to a room with this amazing antique stove, then a final set of steps brings you to a small room with its own bathroom.
According to my research, the house was built by Bob Kitredge during the Bay Of Pigs. To add to an already interesting find, during the late 1960s, Elvis, who was filming his movie “Stay Away, Joe,” in Sedona, [allegedly] stayed in this home during the time of its filming and release in 1968.
On a return trip, we (not my former date) found this: a secret room! …Well, sort of. And before anyone says it, I know everyone is thinking, “it puts the lotion in the basket.”
This room is probably around 15-18 feet deep and was used as a water-holding tank controlled by a mechanical pump, nearby. You can see the fallen tile cut in a perfect circle, on the floor below. The air coming up from the hidden room was surprisingly warm.
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