Tempe Directory of Historic Buildings 

Tempe has more than 200 historic buildings. Enjoy this searchable directory of information and photos.  For more information on any of these properties or to learn how your property can be listed, please contact Tempe Historic Preservation Officer Zachary Lechner at Zachary_Lechner@tempe.gov.

Many of the properties on the Tempe Historic Register, the National Register of Historic Places, or the list of Historic Eligible properties are privately owned and not open to the public. Please respect the privacy of those who may be living in these houses. 

Historic Eligible is a formal classification of parcels which contain buildings, structures, or sites which meet the criteria for designation as a Tempe Historic Property, but which have not been formally designated as "Historic." 

How to Use This Directory

You may search this directory by the categories of Tempe Historic Register, National Historic Register and Historic Eligible Properties. Simply click the down arrow on the All Categories box below and select the one you would like to see. All the properties in that category will appear.  

YEAR BUILT: 1919

HISTORY

The E. M. White Dairy Farm was built by E. M. White sometime between 1918 and 1920. White moved from California to Arizona in 1908. Initially, he lived and farmed near Phoenix but later moved to Tempe to allow his children to attend the Tempe Normal School.

White purchased property in Section 14 from M. H. Meyer and J. H. Guyer. He built the E.M. White Dairy Barn and operated a dairy there. He also built a large river cobble house across the river from downtown Tempe, but it was demolished in the 1980s. That house was noted to have had many design and construction similarities to the E. M. White Dairy Barn.

The dairy operated until 1927, when Section 14 was subdivided into acre tracts to sell for residential use. The E. M. White Dairy Barn was converted in the 1930s for commercial use and is currently home to the Tempe Tavern.

ARCHITECTURE

The E.M. Dairy Barn is a square, one-story building constructed with concrete columns and infilled with river cobbles. It has a stepped parapet with concrete parapet copings and a concrete pediment at the roofline. Currently, the building is painted white.

Changes have been made to the building to facilitate its use as a commercial property. The building’s front façade has been altered with the addition of signage and a canopy over the main entry. Two large, glass block windows have been added to the front facade, one on either side of the front entry. Additionally, two compatible additions have been placed on the rear of the building. Overall, the building remains in good condition and retains its original, character-defining features.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hansen, Eric M. Staff Report. Tempe Historic Preservation Office. February 01, 2001.

Janus Associates. “Inventory Number 201.” In Tempe Historic Property Survey. 1983.

Ryden Architects. “Survey Site No T-194.” In City of Tempe Multiple Resource Area Update: Final Report, Volume Two: Inventory Forms. 1997.

Staff Summary Report - DesignReview-SPR100007. Tempe Historic Preservation Office. February 11, 2010.
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