914 N. 6th St.; Phoenix, AZ

Growing up in Douglas, I always loved going to Phoenix to visit my cousins.  They lived in a house in downtown Phoenix without air conditioning.  As a kid, that didn't matter.  Some of my best childhood memories took place there.   After my Aunt Gyp died in the early 1980's,  my Uncle Matt got remarried.  He sold 914 to my cousins Tony and Yaya.  They did a lot of remodeling and made it an even cooler (literally) house.  So many of my  best adult memories center around that house, too. Every Christmas Eve was spent there.  We would attend Mass at St. Mary's and then go to Tony and Yaya's for wonderful Mexican food.  In 2017, we had the first Christmas Eve not there here at our house.   It was really fun, but it has never been the same.  Tony died in the late 1990s and Yaya passed last fall.  

Yaya's sisters were left the house and now it is time to sell it.  It is so hard to see that house go to someone else.   Or because of it's location, 6th Street and Roosevelt, who knows what it will become.  It was so hard to sell our house in Douglas.  For me, this is almost as hard.  Here is the article the realtor wrote about the house.   It is really cool and most of the facts are true.  This is another example of what happens when we grow older and have to move on from what we loved.  But the memories will always be there.  No one can take away a memory.

This Home Has a Story

In the summer of 1938, Matthew and Helena “Gyp” Scott purchased the charming two-bedroom, one-bath home with a sleeping porch. It was here that they would raise their six children, creating a lifetime of memories. Nestled in a friendly neighborhood, it was a place where kids knew who handed out the best Halloween candy and which houses had the most vibrant holiday decorations. 

Directly across the street, Becky Qurious's beautiful roses bloomed every May, filling the air with their sweet fragrance. But the Scott family home was known for more than its physical beauty. It was a place of open doors and open hearts. Matthew and Gyp welcomed family, friends, and anyone in need, making their home a sanctuary of safety and community.

The large backyard was the site of many family projects, including the building of homecoming floats. The Scott’s worked together, their yard becoming a hub of creativity and teamwork. Gyp, ever the gracious host, made everyone feel welcome, while Matthew, often away on business as one of the founding members of St Vincent de Paul Society in Phoenix, provided a strong foundation for their charitable spirit.

Years later, the Scott’s daughter, Margaret “Yaya” purchased the home with her husband Tony Gabaldon, an Arizona state senator, and together they expanded the house. They added a great room loft and an impressive stone fireplace, blending modern comforts with the home's historic charm.

The Gabaldons continued the family tradition of hospitality, always ready to invite others into their warm, loving home. Their additions not only increased the home's size but also enhanced its role as a gathering place for the community.

Over the years, the neighborhood around the Scott home has seen significant changes. An influx of culture, life, and energy has transformed the area, making it a vibrant hub of activity. Art lovers flock to the 1st Friday Art Walk in Roosevelt Row, while the Churchill Entertainment District buzzes with excitement and creativity. The presence of Arizona State University adds a youthful vibrancy that is palpable in the air.

Amidst this dynamic evolution, the Scott family's home has endured as a steadfast symbol of stability and love. It stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of generosity and togetherness that has defined it for decades. As the neighborhood continues to grow and change, this home will remain, in some form, a cherished part of the community's fabric. Its legacy of warmth, welcome, and community will continue to inspire and uplift all who pass through its doors.

 

A memory from Ted Park:

Ted Park:
    OMG! That's wonderful Sheila. 914 N.6th Street is second only to 858 14th Street in Scott Family Lore.
I remember stopping there on our way to Douglas in the late 50’s and 60’s. We would leave around 9 PM on a Friday and Dad would drive overnight to beat the desert heat. We'd pull into Phoenix around Noon. Dad would drive in the alley in the back of Matt & Gyp's house and park that ‘57 Ford Country Squire in the backyard. Dad would sleep for five hours while we played with our cousins. Then he would load us up in the wagon and drive on to Douglas where we would get in shortly before Midnight. (I can still see the molten slag pours glowing in the dark at the smelter.). When we drove under the overpass we knew we were “home”.  
Later in the 70’s Ed and I started to go back to Douglas on our own. We, too, would leave around 9:00 PM (after work) and pull in front on Matt & Gyp's house around 7:00 AM, just in time for breakfast. (Ed's Firebird Trans Am made better time than the old Country Squire… particularly with 2 twenty-something’s behind the wheel.)  We would stay for  4-5 days, see all the Phoenix cousins, then drive down to Douglas for a week.
Memories!…food for my Soul.
 

Every time we'd drive that Trans Am to Arizona it would blow a fuse because we were running the
A/C so much. Matt would say no problem…he'd take it to his A/C guy. (Matt had a “guy” for everything.) Anyway, he’d take the Trans Am. He'd tell us about all the pretty girls that waved to him on the way.