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Pioneer Arizona Foundation

Phoenix, AZ · EIN 860182044 · Form 990 · FY2022 · NTEE A54 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · pioneeraz.org
revenue
$286K
expenses
$289K
net assets
$287K
employees
0
program ratio
100%
mission · from form 990

The purpose of this Foundation is to promote the education of children and adults of the early Arizona Territorial Days and living conditions that then existed. Through displays,events and special historical programs, the Foundation hopes to enhance the general public in matters relating to early Arizona history. Only then, through personal enlightenment and education, can our Arizona residents and visitors fully understand the events leading to Arizona statehood.

profile · synthesized from sources

Pioneer Arizona Foundation operates the Pioneer Living History Museum, an outdoor museum showcasing Arizona's territorial period from 1863 to 1912. The museum features original and reconstructed buildings, offering visitors a glimpse into the daily lives of early pioneers through self-guided tours and historical re-enactments. It also serves as an educational resource for schools and youth groups.

named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

Classroom without Walls
An educational program providing an enriching encounter for educators and students to learn about Arizona's early residents through immersive experiences at the Village.
Historical Re-enactments
Events such as Arizona Gunslingers Fastdraw Competition, Rebels and Redcoats, and Civil War in the West, featuring historical figures, battles, and educational demonstrations.
Museum of Telephone and Telegraph History
An exhibit showcasing the evolution of telephone and communications equipment from Alexander Graham Bell's time to the present.
Pioneer Living History Village
A self-guided walking tour through original and reconstructed buildings from Arizona's territorial period (1863-1912), showcasing the daily lives and challenges of early pioneers.
Weddings & Events
Offers various venues within the museum grounds for hosting weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, and other special gatherings.
activities · 5 groups

what they do

  • Public History Lectures & Symposia 4 activities
    • Hosting Special Themed Events
      Hosts special themed events such as historical re-enactments including "Rebels and Redcoats" and "Civil War in the West," featuring camps, historical figures, battles, and educational demonstrations, as well as the Arizona Gunslingers Fastdraw Competition and Cowboy Fast Draw events.
    • Hosting educational and special events
      Hosts a variety of educational and special events at the Pioneer Living History Museum, including historical re-enactments like "Rebels and Redcoats" and "Civil War in the West," Cowboy Fast Draw competitions, and school group visits for various elementary and prep schools, as well as homeschool groups and senior groups.
    • Hosting educational and special events
      Hosts a variety of educational and special events at the Pioneer Living History Museum, including historical re-enactments like "Rebels and Redcoats" and "Civil War in the West," Cowboy Fast Draw competitions, and provides opportunities for Boys and Girls Scouts to conduct service projects. The organization also hosts school groups, senior groups, and homeschool groups for educational visits.
    • Hosting educational and special events
      Hosts a variety of educational and special events at the Pioneer Living History Museum, including historical re-enactments like "Rebels and Redcoats" and "Civil War in the West," Cowboy Fast Draw competitions, and provides opportunities for Boys and Girls Scouts to conduct service projects. The organization also hosts school groups, senior groups, and homeschool groups for educational visits.
  • Visitor-Facing Educational Retail Operations 4 activities
    • Operating a visitor information and retail facility
      Operates a visitor information and refreshment facility that provides maps, activity planning, and snacks to guests at the Pioneer Living History Museum. The facility also sells handmade candles, soaps, and Western memorabilia created by volunteers as souvenirs.
    • Operating a visitor information and retail facility
      Operates a visitor information and refreshment facility that provides maps, activity planning, and snacks to guests. The organization also sells handmade candles, soaps, and Western memorabilia created by volunteers as souvenirs.
    • Operating a visitor information and retail facility
      Operates a visitor information and refreshment facility that provides maps, activity planning, and snacks to guests. The facility also sells handmade candles, soaps, and Western memorabilia created by volunteers as souvenirs.
    • Visitor Services and Souvenir Sales
      Operates a visitor information and refreshment facility that provides maps, activity planning, and snacks to guests, and sells handmade candles, soaps, and Western memorabilia created by volunteers as souvenirs.
  • Youth & School Educational Programs 2 activities
    • Facilitating scout service projects
      Offers opportunities for Boys and Girls Scouts to conduct service projects within the park museum.
    • Hosting Educational and Group Visits
      Hosts school groups, senior groups, and homeschool groups, providing educational experiences, and offers opportunities for Boys and Girls Scouts to conduct service projects within the museum park.
  • Historic Building Restoration & Adaptive Reuse 1 activity
    • Historic Building Reconstruction and Preservation
      Reconstructs and preserves historic buildings, such as the 1884 Valley Bank building, a historic jailhouse, and the Howey Hall Opera House, using original architectural drawings, materials, and period-appropriate furnishings. This also includes relocating and restoring original structures like the J. Marion Sears Victorian house and the Ashurst cabin.
  • Uncategorized 9 activities
    • Hosting Events and Venue Rentals
      Hosts a variety of events including birthday parties, weddings, corporate events, meetings, private events, photo shoots, and filming events, offering multiple venues such as the Community Church, Gazebo Area, Opera House, The Livery, Spanish Villa, and Grassy Area, with custom packages and amenities.
    • Maintaining Historic Building Exhibits
      Maintains a collection of original and reconstructed historic building exhibits, including a Victorian House, The Teacherage, a Mercantile, a Southern House, Smith and Dodd’s Tonsorial Parlor, a Sheriff’s Office, a Ranch Complex, a Print Shop, an Opera House, and a Northern Home, to showcase life in the Arizona Territorial period.
    • Operating Themed Shops and Museums
      Operates reconstructed themed shops, such as an 1880 Prescott carpenter shop and an 1890s Phoenix dressmaking shop, and the Museum of Telephone History, which features displays about the telephone and the Bell System from its origins to the present day.
    • Operating the Pioneer Living History Village
      Operates the Pioneer Living History Village, offering self-guided walking tours that immerse visitors in the Arizona Territorial period (1863-1912) to experience how early pioneers lived. This includes maintaining and exhibiting original and reconstructed historic buildings and structures, such as the 1884 Valley Bank, a historic jailhouse, the J. Marion Sears Victorian house, the Ashurst cabin, the Museum of Telephone History, a carpenter shop, a dressmaking shop, the Howey Hall Opera House, a Mercantile, a Southern House, Smith and Dodd’s Tonsorial Parlor, a Sheriff’s Office, a Ranch Complex, a Print Shop, a Northern Home, and The Teacherage.
    • Operating the Pioneer Living History Village
      Operates the Pioneer Living History Village, offering self-guided walking tours that immerse visitors in the Arizona Territorial period (1863-1912) to experience how early pioneers lived, and providing an educational experience through a "Classroom without walls" that showcases dwellings, tools, and everyday implements used by early Arizona residents.
    • Operating the Pioneer Living History Village
      Operates the Pioneer Living History Village, offering self-guided walking tours that immerse visitors in the Arizona Territorial period (1863-1912) to experience how early pioneers lived. This includes maintaining and exhibiting original and reconstructed historic buildings and structures, such as the 1884 Valley Bank, a historic jailhouse, the J. Marion Sears Victorian house, the Ashurst cabin, the Museum of Telephone History, a carpenter shop, a dressmaking shop, the Howey Hall Opera House, a Mercantile, a Southern House, Smith and Dodd’s Tonsorial Parlor, a Sheriff’s Office, a Ranch Complex, a Print Shop, a Northern Home, and The Teacherage.
    • Providing event venues
      Offers various venues at the Pioneer Living History Museum for private events, including birthday parties, weddings, corporate events, meetings, and photo shoots. Available venues include the Community Church, the Gazebo Area, the Opera House, The Livery, Spanish Villa, and Grassy Area.
    • Providing event venues
      Offers multiple venues at the Pioneer Living History Museum for private events, including weddings, corporate events, meetings, parties, and birthday parties. Available venues include the Community Church, the Gazebo Area, the Opera House, The Livery, Spanish Villa, and Grassy Area.
    • Providing event venues and services
      Offers multiple venues within the Pioneer Living History Museum for private events, including weddings, corporate events, meetings, parties, and birthday parties. This includes providing staff, custom event packages, food solutions, and amenities, with specific venues such as the Community Church, Gazebo Area, Opera House, The Livery, Spanish Villa, and Grassy Area.
financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$286K
Contributions & grants$2K1%
Program service revenue$283K99%
Investment income$220%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$289K
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$114K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$356K
Cash$338K
Investments$0
Liabilities$69K
Net assets$287K
Liquid reserves14.1 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +9.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

who runs it

board members · 6
  • Dave Siebert — Director
  • Joseph Spikes — Director
  • Joseph Villasenor — Director
  • Ozzie Virgil — Director
  • Robyn Wahlstrom — Director
  • Tim Atchley — Director
relationships · 7

who they work with

  • Babbitt Land and Cattle Company Partner — Donated the Ashurst cabin to Pioneer Arizona in October 1968.
  • Boys and Girls Scouts Partner — Allows Boys and Girls Scouts to perform service projects at the park museum.
  • J. Marion Sears Partner — Donated the Victorian house to Pioneer Arizona for preservation and relocation to the museum grounds.
  • Maricopa County Supervisor Partner — Collaborated on the construction of the jailhouse in 1971.
  • Modern Pioneers’ Life Insurance Co. Funder — Donated funds for the restoration of the Ashurst cabin.
  • Pioneer Living History Museum Partner — Operates the Village Gift Shop in connection with the museum to support visitor services and historical interpretation.
  • Sheriff of Maricopa County Partner — Collaborated on the construction of the jailhouse in 1971 and provided original jail materials.