Luhrs Family Papers

The Luhrs Family Papers house correspondence, legal documents, financial records, real estate records, blueprints, ledgers, and other materials documenting the Luhrs family's emigration from Germany to the United States and life and work in Phoenix, Arizona. Among the subjects represented are real estate holdings; construction and administration of the Commercial Hotel (later known as the Hotel Luhrs), the Luhrs Building, the Luhrs Central Building, the Luhrs Tower, the Luhrs Arcade, and the Luhrs Parking Center; George Luhrs Sr.'s business partnership with Newell Herrick; agricultural and mining enterprises; such fraternal organizations as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, the El Zaribah Shrine, the Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights Templar, the Royal Arch Masons, and the Rotary Club; George Luhrs Jr.'s and Arthur Luhrs' education in the Phoenix public schools and at Stanford University; George Luhrs Jr.'s and A. C. Taylor's military service, including service in World War I; and family members' private lives.

Series I: George H. N. and Catharina (Dodenhof) Luhrs Papers houses correspondence, official documents, deeds, real estate information, financial records, and other items documenting the family's emigration from Germany to the United States, relatives in Germany, and life and work in what is now the Phoenix metropolitan area. Among the subjects shown are Luhrs' involvement with such fraternal organizations as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, the El Zaribah Shrine, the Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights Templar, and the Royal Arch Masons; the financial state of Luhrs' businesses and personal financial relationships; George and Catharina Luhrs' real estate holdings, including sales, purchases, taxes, mortgages, and financing; Luhrs' management of the estates of F. G. Fisher, George Marlar, and Sophia Martha (Jordan) Andre; George and Catharina Luhrs' holdings and involvement in mining and agriculture, including sub-leasing of agricultural land to croppers; and family members in the United States and Germany not documented elsewhere in this collection. Because George and Catharina Luhrs frequently commingled their personal and business finances, it is sometimes unclear whether a specific financial record describes a personal account or a business transaction. In cases where this distinction could not be made definitively, the item has been included in this series.

Properties constructed and/or owned by George H. N. Luhrs in downtown Phoenix include:

Series II: George H. N. Luhrs Jr. Papers houses clippings, notes, research materials, financial records, legal records, military records, and other items documenting George H. N. Luhrs Jr.'s education, career, research, and personal life. Among the topics shown are Luhrs' research into Phoenix and Luhrs family history; education in the Phoenix public schools and at Stanford University; military service during World War I; involvement in fraternal and community organizations, including the El Zaribah Temple, the Downtown Merchants' Association, and the Arizona Historical Society; personal finances; and communications with friends and family members.

Series III: Arthur and Ella (Luhrs) Taylor Papers houses correspondence, legal documents, military records, financial records, and other materials primarily documenting A. C. Taylor's involvement with the Rotary Club, including his and Ella (Luhrs) Taylor's trip to Europe to attend the 1937 Rotary International Convention, and his military service with the Territorial National Guard of Arizona, Arizona National Guard, 1st Arizona Infantry, and the 158th Infantry Regiment, including his overseas service during World War I. Also included is personal correspondence; diaries; records showing A. C. and Ella Taylor's personal finances; materials documenting the A. C. Taylor Printing Co.; items showing A. C. Taylor's involvement in the El Zaribah Shrine, the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, and the Free and Accepted Masons; and materials documenting Ella Taylor's involvement in the Order of the Eastern Star.

Series IV: Arthur and Sarah (Allen) Luhrs Papers includes correspondence, legal and financial documents, educational records, and other materials documenting Arthur Luhrs' education in the Phoenix public schools and at Stanford University; involvement in such masonic organizations as the El Zaribah Shrine, Royal Arch Masons, Knights Templar, and Royal and Select Masters of Arizona; marriage to and family with Sadie Allen; and personal financial situation.

Series V: Reginald and Emma (Luhrs) Stroud Papers includes correspondence, legal and financial records, and other materials documenting Reginald and Emma Stroud's family and personal finances as well as Reginald Stroud's work as a doctor. Also included are several items showing the couple's participation in various civic organizations and real estate holdings.

Series VI: Commercial Hotel and Hotel Luhrs houses account records, correspondence, bills, invoices, guest registers, and other materials documenting the Commercial Hotel, which was later known as the Hotel Luhrs. Sub-Series A: Construction and Remodeling consists primarily of materials documenting the hotel's restoration after sustaining severe fire damage in 1916, although some information regarding the structure's initial construction is also present. Sub-Series B: Guest Registers houses a set of ledgers documenting the hotel's guests. This sub-series has not been processed in full; researchers may access a detailed description of the unprocessed portion at http://azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/asu/luhrsregisters_acc.xml. Sub-Series C: Guest Accounts houses the hotel's records documenting individual guest accounts, including delinquent accounts and accounts belonging to deceased guests. Sub-Series D: Amenities includes financial and legal records documenting various services offered to hotel guests, including the cigar shop, Commercial Café, Commercial Saloon, Commercial Hotel dining room, barber shop, baths, and gambling facilities. Sub-Series E: Maintenance houses financial and other records pertaining to the hotel's upkeep and maintenance. Sub-Series F: Financial Information and Sub-Series G: Insurance Information consist of legal and financial records documenting the hotel's fiscal status and the various insurance policies protecting it.

Series VII: Luhrs Properties (Firm) houses financial records, promotional materials, legal documents, and other materials documenting Luhrs Properties' operations. Where possible, materials describing a specific building have been organized into the series pertaining to that structure. Items describing multiple properties or buildings that could not be identified are included here. Sub-Series A: Administration includes permits, descriptions of properties, and real estate records showing Luhrs Properties' holdings. Sub-Series B: Financial Records houses account records, receipts, invoices, and other financial materials documenting the corporation's financial status. Sub-Series C: Tenants and Leases houses legal documents, correspondence, and other materials showing the individuals and businesses that leased space from Luhrs Properties. Where possible, the address of the leased property or properties is included in the folder title. Sub-Series E: Legal Records houses documents recording the firm's legal dealings, including the sale of Luhrs Properties to Patrician Land Corp. in 1977. Sub-Series F: Maintenance consists primarily of financial records documenting the upkeep and repair of Luhrs Properties' holdings and Sub-Series G: Personnel houses payroll records, wage computation worksheets, and other materials documenting the individuals who worked for Luhrs Properties. Some personnel records have been restricted in order to protect the privacy of the individuals documented therein.

Series VIII: Livery Stable, Fashion Stable, and Commercial Corral houses account records, bills, receipts, and other materials documenting the stable's operation. Many guests of the Commercial Hotel also had accounts with the stable.

Series IX: Luhrs Central Building houses bids, contracts, receipts, bills, specifications, and other materials documenting the structure's initial construction, maintenance, and remodeling. The majority of the materials pertain to the initial construction taking place in 1913. Series X: Luhrs Building houses financial records, bids, correspondence, bonds, and other materials showing Luhrs' work to obtain financing for the structure, initial construction between 1922 and 1924, and upkeep and maintenance. Series XI: Luhrs Tower houses blueprints, specifications, and other materials documenting the Tower's financing, construction, and upkeep and Series XII: Other Luhrs Properties documents real estate holdings not shown in other series, including the Industrial Building, Luhrs Arcade, Luhrs Station Post Office, and Luhrs Parking Center.

Series XIII: Herrick and Luhrs houses account records, financial statements, clippings, insurance documents, real estate information, and other materials documenting the partnership between Newell Herrick and George H. N. Luhrs Sr. and its dissolution in 1890. Of particular interest are records showing the initial acquisition of blocks 22 and 64 in downtown Phoenix, where George H. N. Luhrs constructed most of the buildings represented in this collection.