Riordan Mansion
Riordan History
Matt Riordan became the owner of the Lumber Mill company in 1887, just 3 years after he began working there. He convinced his younger brothers, Timothy and Michael, to join him in Flagstaff and work there as well. Matt left Flagstaff around 1897, leaving his brothers in charge of the company. They purchased various businesses that were near bankruptcy in order to save the surrounding town. The brothers were prominent figures in the development and progress of Flagstaff by welcoming many businesses and employment opportunities to the city. The infamous Riordan Mansion was completed in 1904 after the brothers married Caroline and Elizabeth Metz, cousins of the Babbitt brothers. They were also outspoken supporters of the Normal School.The Riordans have many important connections to Flagstaff and their vast involvement has made the family an important aspect of the city’s history.
Faerie Circle
The Riordan family had a large circle designed with stone which was placed directly outside of the home’s entrance. The purpose of this was to distract faeries and deter them from entering the home. The Riordans were concerned that these demons would enter the home, cause trouble, and kidnap the children and replace them with faerie children. The circle was created to attract the faeries away from the home and unable to harm the family.
The Billiard Room
The billiard room was the common area that connected the two Riordan homes. While the room was meant to be a place of relaxation and family get-togethers, there were unusual and dark events that took place there as well. Various members of the Riordan family reported hearing pool balls shuffling at random times, but when they went to check who was in the room, it was empty. This would occur repeatedly, and after checking the room multiple times, they would witness the pool balls scattering across the table on their own.
The billiard room was also the location where two of the young Riordan children passed away, hours apart from one another, from polio complications.
The Chapel
The chapel was located at the top of the stairs on Timothy and Caroline’s side of the home. Caroline requested that the light in the corner of the chapel remain on at all times, so the maids would change the bulb regularly. One day, when Timothy and Caroline were visiting their daughter in California, a maid noticed that the light had gone out. She found this strange because she had just recently switched the light bulb out. A few minutes later, the light turned back on. Timothy called the home an hour later to inform the maids that Caroline had passed away. She died at the exact moment the light went out.