By
Ameema Ahmed

The Murphy family made many contributions to the development of Phoenix. Among other things, the family built part of the Arizona Canal, helped found the city of Glendale and planted some of the state’s first citrus trees. And, in 1909, they opened the Ingleside Club, a private club near Indian School Road and 60th Street in present-day Scottsdale.

The father-and-son team of W.J. and Ralph Murphy developed the property to include several cottages, along with the club’s main building and a golf course. But the club didn’t stay private for long. In the 1920s, the Ingleside Club became the Ingleside Inn, the first luxury hotel of its kind in the Valley of the Sun. 

According to an article published in The Arizona Republican in March 1922, the hotel primarily hosted winter visitors during its early years and played a role in kick-starting Arizona’s winter tourism industry. Once the name changed from the Ingleside Club to the Ingleside Inn, more Phoenix residents felt comfortable visiting the resort and taking advantage of its amenities. 

“Many of the local people have enjoyed playing on the Ingleside golf course,” the article read. “The number that drive out from Phoenix to play golf and take lunch is constantly increasing.” 

The resort also offered guests horseback rides up Camelback Mountain to take in the view of the Valley.

As other winter resorts opened around town, Ingleside remained a top choice for guests. The 1930 Phoenix and Arizona Guide Book described Ingleside Inn as “known country over as one of the most modern, up-to-date and beautiful” hotels in the Southwest. At the time, a stay at the top-tier resort would cost guests $10 a night, according to a hotel guide published by the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. When adjusted for inflation, that would be about $172 today. 

The resort closed in the early 1940s, and the Brownmoor School for Girls opened in its place in 1945. Once the school closed in the 1950s, what remained of the inn was torn down for residential development. The Brownmoor Estates opened there in 1962 and featured 200 apartments designed for senior living.