The cover of the March, 1998 issue of The Peak featured Doc Cavalliere. The photo was taken by Don Schoenau.
From A Peek at the Peak, March, 1998 Issue
An Afternoon with Doc Cavalliere
by Don Schoenau
My parents first came to Scottsdale in 1908 from California. My uncle was already settled in the valley, coming here in the late 1890’s. What brought us here? Arizona was starting to boom and my father worked for the U.S. Reclamation Service, which was digging the Arizona Canal.
He was a welder by trade and repaired the machinery that was used to dig the canal. At the time, we lived in a tin house mounted on a sled that followed the progress of the canal. In those days, welders were repairing wagon wheels and shoeing horses. When we moved to Scottsdale many Indians would stop by to repair the iron wheels of their wagons and shoe their horses.
In my early days, I operated a small ranch along the Verde River. We would buy cattle from Mexico, fatten them up on the desert and then send them to market. In those early days there was still enough grass to feed cattle. Later on I became a blacksmith, which I learned from my father. I opened an iron works shop in Scottsdale which is still in business today and operated by my son. The Second World War came and like many others, I served in the Air Force.
Reata Pass Water Tower
I bought Reata Pass in the early 1950’s and with my wife turned it into a cowboy restaurant. It originally was a stagecoach stop going north to Fort McDowell and then on to Prescott from Phoenix. Portions of the old stage road can still be seen today, especially from the air. Travelers were treated to the welcome refreshment of a hot meal and cool drink while the horses were watered. Crossing the McDowell Mountains in those days was no easy task as the 2,000 foot climb took its toll on the passengers and horses. If the searing desert sun, or broken wheel, or exhausted horses didn’t stop the stage, a gully washer usually did.
During that period Fort McDowell was settled by white farmers who sold fruits and vegetables to the city. It later became part of the Indian reservation, the farmers left and the land reverted to desert. The blinking light tower was installed by the power company to let people know that electricity was available to the ranches. Over the years, Reata has burned several times, with the stone foundation the only original part of the building. The jail house across the road is original and was used elsewhere in the 1880’s to hold Indian prisoners.
Top. Blacksmith shop behind restaurant.
Bottom. Seating area behind restaurant.
Greasewood Flats was originally a ranch bunk house that was built about 1883 and probably was used by the stagecoach passengers. Later on it was used as a bunk house on Brownie’s ranch. We still keep it rustic with most of our customers eating hamburgers at our outdoor picnic tables. In our early days, when we fed 25 or 30 people instead of 400 today, both John Denver and Glen Campbell would come and do impromptu songs. Boy, could they drink!
At that time, Reata Pass was used as a back drop for several early movies. I remember when Bob Hope was here to shoot “Cancel my Reservation.” Early portions of Bonanza were shot here and a young Michael Landon frequented our restaurant. At one point movie producers built a church as a backdrop for an early western called “Peace the Gunfighter.” In addition, we have hosted many of the rich or famous, such as Tennessee Ernie Ford, Barry Goldwater, Walter McCune, and Kemper Marley, to name a few. We even built a large chair for one of our regular customers, who weighed around 500 pounds. When he passed away, he was buried in a piano crate! Throughout the years, we have featured Mesquite grilled steaks and live country music seven nights a week.
I have always been a collector of old tools and other artifacts, most of which now hang from the rafters or are at our other restaurant Greasewood Flats. I had never planned to be a collector, but when times were tough, individuals would bring things to either sell or give. I couldn’t say no and had the land and buildings to store things. This includes locks, beef hooks, spurs irons, spurs, old wagons, many of which are over 100 years old. When the Indian trader Don Pablo died they auctioned off his assets. I bought a pot-bellied stove and took it home. Years later I opened the door and found a bag of turquoise nuggets that Don Pablo had hidden. You name it and I probably have one.
Front of Reata Pass Steakhouse
In the early days the entire area was ranch land. The largest ranch was owned by Brownie and his sons. Their grandfather had homesteaded some 27 sections of land, over 17,000 acres. This was possible because Brownie ran a water line from a spring in the McDowells. The ranch ran south to Indian Bend Road and east to include the McDowells. Quartz Mountain was quarried for a while, the rocks being used on the roofs of homes to reflect the sun’s heat. With air conditioning this was no longer used and the quarry was abandoned. Shortly thereafter, Brownie jumped the claim, which was common in those days. Eventually, most of the land was sold to Kemper Marley who was a frequent visitor at Reata Pass. Lois Kellogg of Battle Creek, Michigan had a 160 acre ranch across from us named Crescent Moon. She married her ranch hand who had been a sheep herder. The original ranch house was over 4,000 square feet and was still standing until recently, when it was torn down to make room for the Four Seasons Resort.
After the Second World War, several families homesteaded along Pinnacle Peak Road, but eventually left because of the lack of water. Nothing really developed in the North area, until Jerry Nelson hit water at his well on Pinnacle Peak. Things were changing in Scottsdale also. Glenn Conrad had a bar on Brown Street, which he sold to ex-mayor Malcolm White. He renamed it Whitey’s and moved the bar to Scottsdale Road. Later, two women bought it and named it The Pink Pony. It became the in place for everyone in the Valley.
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