Tickets Selling Fast for Historic Home Tour in Mesa Jan. 17

January 6, 2026 at 10:25 am

Mesa's annual Historic Home Tour, benefiting the Mesa Historical Museum, will be on Saturday, Jan. 17. This year's tour focuses on Mesa's mid-century charm as the tour features five remarkable homes in the Golden Hills neighborhood. This year's highlight is the Ponderosa II, a full-scale replica of the Bonanza ranch house built in 1963 by actor Lorne Greene, star of the long-running NBC TV series. This is the first time the Ponderosa II has been open to a public tour.

The Golden Hills neighborhood is a strong example of mid-century residential architecture adapted for the Arizona desert. The homes, built mostly in the mid-1950s and 1960s, feature low-slung rooflines, open floor plans, large windows that blur indoor and outdoor living and deep overhangs and shaded patios designed for climate.

Although the Golden Hills neighborhood is not currently a local designated historic district, Mesa has eight local historic districts, of which seven are placed on the National Register of Historic Places. More information about Mesa's historic districts is available on the City's website.

Timed entry tickets are $30 and are available online until 4 p.m. on Jan. 16. Tickets are still available for tours at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Ticket holders will need to check in at Jefferson Recreation Center, 120 S. Jefferson Ave. Shuttle service to the neighborhood is included with each ticket. No neighborhood parking is available.

All proceeds from the historic home tour ticket sales will benefit the Mesa Historical Museum.