Renovating of the small house next to the museum has been a labor of love for more than eleven years. The ’40s House, as it is known to the Society, is open during regular business hours and is also available for group tours by appointment.

A short history of the house…

The house was built in 1945 by Walter Leon Lovinggood on a lot at 8924 N. 2nd Street. Mr. Lovinggood also built the garage, picket fence, porch and an add-on room at the back of the house. The family moved to Sunnyslope in 1935 and lived in several different homes in the area.

Lovingood sold the building in 1947 to Oliver Donald and Corda Inskeep. On July 9, 1949, Mr. Inskeep died. His widow continued to live in the house alone until her son, Norman and his wife, Florence, moved in with their family. Corda then moved into a small apartment that had been built onto the garage in the rear of the house. The family lived there until 1983.

The Inskeeps family sold the building to Earl Getman in 1983. He operated his business, All Season’s Electric, from the house until 1999 when the City of Phoenix purchased the property. The land was then turned over to A&C Properties to build a shopping center. In 1999 Sunnyslope Historical Society became the fourth owner of the house now located at 737 E. Hatcher Road.

After twelve years of maintaining, then refurbishing over three years, the house opened to the public on September 22, 2012. Furniture and memorabilia from the 1940s have been donated by many people. The opening was the Society’s last event celebrating the Arizona centennial year.