John Murphey's Water System

In April of 2003, archaeologists from Harris Environmental identified the remains of several historic buildings that once operated as the Catalina Foothills Water Company. This was the first water system constructed in the now heavily developed Catalina foothills, and it served as an integral part of the development of Tucson in the early 1900s. After initial identification, a team returned to the site to further document the site in preparation for the development of the area.

Archival research was conducted as part of this project, which revealed that the developer of the water company, John Murphey, played a significant role in Tucson’s original expansion into the Catalina foothills. Murphey worked with well-known Swiss architect Josias Joesler on numerous projects throughout Tucson. The Catalina Foothills Estates development served as the “flagship” Murphey-Joesler collaboration. The community was innovative for that time period by incorporating curvilinear streets, conserving the surrounding natural desert environment, using Mexican-style architecture, and introducing deed restrictions. The water system recorded by Harris Environmental began supplying water to Catalina Foothills Estates between 1928 and 1930, pumping it uphill from a source at the Rillito River, about 0.25 miles to the south of the water company. By 1958, the water system supplied 194 residences. In 1972, the system was bought by the Tucson Water Company and has subsequently fallen out of use.

The information gleaned from documentation of John Murphey’s water system provides valuable evidence of effective water distribution, the lifeline that allowed for Tucson’s expansion and the growth of the Catalina Foothills Estates, an innovative community that continues to be an important residential district today.

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