Mission History

For two years, from 1931 to 1933, the Mexican families in the area around Main and Brown Avenues in Scottsdale, worked to complete the church of their dreams.  Men toiled nights and weekends making 6,000 adobe bricks to build the mission. Others appealed to priests from Tempe and Phoenix to come and celebrate the Mass. In 1933 the first Mass was celebrated in the Adobe Mission.

Some families stand out as great contributors to this original OLPH Church.  R. T. Bob Evans, architect for the Jokake Inn, designed the building. The Corral men, present owners of Los Olivos Restaurant, coordinated the making of 6,000 adobe bricks and the construction of the walls and bell tower. Bernabe Herrera, a tinsmith, designed and made the stained glass windows.

In 1948 it became a parish and the first Pastor, Fr. James Mulvihill, arrived in 1949. Father Eugene Maguire arrived in 1952 and one year later the parishioners began a 13 year tradition of honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe with processions and a pageant.  The people celebrated every sacrament and held fiestas when they could. 

In 1956, due to the mushrooming Catholic population, the parishioners moved to a larger church on Miller Road.  The fiestas at the mission continued until 1966. The little church became a center for Religious Education classes, for the Knights of Columbus and teen meetings, and, finally, as a rehearsal hall for the Scottsdale Symphony.

In 2000, Fr. Thomas Hever, Pastor of OLPH, determined that the little building needed to be restored for the Community. A group of parishioners formed a committee dedicated to the restoration of the original, historic church. Their goal is to return the mission to a  center of quiet and reflection for locals and tourists.  Donations were sought and grants and came through the Scottsdale Historical Preservation Society from the Arizona State Parks Board. This is helping with phase one of the restoration. These grants and donations from individuals and businesses help to continue the restoration work.

If you wish to contribute to this restoration effort, please contact the OLPH office or click here to view a printable flyer describing current activity and opportunities to participate.