The Moving Picture Weekly (1920-1921)

—THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY 23 The Wigivam — one of the oddest buildings in the United States. This building, the property of Paul W. Litchfield, after whwn the town of Litchfield, Arizona, is named, is an exact replica of the Pueblo or Cliff Dwelling Indians' homes. Every feature in the houses of the ancient cliff dwellers is present in The Wigwam, even to such minute details as the use of rustic ladders in place of stairways. In the days of the cliff dwellers the ladders were nec^sary in. order that when an enemy appeared the cliff d/weller could mount to the roof or upper stories of his home dragging the ladders after him, thereby making his family and himself immune to the attacks of a lotvly foe. The ancient cliff dwellers also always had on hand a goodly pile of stones on the roofs of their residences from which they selected verp hard ones to hurl down at their enemy to make his scaling of the walls even more impossible. Even this feature has not been neglected in The Wigwam, for on the topmost roof of all reposes a pile of, stones. It serves the purpose of a guest house and is open at all times to visitors to Litchfield and also contains a large directors room where the directors of the plantation hold their meetings. All furniture and woodwork in the building is made of roughly finished wood, and at all times a maid and cook are in attendance. Although ancient in architecture, it is mast (modern in appointment, having all the modern conveniences. Electrically lighted throughout, the bulbs are cleverly hidden from view by being placed in inverted pots and pieces of ancient Indian bric-a-brac. Raising Cotton In An Arizona Desert (Continued from page 7.) fore. Harry Levey, general manager of the Industrial and Educational Department of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company, was called in to make a motion picture record of the entire industry, and already 30,000 feet of this interesting and educating film have been developed and will soon be seen by the motion picture audiences of America. The very fact that cotton is grown in such large quantities in Arizona, will indeed come as a surprise to the American public, which can never think of cotton without associating it with the South and pickaninnies, strumming guitars, and linen clad, white goateed colonels. And the American public cannot think of Arizona without associating it with alkali dust, cactus and other things natural to that southwestern state. But the present educational film, soon to be released, will clear up any misconceptions the public may have as to Arizona. One feature of the film is the Wigwam House, located at Litchfield. The Wigwam House is perhaps one of the oddest buildings in the United States. The property of Paul W. Litchfield, after whom the town is named, and costing almost $100,000 with furnishings, it is an exact replica of the cliff dwelling or Pueblo Indians' home. Every featui-e in the homes of the ancient cliflf dwellmg Indians is faithfully reproduced in The Wigwam, even to such minute details as the use of rustic, mobile ladders in place of stairways. In the days of the cliff dwellers, removable ladders were necessary in order that when an enemy appeared the cliff dweller could mount to the roof or upper stories of his home, dragging the ladders after him, thereby making his family and himself immune to the attacks of a lowly foe. Reposing on the roof of every cliff dweller's domicile was also a goodly-sized pile of rocks, which served as ammunition in those primitive days, and from which the cliff dweller could at his leisure select large and particularly rough ones to hurl down at his enemy to make his enemy's scaling of the walls even more impossible. Even this feature has not been neglected in The Wigwam, for on the topmost roof of all reposes a pile of stones. However, they are there for ornamental purposes only, and will never be called into play to serve the part of ammunition. The Wigwam serves the purpose of a guest house at Litchfield at the close of the day are always made welcome, the directors of the company meet when in that neighborhood, and the managers of the plantation meet to discuss matters of business. The latch string at the Wigwam House is always out, and visitors finding themselves in Litchfield at the close of the day are always made welcome. All furniture in this odd house, as well as the woodwork in the building, is made of roughly finished wood, and • although the architecture of the building is, in design, thousands of years old, in appointment it has every convenience of the most modern sort. Electrically lighted throughout, the bulbs are cleverly hidden from view by being contained in inverted pots and pieces of ancient Indian bric-a-brac of the most curious and artistic sort. To further aid and comfort the weary traveller a maid and native Indian cook, well versed in the Mexican culinary art of making the most delicious tomales, chili con came and tortillas, are on duty.