PHOENIX — Did you know Arizona's first governor was laid to rest inside a pyramid tomb at the top of a butte in Papago Park?
You heard that right.
George Wiley Paul Hunt, the first governor of Arizona, took office right after Arizona became a state in 1912 and was elected for a national record of seven terms, serving until 1933.
Hunt helped shape the early history of Arizona and its state government.
"He really was… guess you can say… sort of the father of early Arizona," said Helana Ruter, Phoenix Historic Preservation Officer. "You drive by and wonder what it is? And then you do a little more research and you find out about Governor Hunt."
Governor Hunt was affectionately known as "The Old Walrus" due to his stout body and impressive mustache.
Hunt was also known for authoring Arizona's constitution, advocating for mandatory education and workers' rights, improving roads, canals, and prisons, and allowing women to vote eight years before the rest of the country.
When Hunt's wife, Helen Duett Ellison Hunt, died in 1931, he had her entombed in a 20-foot-tall pyramid on an open hilltop in the most populous city in Arizona.
He later joined his wife in the tomb after his death in 1934.
"So I imagine he was a little larger than life and looking to establish a legacy," said Ruter. "And it certainly happened, right? He could have been in any certain cemetery around here, no one would have ever thought of it. Right? But here he is."
Five other family members were also laid to rest in the tomb years after.
Hunt's Tomb would later be designated in the National Registry of Historic Places in 2008.
It's also one of the best spots for the sunset at Papago Park.
