Eagar in Apache County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Oscar Jepson Home

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, September 24, 2010

1. Oscar Jepson Home Marker

Inscription. Built c.1892, this adobe structure once housed the Eagar School & later a bootlegger's still. Jepson purchased & enlarged the home in 1925 & moved his family from Alpine so his daughters could attend Round Valley High School.

Erected 2002 by Round Valley Positive Action Tourism Committee and Springerville-Eagar Chamber of Commerce. (Marker Number 12.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Arizona, Pistols, Plows and Petticoats Historic Driving Tour series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.

Location. 34° 6.315′ N, 109° 17.506′ W. Marker is in Eagar, Arizona, in Apache County. It is on Main Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 332 Main Street, Eagar AZ 85925, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Mogollon Rim

and in the White Mountains.

It is also in the American Southwest,

in the Mountain West,

in Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Eagar Elementary School (approx. 0.2 miles away); Benjamin B. Crosby Home (approx. ¼ mile away); Joseph Udall Barn (approx. 0.4 miles away); Rencher Home (approx. 0.6 miles away); Harry Colter Home (approx. 0.7 miles away); William LeSueur Home

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(approx. ¾ mile away); Snyder-Cavanaugh Shoot Out (approx. 0.8 miles away); Brawley Boarding House (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Eagar.

More about this marker. This is Marker Stop #12 on the Pistols, Plows and Petticoats Historic Driving Tour.

Regarding Oscar Jepson Home. One of the oldest homes in Eagar, this thick walled adobe building was built by the John Coleman family. It was constructed using forms and not bricks. The adobe mixture was poured into wall forms with rocks and wood added for strength. Originally, with only two small rooms and a fireplace, the adobe served as Eagar’s first schoolhouse.

Around 1925 Oscar Jebson, a farmer and rancher from Alpine, bought the home and moved in order for his four daughters to attend Round Valley High School. He added a frame addition to the rear of the house for a kitchen, pantry, bedroom and bathroom.

In later years, during Prohibition, bootleggers rented the building to run a still. Operating a still in the midst of a Mormon community was “the height of stupidity”. As soon as the neighbors smelled the corn mash cooking, they called the county revenue agents who shot it

Oscar Jepson Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, September 24, 2010

2. Oscar Jepson Home

out with the bootleggers, leaving bullet holes in the bedroom walls.
Source: Pistols, Plows and Petticoats Historic Driving Tour Brochure.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,470 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 6, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.