Thank you for visiting Sedona Legend-
The Jack and Helen Frye Story!
Copyright © 2003
Sedona Legend Helen Frye Website
Created By R. D. Reynolds
All Rights Reserved
Sedona's Celebrity Love Story!
This is the official not to mention only web portal in the world
dedicated exclusively to the legacy of Jack and Helen Frye!
The Frye Legacy-
a Lifetime of Accomplishment!
By Randall Reynolds
The Sedona Legend Web Site is a historical narrative enhanced with photos presented for
educational and entertainment purposes. Some materials may be displayed in regard to the
United States Fair Use Act. This web portal is totally non-profit and generates no income, nor
does it seek or has it ever accepted a single donation. It is an independent venture.
While this web site is not "officially" affiliated with Red Rock State Park in any way, it was
envisioned and created to give park visitors a more indepth historical perspective in regard to
the former 700 acre Frye Ranch property.
Sedona Legend is encouraged and supported by the Jack Frye Family, to include Jack's
daughter, Nevajac Frye, Jack's late sister, "Sunny" Frye Thomas, the Helen Frye family,
and the many friends of Jack and Helen Frye.
Herein you will find a historic perspective of Sedona that was nearly lost to time itself. The
REAL HISTORY of Red Rock State Park. A rich and valuable legacy which must not ever be
forgotten or swept under the carpet.

Sedona's history with T.W.A., one of the world's largest and most beloved airlines, and how this
association helped put Sedona Arizona on the map!

Red Rock State Park, the "Crown Jewel" of the Arizona State Park system, one-time private
playground of the rich and famous. Originally owned and discovered in 1941 by one of the most
glamorous couples in America, and one of the greatest aviation legends this country has ever
known! An association so powerful, the original identity of the property will always be known as
the Frye "Smoke Trail Ranch" and the "TWA Ranch at Sedona".

Dare to delve beneath the surface and discover the hidden and forgotten history of one of the
most pristine, beautiful, and priceless real estate parcels of the Southwestern United States!

Thousands of park visitors each year are overwhelmed by this beautiful former ranch property
once owned by the co-founder and president of Transcontinental & Western Air (TWA) and his
beautiful West Virginia wife, the former Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., now you can be
astounded by the rest of the story! (To learn more about the photo above of the Fryes taken at
their Sedona Ranch see Page 1948.)
The WHO?
Jack Frye
(William John Frye)
Jack Frye is considered the "Father" of Transcontinental & Western Air or as you may know it
(TWA) Trans World Airlines. Why is this and what do we know about his life?

Jack created an airline dynasty. In brief, Jack had a dream and he fought for that dream for
25-long-years. With a passion for flight he created the first transcontinental air service for our
vast country. Later, with the development of the Lockheed Constellation airliner, the first
Trans-Atlantic air service which soon became the first round-the-world air service. Few people
on this planet have not been affected by this great man's vision, for it is he who envisioned the
first pressurized modern airliner.

As an avid entrepreneur from the onset, Jack, at 18, bought a half ownership in a struggling
airplane venture in Los Angeles, California. One year later he included two partners, Walter A.
Hamilton, and Paul E. Richter, Jr. The operation eventually became known as Aero Corporation
and Standard Air Lines, with Jack Frye as president of both.

To list all the associations of Jack Frye would be quite impossible. To give one an inkling, he
was inducted into Harvard Business School's "Twentieth Century Greatest Business Leaders
Hall of Fame" (at only 1000 members Frye is well-placed having exercised phenomenal business
connections and accomplishments in a very short life, 54 years). On June 20, 1992, William
John Frye most certainly received his highest posthumous honor, as inducted into the National
Aviation Hall of Fame, at Dayton Ohio (a black tie affair attended by 1000 guests). As one of
the greatest aviation legends of our country this aviator-entrepreneur is now listed along side
his friends and peers at this world famous "Hall of Fame".

Wherever Jack was at Smoke Trail Ranch or anywhere else in the country his life was
consumed with the operation and responsibility of TWA. On his shoulders rested the safety of
thousands of airline passengers and the management of the many employees which enabled
TWA to exist! Jack was a rancher at heart, a lover of nature and rural living, yet his career
consumed his time. His beloved Sedona was enjoyed in stolen moments.
Society Hostess
Corporate Wife
Fashion Designer- Illustrator- Artist
Sedona Legend- Her Legacy
Jack and Helen Frye were one of the first "power couples" in a time when wives were expected
to be seen and not heard! Standing solidly beside her husband, not behind him, Helen offered
support and an innate knowledge of execution. Helen Frye; however, was much more than a
social figurehead.

Previously married to a direct descendant of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in
American history she gained much experience observing an exclusive "man's world" of money,
power and business. At the side of Jack Frye, one of the nation's most powerful and influential
corporate leaders, Helen was an invaluable asset and was treated accordingly by Jack Frye and
Howard Hughes.

As a society leader in early Sedona, Helen Varner Vanderbilt Frye forged several bridges of
cultural and artistic expression. Her interest in the arts stemmed from her own talents as an
artist and gifted writer. Helen strived to find support for other early Sedona artists as well.
Helen's aunt (in her previous marriage) was Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, a consummate artist
and the founder of the Whitney Museum of American Art, at New York City. This added
association likely influenced a young Mrs. Helen Vanderbilt toward a life long association with
the fine arts.

In the spring of 1959, Helen Frye, George Babbitt Jr., his wife, Madeline Hunter Babbitt, Nassan
Gobran, and other associates, launched "Canyon Kiva", which evolved into the Sedona Arts
Center "Barn". The Sedona Artist's Studios is yet another association of these efforts. As a
life-long animal lover, Helen saw the need for an animal shelter in Sedona.

Earlier in life, as Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr., Helen was shopping on Fifth Avenue in New
York City when she noticed unsavory people beating a German Shepherd police dog in an alley.
Without an ounce of fear, this socialite walked up to the dog, grabbed the leash, and walked
away to the amazement of the abusers. Sonja, as Helen named the rescue, became Helen's
loving companion for the remainder of (Sonja's) life. This experience galvanized Helen and
opened her eyes to the plight of unwanted pets. This humanity eventually resulted in her
co-founding the Sedona Humane Society. Previously, with no Sedona facilities, the cast aside
pets of Sedona were housed by Helen and other founding members in their own homes at their
own expense.

The first telephone service in "rural" Sedona? That came directly as associated with Helen Frye
and Transcontinental & Western Air, or TWA, as we know it today! Many attempts were made
by the Fryes to establish a phone link from the rural Frye Ranch to the outside world, with the
local phone company which had limited resources. The matter was only resolved after Helen got
the brilliant idea to send the short-sighted telephone company copies of Jack's TWA telephone
bills. In no time at all a dedicated phone line was installed at the TWA ranch! This primitive
telephone connection was soon smoking with Jack's frequent calls to TWA and Howard Hughes.

As an entrepreneur real estate developer, Helen Varner Frye, with partner Nassan Gobran, and
other associates, developed a small portion of the Frye Smoke Trail Ranch into the beautiful
"Cup of Gold Estates". Envisioned and planned for all homeowners to have unfettered access to
Oak Creek. The development was a Sedona real estate success of 1955! Welcome to the world
of Frye!
The WHAT?
The Frye Ranch consisted of the adjoining Frye Deer-Lick Ranch (1941 to 1947) now as Cross
Creek Ranch Estates. In 1954, Helen Frye developed an adjoining southern parcel as Cup of
Gold Estates. To the north, a section added in 1950 by Jack Frye, is known today as Smoke Trail
Ranch Estates. At one time the Frye Ranch consisted of more than 700 acres of Sedona's most
valuable and pristine creek side property known as "Smoke Trail Ranch" named by the Fryes.

Currently a remaining portion (286 acres) of this famous ranch remains today as Red Rock
State Park. Frye landmarks include the House of Apache Fires or the "Apache Fires" house as
Jack and Helen called it. The Wings of the Wind House and the Willow House (so named by
Helen Frye). Other landmarks were various other ranch buildings to include the historic
dwellings at the now named Cross Creek Ranch Estates. Lastly, there was Sky Fires House
(now demolished) at the Ridge in the Village of Oak Creek (Sedona).

Frye cattle ranches outside of Sedona included the 22,000 acre Frye Sunshine Ranch near
Meteor City and Sunshine Arizona (now known as the Red Gap Ranch). The 4500 acre Frye
Spring Valley Ranch north of Williams Arizona (at Spring Valley) adjoined by the Grand
Canyon Railway right-a-way. By 1948 the Frye's owned over 50,000 acres of ranching property
in the state of Arizona alone (according to newspaper articles). Jack Frye also had sizeable
ranch holdings in the panhandle of Texas, as well as, oil interests. In the 1950's, Jack bought
the "Nevajac Ranch" at Crystal River Florida. Mr. Frye was the first rancher outside of the
King Ranch in Texas to own and breed Santa Gertrudis cattle at his Sedona and Crystal River
ranches.

Sedona Airport on Tabletop Mountain? Jack and Helen Frye personally surveyed the location in
1941 and found it suitable for an airstrip. However, by October, Jack Frye acquired another
parcel of property near Cornville Arizona and developed it into a landing field to be called Verde
Valley Airport. This local semi-private airport was known locally as the Frye Ranch private
airstrip where the Fryes landed their private TWA Lockheed Electra Jr. and Lodestar airliners.
A long time ago in a decidedly different time,
over the spires of Sedona a silver airship climbed.
Banking, dropping, low to the ground,
Jack and Helen Frye had found their little town.
Property rugged, too rough to land,
they both vowed to return as soon as they can.
Return they did with maps in hand,
staking their claim to this most beautiful land.
A vision, Jack and Helen willed, became the House of
Apache Fires, which took years to build.
On the Wings of the Wind, Jack and Helen Frye came,
Smoke Trail Ranch they soon tamed.
These two celebrities, travelers from afar,
in the end, became Sedona's First Celebrity Stars!
Most Comprehensive Sedona Business-Services-Visitor-Information Website.
LINKS
Sedona Biz Internet Portal- with news editorials and information you will
always be informed and intrigued. Please click to the left on the giant "S".
The Following Web Sites Have Linked Sedona Legend as a Courtesy-
The once isolated and picturesque Frye Ranch,
at Sedona Arizona remains today, in part, as the
286-acre Red Rock State Park. This former
ranch property survives as one of the most
undeveloped parcels in Sedona. For information
on visiting this beautiful property click to the
left for the official Red Rock State Park Website.
Jack and Helen Frye's Poem
Photo shows Jack Frye at the
height of his TWA career, likely
about 1946. Courtesy of Jack's
sister Sunny Frye Thomas.
Written by Randall Reynolds, Administrator Creator of
Sedona Legend Helen Frye. Photo by Robby Robinson
Shown (left) the stunningly beautiful Helen Frye with her
two nieces Sharla and Sheryl Reynolds at Clarksburg,
West Virginia. Jack and Helen had flown down there in
Jack's private transport, a Lockheed Electra Jr. (12A)
tail number NC18137. Photo about 1942 or 1943.
Patrick Chateau's TWA CDG Website
Helen Varner Frye
(Helen Varner Anderson Vanderbilt Frye)
"Welcome To Our World!"
Helen Frye, truly a remarkable woman, married Jack Frye
during the years in which TWA really matured as a world
airline. Jack had just brought his friend Howard Hughes on
line (1939) after which TWA enjoyed a seemingly endless
flow of capital. A time-period appropriately coined the
"Camelot Years of TWA" the beloved airline truly soared!
We are but mere actors in this pageantry called life
returning again and again to this planet called "Earth"
Aviation Legend
Corporate Genius
His World Legacy