Registration, X, NC, 18137 C/N 1229
TWA #240. Named "RESEARCH" by Frye.
Photo courtesy TWA, and Walt Gunn.
This mini-airliner is paramount to this site, as it is the plane that Jack and Helen flew over Sedona in early 1941, searching for a get-a-way residence property. See "The TWA Executive Planes of Jack Frye."
Between fall of 1940 and spring of 1941, history unfolded, and a Sedona Legend was born. This was the period when Jack and Helen scoured the Southwest by air, searching for the perfect place to live. One day, while staying in Scottsdale, Jack and Helen flew north, toward Flagstaff. They were interested in the area south, through Oak Creek Canyon, and into the Red Rocks of Sedona. That particular day, Sedona residents heard something unusual in the sky, at which many, likely ran outside, to look skyward. What greeted their eyes, was an unusual event for the empty skies of Sedona, a silver twin engine plane with bright red, TWA markings. Windows were rattled by the unmistakable rumble of the powerful dual radial engines. The sun, reflecting off the mirrored finish, would have been blinding, as people on the ground looked up with awe. Jack Frye brought the airliner, emblazoned with "RESEARCH" on the nose, low over all the mesas and pinnacles of the Red Rock Country. Circling and banking the magnificent silver airship he expertly explored the many valleys and hidden canyons. Keep in mind at that time, Sedona had NO airport, and no runway, where a plane could be set down! Finally, Jack guided the powerful Lockheed Electra low over Baldwin's Crossing, which is now Red Rock Crossing. It was there, that Jack and Helen looked out on that verdant Red Rock Valley, for the first time, and discovered what would become the famous Smoke Trail Ranch and years later, Red Rock State Park!
Helen Varner Anderson Vanderbilt Frye.
(5 years before her death)
May 24, 1974
Helen Varner Frye was born on November 28, 1908
She was the oldest of 3 children, her two sisters were twins.
Her mother was an musician, her father the regional doctor in the hills of West Virginia.
Helen learned to drive when she was 8 years old. The roads were so bad her father kept two Model T Fords so he would have one to use while the other was in the shop. Helen learned to drive in the mud, extracting the car out of mud holes while assisting him on calls. Later, Sedona roads, primitive in early years were no problem for her. In all her life she never bent a fender.
Helen was educated with high school, and 1 year at the Chicago Art Institute.
Helen married at age 22; however after 7 months she was tragically divorced.
1932-
Helen purchased a train ticket to Reno Nevada, the then divorce capital of the United States. The train trip was long and taxing. At Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of many stops, Helen exited the plane for breakfast. There were two men standing on the platform. One turned out to be the famous socialite, Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr. When Mr. Vanderbilt saw Helen, a strikingly beautiful young woman, he changed his ticket from eastbound to westbound and boarded her train. After the train departed Helen retired to the club car to write some letters. Mr. Vanderbilt came in and asked if he could sit down. Later the train broke down, reasons not known. Many of the passengers, including Helen and Cornelius, left the train to walk and stretch their legs. Helen and Cornelius became acquainted as they both continued west. Three years later they were married. Helen relates they were married 6 years, they dated for about 3 years.
Married January 5, 1935
Divorced December 18, 1940
aviation leader. Jack was part Cherokee and had grown up in Oklahoma. (Jack actually grew up over the state line near Wheeler, Texas). Helen and Jack were married in a quiet ceremony on horseback in Echo Canyon at Camelback Mountain. They were staying at the adjoining Camelback Inn, Scottsdale Arizona.
At the beginning of their marriage Helen Vanderbilt and Jack Frye lived mostly in Kansas City, Missouri, the headquarters of TWA. She often flew with Jack back and forth across the United States. Jack's family were cattle people, and had a large ranch in Texas. Cattle ranching was not appealing to Helen in regard to the Texas property. Jack and her started looking for property of their own that appealed to them both. On one trip in January of 1941, they flew down from the Flagstaff area over Oak Creek Canyon and into the Red Rock Country of what is now Sedona, Arizona. "It was beautiful" said Helen, "The clouds wormed around the red rocks like little corkscrews. It took my breath away." Helen cried out, "That's where I want to live!" Helen related, that she had been living out of suitcases for years and never cared where she went. But at that moment she knew she had come "home!" Even today, when she travels to Phoenix, Helen says she gets homesick for Sedona and the Red Rocks.
In 1947, after Jack resigned from Transcontinental and Western Air, they sold a 120 acre parcel of the property for approximately 10 thousand dollars more than they had paid for the entire ranch. The sale of the Deer Lick Ranch was made to the Albert Burhop's of Chicago, "but his wife, Mrs. Burhop didn't fit," said Helen, "so they sold it in 1951 to the Willis Leanhouts." It was they who re-named the 120 acres, Cross Creek Ranch, because of property adjoined both sides of Oak Creek. On September 10, 1971, it was sold one last time to private owners, Hal and Jane Maloney.
Jack was tied up with TWA round the clock, so Helen would often have to visit the ranch alone. For the first year or so, Helen says they used the old Armijo tool shed because it had a fireplace, and the old Armijo Homestead in the center of what is now Cross Creek Ranch. They also utilized the Willow House on the former Fritz Schuerman Ranch. "The Willow House was named for the huge adjoining willow tree that made it look like a doll house," said Helen.
In 1948, Jack and Helen commenced the construction of a new ranch house, "Apache Fires." Tragically the home was never finished because of the eventual divorce of Jack and Helen, and sits today a forlorn empty shell. Not so much a house, but a lonely building.
The divorce culminated in June of 1950. Helen relates as follows, "Jack wanted to live in New York, but I would have none of it. I gave up my husband for the ranch."
Divorced June 26, 1950
Helen secured the purchase of an adjoining parcel of land, through the divorce settlement. It was an impending Forest Service land trade with their Sunshine Ranch setup by Jack Frye. This is where she eventually built the Wings of Wind estate in 1961-1962 time period. Helen stated that the house was named in regard to the winds of the valley that carried the soaring birds. Helen also related that the name "Smoke Trail Ranch" was derived from the old Indian Trail down adjoining Oak Creek. "You can still see evidences of their campfires and find artifacts," said Helen.
Helen said, "Jack had two other cattle ranches. They paid, which was what he wanted." Smoke Trail Ranch came to her sole ownership as a settlement of their divorce. But Helen feels that she helped in the purchase of the original properties by orchestrating the sale in 1947, of the Deer Lick Ranch portion. That recouped all their original investments, and made an extra $10,000 to boot.
Helen is proud of her vision, the (now) Cup of Gold estates which was originally part of her and Jack's ranch before she developed it in home sites. The area now is one of the most coveted subdivisions in Sedona, populated with million dollar estates.
Jack Frye was 5 years older than she, according to Helen. He eventually died in 1959 in Tucson in a car accident about 8 and half years after they were divorced. Tragically, a woman ran a red light and crashed into him broadside.
(The conversation always comes back to Jack Frye, very telling and touching to this Webmaster. Of all the things Helen could have talked about at the end of her life, nearly 70 years, she wanted to discuss her and Jack, their life, friends, and romance. Jack obviously was THE love of Helen's life and foremost in her everyday thoughts. Of course, Jack and Helen were in process of a reconciliation at the time of his death.)
During the war, in Washington D.C., Helen played hostess for TWA. A social whirl in her eyes, where she and Jack entertained celebrities, and representatives of foreign countries. At first because of their transient lifestyle they lived in hotels and apartments. Eventually they found an old estate in Falls Church, (Arlington) Virginia, that was more suitable for their needs. They converted it into a place where they could entertain. Helen felt the entertaining was her duty as Jack's wife; however, she would steal away to Smoke Trail Ranch as often as she could, with or without Jack.
Please note the error in this reporter's notes. The gentleman notated below is actually Congressman Dick Kleberg, NOT Congressman "Dick Clayburg." The error has been corrected in the text.
Jack wanted to convert their Smoke Trail property into a working ranch during the war. A good friend of theirs was Congressman Dick Kleberg, one of the owners of the famous King Ranch in Texas. At that time this ranch was experimenting with the breeding of the Santa Gertrudis cattle. This breed was a cross of the Afrikander, Brahma and shorthorn cattle. The Afrikander originated in southern Africa, and was well adapted for high temperatures. The Santa Gertrudis cattle were very large animals. They were well suited for hot climates, required little water, and were capable of foraging the desert scrub land for food. They were considered rather docile and friendly under normal circumstances. "A major disadvantage," Helen said, "they had to be handled with very large horses, and if they were sick and needed doctoring, they would go through a barn wall."
Helen said, "Kleberg was a colorful gentleman, everyone loved him. He came to Washington with his cowboy hat and boots, not because he was trying to showoff, but because he was the real McCoy, and that is just the way he dressed." When Helen and he were dancing and visiting, he confided in her that he was in a spot. He continued to tell her he had been playing poker with a woman and lost, and couldn't make good on what he owed her. Helen thought this strange for one of the richest men in the world. He explained though, that the stakes had not been money, but nylon stockings! He was not able to locate any. Previously Jack had forewarned Helen of the impending wartime shortage, and he urged her to lay in a supply. Helen visited a few department stores, but turned away when she found long lines of waiting women. "I couldn't have cared less, at the time," said Helen. Subsequently Jack located and purchased Helen about a 100 pair. Helen told Kleberg he was welcome to as many pair as he desired to pay off his debt, if they were in the woman's size. Unfortunately the woman couldn't use them. When Helen heard of this she contacted Kleberg and told him of a well-known Washington department store that was holding a supply for it's regular customers. "You must know the owner," she said, "call Jack and he will fly you up." Congressman Kleberg secured the stockings and was able to make good on his poker debt!
Two weeks later, Helen and Jack received word that a young Santa Gertrudis and one of the Afrikander bulls were being shipped to their ranch (in Sedona) in padded cars! All Congressman Kleberg asked is that they continue with the experiment. Many years later the cattle died, and the skull of one now hangs over the fireplace of her Wings of the Wind home.
When Helen and Jack first came to their Sedona property, Helen says she was suffering from a bad case of undulant fever. The doctor said she might live 10 years if she stayed in bed. Helen claims now that she recovered from the illness by drinking and swimming in Oak Creek. She is convinced because of this event, that the creek has healing qualities from the minerals, that include silver. "As a doctor's daughter, it bugged me until I could find out why," said Helen. She related a number of people that feel the same way, and use the creek themselves. "Even hurt animals go to the water, and we have never had an epidemic," she concluded. Indians say Smoke Trail Ranch is an old "sacred healing ground." Three special rocks have been found through the years, one by her and Jack's ranch foreman. One is covered with old pictographs, all are considered very sacred, and considered validation of this special designation of the property.
An airport was needed by Jack and Helen as they always flew to and from Sedona from points all over the United States. Helen relates that the second time she and Jack came out to the ranch, that two men from Cottonwood approached Jack. They suggested that there was a strip on their property suitable for an airport. The land turned out to be near 89A and Cornville Road turnoff. The land was developed by Jack, but was not successful due to the war. However, one time when Helen and Jack were flying over Sedona, Jack spotted what he said would be the ideal site. It was the top of Table Top Mountain. Jack and Helen subsequently walked over it together and determined it was large enough. Later Joe Moser carried the project through in 1953. (It must be notated that it was Jack Frye the famous aviator legend, president and founder of TWA, who discovered the current location of the Sedona Airport. If it were not for his divorce with Helen, Jack surely would have proceeded to develop the property into what it has become today!)
Helen explained that it took Jack and her years to find the actual property lines of the ranch. This land included the old Armijo Ranch, the Fritz Schuerman Ranch, and 50 acres above it. Also Cup of Gold, over to Button Rock across the creek. The ranch also includes several other smaller pieces of property that were acquired at different times, through purchases and land trades, etc. The sales of property through the years culminated to something like this, in part: Helen sold 10 acres to Paula Nelson and Marion Moore in 1957. In 1961 she sold approximately 40 acres to Andy Hughes, and in 1973 she sold approximately 306 acres to include 1 and 1/4 mile of riverfront on both sides of the river to Development Sales Corporation and Turco Properties, Inc. Helen retained 32 acres adjoining her Wings of the Wind house. As for the recent sale of some of her ranch property to Turco and Development Sales, Helen says, "many had tried to purchase the property, but offered stinking terms." She is delighted to have run into someone with integrity and a good idea and has loved doing business with them.
It has been of interest to Helen to try to restore the land to its natural state. She conveys that tumbleweeds, bullheads and other noxious plants don't come in, unless man has disturbed the soil. "If you do not disturb the soil for about 7 years, it will go through a cycle of (bad) but then it will come back to (good)," Helen related. "Good grass will fill in the areas again." Helen feels plants have feeling, and relates that much has been written on the subject.
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Sedona Legend Helen Frye