TheO'Connor House: A Brief Timeline 2006-2011

February 2006
Barbara Barrett, Gay Wray, the Secretary and Undersecretary of the Smithsonian, and Justice and John O'Connor met to discuss the fate of the O'Connor family home, a sundried adobe brick house, which was slated for demolition by its new owner. Barbara Barrett and Gay Wray determined to save it. A community effort was born.

March 2007
Elva Coor agrees to head up the project; Janie Ellis agrees to lead the effort to physically supervise the move.

April 2007
Several municipalities are contacted and various sites evaluated. Mayor Hugh Hallman offers several sites in Tempe.

Papago Park site next to the Arizona Historical Society is selected.

May 2007
Barbara and Craig Barrett commit $250,000 to begin the relocation project.

Architectural and engineering evaluations and planning begin. Project and financial elements to be managed by Rio Salado Foundation.

June 2007
Original Friends of O'Connor House committee formed to raise funds and oversee move.
Barbara Barrett and Gay Wray, Honorary Co-Chairs; Elva Coor Project Manager.

September 2007
Rio Salado Foundation creates O'Connor House Conservancy, LLC to manage project on behalf of Tempe and Rio Salado Foundation.

October 2007
Justice O'Connor requests that the house function as it did when they lived there, as "A place to work things out and overcome differences".

January 2008
"O'Connor House…where civil talk leads to civic action" tagline adopted.
House officially donated to Rio Salado Foundation to be moved to new site.

March 2008
Governor Janet Napolitano becomes honorary member of Friends of O'Connor House.

April 2008
Rio Salado (through O'Connor House Conservancy) hires Sundt Construction as construction manager and to prepare the new site.

October 2008
At Justice O'Connor's request, an advisory committee is formed to identify issues important to Arizona. Sue Clark Johnson becomes chair of that committee.

"Friends of O'Connor House" established as a nonprofit corporation with Gay Wray as its first Board President.

Avon Foundation gives $250,000 to develop initiatives for women and justice; Justice O'Connor selects domestic violence as first project.

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor exhibit opens at Arizona Historical Society Museum.

February 2009
Friends of O'Connor House opens offices at the Arizona Historical Society Museum.

March 2009
First Supreme Evening of Jazz held.

April 2009
Policy Advisory committee identifies issues including electing a Lt. Governor and reforming the initiative process after convening more than 200 leaders from across the state.

Kim Sterlling-Hefllin and Lucia Fakonas Howard selected to co-chair domestic violence committee.

May 2009
Kim Sterling Heflin elected the second President of the Board of O'Connor House.

Paula Hilby volunteers as Executive Director.

July 2009
After many months of planning and site preparation, Sandra and John O'Connor's sun-dried adobe brick house, which was taken apart brick-by-brick, is relocated to Tempe's Papago Park.

September 2009
Certificate of Occupancy granted for O'Connor House.

Grant makers forum convened.

Friends of O'Connor House collaborates with Project Civil Discourse and with Arizona Town Hall to demonstrate the "O'Connor process".

October 2009
Community celebrates the relocation of the house with a "Mudsling", an event suggested and led by Justice O'Connor.

Collaboration between Avon Center for Women and Justice, O'Connor House and ASU Law School begins.

January 2010
Advisory Committees for Public Policy and Avon Program for Women and Justice adopted by Board of Directors of O'Connor House as its two initial programs.

February 2010
Lucia Howard becomes third President of the Board of Friends of O'Connor House.

March 2010
2nd Supreme Evening of Jazz held.

May 2010
Justice O'Connor's original furnishings are moved into O'Connor House.

June 2010
Using Avon Foundation grant funds, Irene Jacobs hired to lead the Avon Program for Women and Justice at the O'Connor House.

Name is changed from Friends of O'Connor House to "O'Connor House".

August 2010
Orders of Protection Task Force, a collaboration created by the Avon Program for Women and Justice, is launched.

September 2010
O'Connor House collaborates with key civic organizations to launch Day of Civic Action, which is attended by more than 500 people.

O'Connor House collaborates with ASU Public History Department to conserve Justice O'Connor's legacy in Arizona.

October 2010
Avon Program for Women and Justice launches domestic violence awareness campaign.

November 2010
Civic Education and Renewal explored as third issue for O'Connor House.

December 2010
Lease agreement completed with Rio Salado Foundation.

January 2011
O'Connor House awarded $75,000 grant to partner with the Diane Halle Center and Vital Voices to host the first Avon International NGO Mentoring Program.

Domestic Violence advisory committee creates Sandra Day O'Connor Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Domestic Violence.

February 2011
O'Connor House and Expect More Arizona collaborate to launch campaign to support state funding for education.

First stakeholders meeting convened on civic education in schools.

March 2011
Third Supreme Evening held to benefit O'Connor House.