“Whether he is aware of it or not, every human being dwells in tradition and history. Human memory is this constant dwelling in tradition.” Medard Boss, Swiss psychiatrist and author

I cried when I left my home in New Jersey fifteen years ago.  And, no, you “New Jersey Bashers,” they weren’t tears of joy. We had lived for eighteen years in that house and all the memories of many family barbecues, pool parties, young niece and nephew sleepovers, and couples’ cocktail parties came flooding over me, leaving me feeling melancholy as we drove away and headed for Florida for a new chapter in our lives. I realized that the history we had made in that home was important; a reflection of what really mattered in our lives.

With the economic times being what they are today, most of us are hunkering down and staying in our homes, instead of being tempted to sell and buy something bigger or make some quick cash on speculative real estate deals. And, I think this is a good thing. Granted, many of the homes in the North Valley area are in new developments and haven’t garnered much history yet, but that’s all the more reason to see how we can improve our homes to fit our individual lifestyles, make them more “green,” and create new memories with friendly gatherings of families, children and friends. And, this also means being a part of your community, to not only support local businesses and enjoy the amenities it offers, but also to ensure safety and watching our for your neighbors. Check out the Homeowners’ Expo (information below) that will be held from June 18th to the 20th to obtain valuable information on how to hire a contractor, how to improve your home’s energy efficiency, and how to make your home “greener.”

Luckily for Phoenix, there are many neighborhoods that have wisely been designated as historic districts and homes that might have been knocked down to make room for “McMansions” have been lovingly restored by their new owners. For them their reward was often finding the home’s history in old newspapers stuffed between the wall studs, but more often it was the satisfaction they had in making remodeling changes without destroying the original integrity of the property. Take a walk or drive through some of the neighborhoods described below and you will see what I mean. The English Tudors, Craftsman bungalows, ranches, and Spanish colonials situated under the shade of mature trees and beautiful gardens provide a welcome glance into the past. Here’s a snapshot of some of these historic neighborhoods that are worth seeking out:

ALVARADO
(Roughly bounded by Central Avenue, Oak Street, Third Street and Palm Lane)
In 1895, Dwight B. Heard, a descendent of William Heard, an early settler in colonial America, arrived in Phoenix. Heard became an active force in the efforts to promote federal projects that would harness the Valley’s water. During his service as County Water Commissioner, he helped lay the groundwork for the construction of the Roosevelt Dam. In 1903, he and his wife, Marie, built a 6,000-square-foot Spanish Colonial Revival mansion located at the corner of Monte Vista and Central. Called “Casa Blanca,” the Heard home was a frequent stop for dignitaries from throughout the United States. Heard purchased the surrounding 160 acres and in 1909, he subdivided the land into 32 parcels of five acres each for the purpose of building estate-size homes. He planted the hundreds of palm trees that still grace the Alvarado District.

ENCANTO/PALMCROFT
(Roughly bounded by N. 7th and 15th Avenues and McDowell and Thomas Roads)
Dwight B. Heard continued his real estate investments in 1926 by purchasing 80 acres, which was split into two equal plats. The two developments, both of which he called Palmcroft, were composed of palm-bordered winding drives and were an immediate success. Some homes of distinction in the Palmcroft development include the one-story brick structure at 1609 Palmcroft Drive SE, which was the first model home built in 1927. The second model home at 1808 Palmcroft Drive NW, also built in 1927, was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Encanto was developed by businessmen Lloyd C. Lakin and George T. Peter simultaneously with the new Palmcroft development. The architectural style of Encanto’s model homes were distinctly Southwestern as opposed to the Period Revival styles of Palmcroft. One home of distinction in Encanto, located at 745 West Monte Vista, is the Monterey-style house belonging to Peter. Another unique style of home built there was the Pueblo Revival, which featured flat roofs, timber vigas and rainspouts. Two good examples of this style are located at 2040 Encanto Drive SE and 702 West Monte Vista Road.

F. Q. STORY
(Roughly bounded by McDowell Road, 7th Avenue, Roosevelt Street and 16th Avenue)
In 1887, Francis Quarles Story, a Boston wool merchant who had moved to California for his health, purchased the acreage that is called the F. Q. Story Historic District. Although he never moved to Phoenix, Story was involved in many projects, such as the design and construction of Grand Avenue and the subsequent building of its streetcar design. He never developed the acreage he had purchased, but instead sold it in 1919 to the Phoenix firm of Jordan, Grace & Phelps. Development was stymied by the fact that the area lay directly in the floodway of Cave Creek.

Things started to move forward in 1926 after the Cave Creek Dam was built. In July of 1927, the developers, Lane-Smith, thought of the novel idea of having a “model home” constructed at 1106 West Lynwood to lure more home buyers.

F. Q. Story residents were mainly upper middle-class. Homes were relatively smaller and inexpensive in comparison with the other emerging neighborhoods of this era. This district is architecturally important because it displays a wide range of historic styles from the 1920’s and 1930’s that illustrate the changing architectural trends of that period.

ROOSEVELT
(Roughly bounded by Portland and Fillmore Streets, Central and 7th Avenues)
The city of Phoenix was founded in 1867 and initially many prominent residents built homes in the southern and eastern portions. Severe flooding of the Salt River in 1890 and 1891, however, resulted in the more wealthy residents moving north to higher ground. This movement northward resulted in the expansion of the city into the Roosevelt District during the years 1893 to 1930. Most of the Roosevelt’s District’s lots are narrow and deep, the thought at the time being that it minimized the distance residents had to walk to reach streetcar transportation. The most common styles of architecture in this area are the California Bungalow, the Craftsman Bungalow and Period Revival houses. The Craftsman movement was a popular early 20th century building philosophy that emphasized using natural and rustic materials, stressing comfort, utility, and convenience, as well as high-quality workmanship. The Roosevelt historic neighborhood also features some famous public buildings such as the Trinity Cathedral and the Westward Ho Hotel.

WILLO
(Roughly bounded by Central Avenue, McDowell Road, 7th Avenue and Thomas Road)
During the early 1920’s most of the Willo area was undeveloped agricultural land on the outskirts of the city. Home Builders, a speculative residential construction firm, saw great opportunity here and encouraged people to move to this newly created community through the large-scale construction of homes. Between 1920 and 1925, Home Builders built 41 homes, all in the Bungalow style. During the late 1920’s other developers constructed homes in the Spanish Rancho, the Spanish Colonial, the Tudor Revival, and American Colonial styles. During the Depression years of 1931 through 1935, the Willo area experienced a virtual standstill of real estate development. The National Housing Act of 1934, which created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), revived growth in Willo, but FHA standards required uniformity in home designs that could be mass-produced at lower cost. The homes built during this period are more uniform in appearance. The two basic styles were the French Provincial (steeply pitched, hipped roof, interlocking wings giving the appearance of a rambling farmhouse) and the Monterey (one-story stucco, forerunner of the modern Ranch-style homes).

HOMEOWNER’S EXPO

The Arizona Preservation Foundation, Arizona State Historic Preservation Office, Arizona Department of Commerce’s Main Street Program, and the City of Phoenix are hosting the 7th Annual Historic Preservation Partnership Conference at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix, June 18th-20th, 2009. The purpose of this year’s conference, “Arguing For Preservation: Building a Case For Communities,” is to bring together preservationists from around the state to exchange ideas and success stories, to share perspectives and solutions to preservation issues and to foster a sense of cooperation between the diverse Arizona preservation communities. As part of this conference the City of Phoenix is sponsoring the Homeowner’s Expo, also at the Hyatt Regency. Some of the seminars that will be held at the expo are: How to Hire a Contractor, Urban Myths about Energy Efficiency, Window Repair Demonstration, Landscape and Irrigation, and more. Admission is free, although it is recommend that homeowners’ register for the Expo on the website: http://azpreservation.com/homeexpo.aspx or at the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Office at Phoenix City Hall at 200 West Washington Street, 17th floor or by calling 602-261-8699.  Parking will be available in the Phoenix Convention Center West Building. The entrance is just south of Monroe Street on 2nd Street.