In the mood for a drive?
You can learn a lot about a city by driving through its neighborhoods, especially those that are historic.
Phoenix has 34 of them, according to a publication distributed by The Phoenix Historic Neighborhoods Coalition. “The Historic Neighborhoods of Phoenix Self-Guided Driving Tour” takes you to all of t
hem, pointing out historic landmarks and contemporary cultural centers along the way.
You can find your own copy of the tour map at Visitors Centers in town, but I picked mine up at a local breakfast diner I frequent called The Eye Opener (Read reviews here.) in Sunnyslope–a neighborhood which has its own history that is not featured in this guide. (You’ll see mention of Sunnyslope again in this blog very soon. Stay tuned.) I also found this real estate site where you can order a copy as well. It’s free.
A few things you might be interested to know:
Architectural styles have varied considerably in Phoenix since territorial days of the late 1880s, when some people were still living in tent houses. Of course, we went through the Victorian era, and you can see remnants of that at Heritage Square.
Bungalows were popular here in the early 1900s. We had the Classic, Craftsman and California styles. Between 1915 and 1940, an eclectic mix of homes were built, including Spanish Colonial Revival, Mission Revival, Mediterranean Revival, Pueblo Revival and others.
English Tudor homes and cottages, with their gable dormers, leaded glass windows and large chimneys also appeared at that time, as did the Cape Cod.
World War II brought military families to Phoenix, and with them, The Ranch Era. You can find great examples of these ranch homes in more than 15 of the neighborhoods listed, many of the homes now remodeled. The area surrounding Encanto Park is home to many ranch-style houses.
Encanto is west of one of my favorite districts in Phoenix called Willo. Located south of McDowell between Central and 7th Avenue, this historic neighborhood includes a wonderful mix of Tudor style homes, Spanish Revival, Bungalows and Ranch Era homes. The majority of the construction here, according to the driving guide, took place during the 1920s and ’30s. The earliest development happened closest to McDowell Road.
If you’re interested in historic homes, this map might be exactly what you need on your next visit to downtown Phoenix.
(Photo taken by Jackie Dishner.)
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