HISTORY
There are three historic districts within the greater Coronado neighborhood, each with its own unique style and history.
Coronado Historic District
Designated: November 1986
The Coronado Historic District consists of a number of small subdivisions; many were originally portions of Syndicate Place, Homewood Tract, and Ranchitos Bonitos subdivisions. Construction of residences in the neighborhood generally went from south to north, west to east.
Most homes in the neighborhood are one-story. Typically the smaller subdivisions were not developer/architect driven so homes were built over several years. Thus, one can find an interesting mix of architectural styles in Coronado, predominately bungalows (California, Classic, Craftsman), English Tudor, Spanish Colonial Revival, although one can also find examples of Pueblo Revival, Southwest (a blend of Spanish Colonial Revival and Pueblo Revival), and Transitional/Early Ranch. One exception is the Womack two-block subdivision on the eastern portion of the District that was constructed all at once.
The Brill Line trolley ran along 10th Street from Washington Street up to Sheridan Street from 1913 to 1946. Emerson Elementary School, now the Phoenix Elementary School District Offices, opened in the fall of 1921. Our large neighborhood park, Coronado Park, was developed by the city in 1936 at Palm Lane and 12th Street.
Country Club Park Historic District
Designated: January 1993
Country Club Park's history begins in 1888 when Charles Orme filed a homestead patent that included this area. Orme sold it six months later to Thomas Pemberton and it remained in his family until 1918 when a Du Pont family heiress, Ecutheria L. Du Pont, purchased it. She subsequently sold the 30 acres east of Dayton to the city for the North High School site in 1937.
In 1939, the Aetna Investment Corporation (the original Country Club Park developers) purchased the parcel. A prime site for new building under FHA standards, the design contained curved, non-through streets, three-way intersections, and a 2 ½ acre park in the center. Half of the lots were developed prior to World War II, usually with simple Ranch style homes (the prototype for FHA construction). By early 1942, the subdivision construction slowed due to war-time building restrictions. The Eureka Investment Company took over the development of Country Club Park shortly after and hired the local architectural firm of Lescher and Mahoney, charging them to honor the FHA uniformity guidelines. By 1946, the subdivision was complete. Ninety-seven percent of the homes are one-story ranch, although you will find a few International style.
Brentwood Historic District
Designated: April 2003
The Brentwood Historic District consists of several subdivisions platted between 1926 and 1946. It consists of single-family residences with only four exceptions: the Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) Stake Center at 1725 East Brill Street dating from 1947-1949 and three small apartment buildings. Although Ranch and Period Revival-style houses dominate the streetscape of the district, a few Southwest and Bungalow-style dwellings are also found, as are a number of unstyled homes.
The oldest house in the district, at 1821 East Willetta Street, was apparently constructed in 1916. However, this house and several other early 1920 buildings predate the platting of the various subdivisions that make up the Brentwood neighborhood. Governor George W. P. Hunt (Arizona's first governor) resided at 1679 East McDowell Road until his death in 1934. His mansion was demolished in the 1950s to make way for the commercialization of McDowell.
If you own a home in one of these historic districts, you may also enjoy the added benefit of reduced property taxes and exterior renovation grants. At the same time, ownership comes with a responsibility: to respect and preserve the historic exterior so future generations will be able to enjoy the charm of our history, too. To learn more, visit:
www.phoenix.gov/HISTORIC: For detailed maps of each district, renovation grant opportunities, property tax reduction program, and other preservation resources.
www.gcna.info/forum: Click on Historic Preservation folder for information on possible expansion of the Coronado Historic District in coming years.
Excerpted from the March-April 2008 Dispatch article by Donna Reiner, PhD