Construction History
Development began in 1939 with the North
Encanto Park subdivision containing 89
residential lots between 15th and 16th
Avenues and from Thomas Road to Earll Drive.
The first 51 houses were built by a
syndicate who’s agent was Mr. Volney Bell.
The plans were by Orville A. Bell, architect
and construction by Broman & Chapman. By
February ground had been broken on the first
29 houses, all of which had FHA financing.
The remaining 22 applications were being
processed. Houses averaged $4,000 and the
subdivision was scheduled to be annexed by
the city. By September 1940 20 homes had
been occupied, 27 were nearing completion,
12 had been started and all of the remaining
lots in the 89 unit subdivision had been
sold.
By July 1941, construction had begun on the
west side of 16th Avenue and in January 1942
Joseph Nuber announced the opening of
an additional 25 lots of North Encanto
Park
subdivision facing what is now 16th Drive.
(It should be noted that there can be
confusion in historic references as 15th
Drive was originally called 16th Drive, 16th
Drive was called 17th Drive and 17th Drive
was called 17th Place until the names were
corrected in 1951.) Construction on these
lots on 16th Drive was delayed by the war
until 1944. In February 1944 Andy
Womack announced the start of home
construction in this and other sections of
the city. Encanto Terrace subdivision,
between 17th and 18th Avenues south of Earll
Drive, was developed starting in 1945-46 and
Truman Terrace subdivision, North of Earll
Drive, containing Flower Circle was under
construction by 1946. In March of 1946
Alfred Andersen was building 22 houses on
Flower Circle.
Early Residents and Home
Owners
The people who bought and moved into the
North Encanto
Park Historic District
represented a broad spectrum of the Phoenix
population. There were lawyers, doctors,
salesmen, teachers, a streetcar conductor, a
forester for the Indian Services, Several
policemen and farmers and a wrestling
promoter at Madison Square Gardens.
Several early residents worked for the new
large industries in Phoenix such as
Goodyear, Airesearch and Reynolds Metals.
Among the district residents who have had an
affect on the city are W. H. Goettl (2934 N.
16th Dr.) early evaporative and air
conditioning manufacturer; M. S. Buros, M.
J. Buros and H. A. Buros, Boros Brothers
Contracting; E. L. Varney (3028 N. 17th
Ave.), prominent architect; Levi S. Udall
(3112 N. 17th Ave., Chief Justice of Arizona
Supreme Court and parents of Stewart and
Morris Udall; C.B. Smith (3301 N 17th Ave.)
Smith Iron & Steel and G.D. Hoy (1530 W.
Avalon) teacher at Phoenix College and after
whom the P.C. stadium, Hoy Field is named.
During the 1950’s Lincoln Ragsdale,
mortician and leader in the Black community
lived at 1610 W. Thomas and Bill Dickey, a
prominent Black sports figure and golfer
lived at 1614 W. Thomas.
This information was submitted by Tom
Denny, our resident historian. If you'd like
to find out more about your home, contact
Historic Preservation and they can guide
you.
