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Woodland Historic
District
Phoenix at the Turn of
the Century
By the end of the first
decade of the twentieth century, the days of uncertainty
about Phoenix' water supply were quickly coming to a
close. With the completion of Roosevelt Dam in 1911
imminent, the future prosperity of Phoenix was assured.
By 1910 the population of the Valley had nearly doubled
over the past decade to more than 10,000 residents. This
rise in population brought about a rapid shift in the
economic makeup of Phoenix, transforming it from a
primarily agricultural region to a retail and industrial
center. Over the next ten years, Phoenix grew quickly.
Sewer lines were laid, roads were widened and paved,
municipal utilities were established, and businesses of
all types entered or expanded into the city. It was
during this period of extensive growth that many of
Phoenix' first subdivisions were constructed and annexed
to the city. The Woodland District's history
marks the beginning of expansion of the original Phoenix
townsite.
Neah's Addition
In 1880, the first
addition westward of the original Phoenix townsite was
surveyed by Herbert R. Patrick and recorded by David
Neahr. This quarter section of property between 7th and
15th Avenues, south of Woodland Avenue and north of Gray
Avenue became know as Neahr's Addition. The area now
designate4d as the Woodland Historic District was
developed in the early 1900's through a replanting of
three blocks in the northern section of Neahr's
Addition. Today the Woodland District is significant
because it is a representative of
Phoenix residential
planning and expansion in the early twentieth century.
Woodland Place and Other
Early Subdivisions
Bounded by 13th and 15th
Avenues on the east and west, and by Woodland and Adams
on the north and south, the area contained 48 lots.
Little building took place in the area until a housing
boom in 1913-1914 almost filled the subdivision with
Bungalow style houses. Woodland Place forms the western
edge of the Woodland Historic district. Also
recorded in 1893 was Gray's subdivision - 24 lots facing
10th Avenue between Woodland and Adams. This subdivision
took longer to develop and it was not fully build up
until the nid-1930's. Gray's Subdivision is the eastern
portion of the Woodland Historic District.
Three other subdivisions
make up the remainder of the district. Walker's
Subdivision, Athena Place and El Fresnal
were recorded in 1806, 1910 and 1913 with 24, 20, And 10
lots respectively.
Woodland Park
The original developers
of the Woodland neighborhood were influenced by
the Beaux Arts concept of city planning, which included
formally designed suburbs with extensive parks and
boulevards. This planning philosophy, which was popular
from 1885 to `93, was responsible for the 1913
development of Woodland Park, on of Phoenix' earliest
city parks, Designed to separate the residential areas
along Woodland Avenue from the commercially oriented Ban
Buren Street, Woodland Park continues to be a
significant element of character of the
Woodland
Historic district.
Architectural Styles
Bungalow is the dominant
architectural style found in the
Woodland Historic district.
Bungalows have simple, functional, one-story floor
plans with broad front porches and broadly pitched
overhanging roof gables. Bungalows in Woodland
are characteristic of the style can contain many good
examples of craftsmanship. Typical of many of the
historic districts homes in Woodland date from as
far back as 1885 to the mid-1930's.
Woodland's Significance
to Phoenix
As the first development
to occur outside the original townsite, Woodland is
historically important for its representation of the
forces that shaped Phoenix at the turn of the century.
The district's location, and layout provide physical
expression of the concepts and practices that
transformed the early settlement into a regional center.
Although limited in number and modest in scale, the
houses of the Woodland Historic district are important
for the range of building periods they represent, and as
example of historic construction methods, material and
workmanship. Of particular note is the Eyrich House,
located at 1015 West Woodland. Built in 1885, it is one
of the oldest buildings in Phoenix today.
Information, maps and
photographs provided courtesy:
Historic Preservation
Office of the City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services
Department
200 West Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85003
(602) 261-8699
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