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Litchfield Park, Arizona

Coordinates: 33°29′42″N 112°21′30″W / 33.49500°N 112.35833°W / 33.49500; -112.35833
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Litchfield Park, Arizona
Welcome sign
Welcome sign
Flag of Litchfield Park, Arizona
Official seal of Litchfield Park, Arizona
Location in Maricopa County, Arizona
Location in Maricopa County, Arizona
Litchfield Park is located in Arizona
Litchfield Park
Litchfield Park
Litchfield Park is located in the United States
Litchfield Park
Litchfield Park
Coordinates: 33°29′42″N 112°21′30″W / 33.49500°N 112.35833°W / 33.49500; -112.35833
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountyMaricopa
Government
 • MayorThomas L. Schoaf
Area
 • Total3.31 sq mi (8.57 km2)
 • Land3.28 sq mi (8.49 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation1,053 ft (321 m)
Population
 • Total6,847
 • Density2,088.14/sq mi (806.18/km2)
Time zoneUTC-7 (MST (no DST))
ZIP code
85340
Area code623
FIPS code04-41330
GNIS feature ID2410842[2]
Websitewww.litchfield-park.org

Litchfield Park is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is located 19 miles (31 km) west of Phoenix. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 6,847,[3] up from 5,476 in 2010.[4]

History

[edit]
Statue of Paul W. Litchfield in Akron, Ohio, headquarters of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

The town of Litchfield Park is a community outside of Phoenix named after its founder, Paul Weeks Litchfield (1875–1959). He was an executive of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company who came to the Phoenix area in 1916 in search of suitable land to farm a long-staple cotton that had previously been available only from the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia and from Egypt. This cotton was needed to strengthen the rubber in the pneumatic tire, of which Goodyear was the world's largest producer. The East Coast cotton supply had been devastated by the boll weevil, and the African supply had been greatly reduced by World War I attacks from German U-boats. Litchfield went to the Phoenix area at the suggestion of the US Department of Agriculture, but was not successful in motivating local farmers to grow his cotton. Instead, he got Goodyear to form the Southwest Cotton Company in Phoenix, with Litchfield as its president, eventually purchasing some 36,000 acres (15,000 ha) in the general Salt River Valley area, including 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) around the present site of Litchfield Park, then known as Litchfield Ranch. Much of the land was bought for as little as $25 per acre. The cotton was cultivated with a workforce of mostly Mexican and Native American men. The U.S. Postal Service agreed to the name "Litchfield Park" in 1926. In 1929, the Wigwam Resort was opened to the public. In 1926, Litchfield went on to become the president of the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation,[5] and then chairman of the board in 1930. He retired from the company in 1958, and spent the final months of his life as a resident of Litchfield Park at his home on Fairway Drive.[6]

In 1964, Goodyear created Litchfield Park Land and Development Co. to expand Litchfield Park into a 90,000-resident community.[7][8] Arden E. Goodyear was the head of the company, Patrick Cusick was vice president and general manager, and Victor Gruen was hired to design some of the buildings. Emanuel Cartsonis, who had worked with Cusick, became city planner. The plan called for 25,000 homes, a college, a junior college, eighteen elementary schools, ten junior high schools, and six high schools, as well as improvements to the town's golf course and Phoenix Trotting Park at an expense of at least $750 million.[9] Goodyear made many mistakes during development, including selling properties right up to the curb line, which means that the city must get permission from property owners before they can put in a sidewalk. They abandoned their plans for expanding Litchfield Park before they were completed and sold whatever land they could.[10]

Geography

[edit]

Litchfield Park is bordered to the southeast by Avondale, to the west by Goodyear, and to the north by Glendale.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2), of which 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2), or 0.94%, are water.[1]

Climate

[edit]

Litchfield Park has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh).

Climate data for Litchfield Park, Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1917–2021
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 89
(32)
93
(34)
100
(38)
105
(41)
115
(46)
125
(52)
125
(52)
118
(48)
116
(47)
109
(43)
98
(37)
89
(32)
125
(52)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 76.6
(24.8)
80.5
(26.9)
89.9
(32.2)
98.3
(36.8)
105.2
(40.7)
113.6
(45.3)
115.0
(46.1)
113.1
(45.1)
108.1
(42.3)
99.6
(37.6)
87.6
(30.9)
75.4
(24.1)
116.4
(46.9)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 66.1
(18.9)
70.2
(21.2)
77.7
(25.4)
85.5
(29.7)
94.3
(34.6)
104.0
(40.0)
106.5
(41.4)
104.7
(40.4)
99.3
(37.4)
88.1
(31.2)
74.6
(23.7)
64.5
(18.1)
86.3
(30.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 54.5
(12.5)
58.1
(14.5)
64.4
(18.0)
71.3
(21.8)
79.8
(26.6)
88.8
(31.6)
93.8
(34.3)
92.6
(33.7)
86.5
(30.3)
74.5
(23.6)
61.9
(16.6)
53.2
(11.8)
73.3
(22.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 42.9
(6.1)
45.9
(7.7)
51.2
(10.7)
57.0
(13.9)
65.3
(18.5)
73.7
(23.2)
81.2
(27.3)
80.6
(27.0)
73.8
(23.2)
60.9
(16.1)
49.3
(9.6)
42.0
(5.6)
60.3
(15.7)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 31.2
(−0.4)
35.7
(2.1)
40.3
(4.6)
45.9
(7.7)
53.5
(11.9)
62.8
(17.1)
70.6
(21.4)
71.4
(21.9)
61.2
(16.2)
47.9
(8.8)
37.6
(3.1)
30.5
(−0.8)
28.7
(−1.8)
Record low °F (°C) 16
(−9)
22
(−6)
22
(−6)
27
(−3)
36
(2)
49
(9)
57
(14)
50
(10)
44
(7)
31
(−1)
22
(−6)
20
(−7)
16
(−9)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.96
(24)
1.20
(30)
0.95
(24)
0.29
(7.4)
0.13
(3.3)
0.03
(0.76)
0.76
(19)
1.06
(27)
0.79
(20)
0.57
(14)
0.59
(15)
0.85
(22)
8.18
(208)
Average precipitation days 3.9 4.2 3.2 1.5 0.9 0.3 3.5 3.9 3.4 2.0 2.3 4.4 33.5
Source: NOAA[11][12]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
19701,664
19803,657119.8%
19903,303−9.7%
20003,81015.3%
20105,47643.7%
20206,84725.0%
2022 (est.)6,960[13]1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]

Litchfield Park had a population of 6,847 at the 2020 census. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 78.4% non-Hispanic white, 1.1% black or African American, 3.2% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.0% non-Hispanic from some other race, 0.8% two or more races and 13.8% Hispanic or Latino. 2020 census

Government

[edit]

The mayor is Tom Schoaf, the vice mayor is Paul Faith. The city council members are: Ann Donahue, Ron Clair, John Romack, Tom Rosztoczy, and Lisa Brainard Watson.[15]

The first mayor was Charles Salem.

Education

[edit]

The Litchfield Elementary School District and the Agua Fria Union High School District serve Litchfield Park. Litchfield Elementary School District has some schools located in the city.

Transportation

[edit]

Litchfield Park is not a member of Valley Metro, the regional transportation system.[16] Valley Metro's Avondale ZOOM neighborhood circulator serves the border of Litchfield Park and Avondale along parts of Indian School Road.[17]

Historic structures

[edit]

The following are the images of the historic structures in Litchfield Park and its surrounding areas:

Tourism

[edit]
Litchfield Park City Hall
  • Kiwanis Litchfield Park Winter Trout Fishing Derby
  • Annual Wigwam Festival of Fine Art
  • Arts in the Park Concert Series
  • Flavors of the West Festival
  • Litchfield Park Friends of the Rec 10k, 5k, 1 Mile Run/Walk
  • Annual Spring Art & Culinary Festival
  • Memorial Day Ceremony
  • "Splash Bash"
  • Independence Day Fireworks Celebration[26]

Notable people

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Arizona". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Litchfield Park, Arizona
  3. ^ a b "Litchfield Park city, Arizona: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  4. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  5. ^ "archive.ph". archive.ph. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  6. ^ "A History of Litchfield Park". Archived from the original on April 1, 2012.
  7. ^ "Rubber Firm Hiring Cusick". The Pittsburgh Press. June 25, 1964. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  8. ^ "Planner Here Going West". The Pittsburgh Press. June 24, 1964. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  9. ^ "22 Miles of Arizona Luring Cusick from Planning Job Here". The Pittsburgh Press. August 16, 1964. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  10. ^ Madrid, David (April 27, 2012). "Decline of Scout Park angers Litchfield Park neighbor". The Republic. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  11. ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  13. ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  14. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  15. ^ "Official Web Site of the City of Litchfield Park". Litchfield Park, AZ. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  16. ^ "Overview". Valley Metro. October 12, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  17. ^ "Maps & Schedules". Valley Metro. August 14, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  18. ^ "Litchfield History" (PDF).
  19. ^ "Home Depot". Phoenix Magazine. December 1, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  20. ^ "Parish History". Aquinas Catholic Church. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  21. ^ "The Church at Litchfield Park | Home". www.churchatlitchfieldpark.org. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  22. ^ hotels.org/hotels-resorts/the-wigwam/ Historic Hotels of America
  23. ^ "20 cities in 20 Days: Wigwam Resort's history with celebrities". AZFamily. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  24. ^ "The Wigwam – Arizona Luxury Resort with Pool, Spa, Gym, Golf". www.wigwamarizona.com. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  25. ^ "The Litchfield Park Historical Society and Museum".
  26. ^ "Special Events 2017 | Litchfield Park, AZ". www.litchfield-park.org. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
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