Lecture tells historical story of Litchfield Park growth

The lecture series through the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center continues with an historical look back at the southwest Valley.

“Litchfield Park: The Evolution of a ‘New Town,’” presented by Mary Dickson, takes place at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 18, inside Goodyear City Hall, 1900 N. Civic Square.

Litchfield Park sprang from the desert in 1917 when Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. sought cotton for its tire manufacturing, a Heritage Center press release explains. The small settlement continued to flourish throughout the decades with cotton, cattle, and citrus farms.

In the early 1960s, with growth from metro Phoenix heading westward, the community embarked on a bold venture — becoming a “New Town,” the Heritage Center continues. Based on an English urban planning model, Litchfield Park took dramatic steps to create an oasis in the West Valley.

Learn at the lecture series about the history of Litchfield Park and its attempt at defying urban sprawl. Learn how historic buildings continue to play a part in the southwest Valley and why the dream of a “New Town” was never fully completed.

Summer hours at the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center, 13912 W. Camelback Road, Litchfield Park, are in effect. The center is open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays in July and August, and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. the first Saturday of each month.

The center is also available by appointment by calling 623-535-4414.